HAITI, lialtk, Fr. pron. Vete", also called SANTO DOMINGO, or HISPANIOLA. -One of the four islands of the Greater Antilles, the sec ond in area and population, and the only island of the West Indies that is politically independent. The name of the island requires special comment because the usage is not uni form. Haiti is the name given to it by the Caribs, who inhabited it, the word signifying `mountainous' or 'high land.' When Columbus discovered Haiti he renamed it 'Hispatola' (His paniola) ; colonized by the Spaniards the name of Santo Domingo was given to its most im portant port, and in the course of time the Eng lish, French, and even the Spaniards came to know the whole island by the name of its capi tal and chief settlement. Early in the nineteenth century, at the suggestion of some leading geog raphers, the original name Haiti came again into use, and is now commonly employed to designate (1) the whole island, and (2) the independent republic which occupies the western four-elev enths of the island's area. The name Santo Domingo (q.v.) is now properly applied only to the republic occupying the eastern seven-elevenths of the island (officially, Reptiblica Dominicana), or the Dominican Republic.
Situated between Porto Rico and Cuba, the island extends from latitude 17° 37' to 20° N. and from longitude 68° 20' to 74° 28' W. (Map: West Indies, L 5). It is about 400 miles long and varies in width from 24 to 165 miles. Haiti has the highest mountains of the West Indies. The island is covered with forested mountain chains and isolated mountain masses, inter spersed with fertile valleys. The highest point of the island, Loma Tina, rises to over 10,000 feet, and the average altitude of the Sierra del Cibao is about 7000 feet. The coasts are mostly elevated and greatly indented, forming numerous natural harbors. The rivers, although numerous, are naturally short and swift, most of them hav ing their sources in the mountains. A few of them are navigable for small boats; their mouths are generally obstructed. There are several large lakes in the western part of the island, one of them, Enriquillo, being evidently connected with the Caribbean Sea, judging from the specific grav ity of its water and its tides. The principal for mations are sandstones and schists, the crystal line zone being found chiefly in the centre of the island. Tertiary deposits are found in some of the mountain chains. The minerals are supposed to be abundant, and some gold is found in the streams. The climate is hot and heavy in the low-lying parts of the island (as at Port-au Prince), the temperature during June, July, and August frequently rising to about 95°, but rare ly above this. The mean annual temperature in the Port of San Domingo is a little cooler than in Port-au-Prince. In the mountains the climate is much cooler, the average for the summer months being about 77°. There are two rainy and two dry seasons, differing in their duration in differ ent parts of the island. The rainfall is heaviest in May and June. Although there are no active volcanoes, earthquakes occur not infrequently and are occasionally very disastrous. Haiti has a re markably rich flora. Most tropical products are found on the island, and many species are in digenous, such as rice, cotton, cacao, ginger, arrowroot, tobacco, and different kinds of fruit.
Valuable timber is found in abundance on the mountain slopes. The fauna is relatively poor, and most of the domestic animals are of foreign origin.
The Republic of Haiti, the first of the negro republics, comprises the western part of the island, and with the adjacent islands of Tortuga, Gonave, and Vache covers an area of 10,200 square miles (or, as estimated by others, 11,090 square miles). The country is almost exclusive ly agricultural, and has a soil exceedingly well adapted for cultivation. The principal product during the French occupation was cane-sugar, of which over J76,000,000 pounds were exported in 1791. Coffee was also cultivated in those days, but only on a limited scale. At present coffee ranks first in the exports of the country, showing, however, a considerable decline during the period of 1891-99. In 1891 the exports amounted to 78,000,000 pounds; in 1899, 61, 600,000 pounds. In 1900 it rose to 72,000,000 pounds. The cultivation of coffee is carried on by primitive methods, and large planta tions, equipped with improved machinery, are a thing unknown in the Republic. Sugar is grown only in quantities sufficient to meet the domestic demand. While the agricultural pos sibilities of Haiti are large, the backward con dition of agriculture clearly shows that they are not fully utilized. This is due to lack of capital, high export duties, the roadless condition of the country. frequent revolutions, and the unprogres sive character of the people. Many kinds of fruit that are cultivated in Jamaica and find a ready market in the United States could easily be grown in Haiti, which has the same advantages in point of distance as Jamaica. Cotton, grown extensively in colonial times, now receives only scanty attention, and very little is available for export. The same is also true of indigo. Log wood is exported in considerable quantities, al though the exploitation of the forests is hindered by the lack of transportation facilities. The commerce of Haiti fluctuates between $15,000.000 and $19,000,000, of which the exports amount to about $10,000,000 or $12,000,000. The United States takes only a small portion of the exports, which go mostly to France, Germany, and Great Britain. Two-thirds of the coffee, the principal article of export, goes to France. Very little of the coffee comes to our market, as Brazil coffee is cheaper and gives a larger profit to importers. The United States supplies over 60 per cent. of the imports, consisting chiefly of provisions, flour, and textiles. Haiti has fifteen ports, most of which are open to foreign commerce. The most important of them are Port-au-Prince, the capital, Aux Cayes, ,Taemel, and Connives. The roads of Haiti are so poor that travelers from one port to another almost invariably go by sea. The Republic has only one short line of railway, 15 miles long, connecting Cape Hafilen with Grande Riviere. Projects for several other lines are on foot, and a concession for a line between Port-au-Prince and Salt Lake, ultimately to be extended to Santo Domingo, was granted in 1900.