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Poverty in Haiti
Mr. Cahall
Room 312
What role does Haiti’s geography play
in the poverty of the country?
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Haiti is located on the western
part of the island of Hispaniola
in the Caribbean Sea
The island is often hit with
hurricanes and tropical storms
The island also sits along several
tectonic plate borders
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When plates shift the island is
subjected to earthquakes
The mountains in the central
part of the island block rainfall
from hitting the western side of
the island
There is little nutrient content
left in the soil due to poor
farming practices of the past
Has Haiti’s history played a role in the
struggles the country faces today?
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Haiti was settled by the French
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Land was abused by the early
settlers
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The French wanted to send sugarcane
back to Europe
Natives that were enslaved to work in
sugarcane fields eventually died because
of disease and harsh working conditions
Slaves from Africa were brought to Haiti
to replace the native slaves that died off
Nutrients were removed from the soil
Haiti struggles to grow plants in the
nutrient depleted soil today
The people of Haiti eventually won
independence from the French
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Many people of Haiti are cautious of
outsiders today because they are fearful
that they will once again come under the
control of a foreign country
What are some of the struggles facing
the people of Haiti today?
• 80% unemployment rate
– The average Haitian
makes $1/day
• No running water
– Many people have to
walk 2 miles to get
clean water
• No electricity
– No lights, no fans, & no
refrigerators
• Lack of health care
• Families must pay for
school
What role has the government played
in improving the life of the Haitian
people?
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The Haitian government has
been of little help to the
country
Numerous officials have been
removed from office due to
corruption
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Votes are often tampered with
Officials often take bribes for
political support
The government has little
natural resources to work with
and numerous problems facing
them
This graph shows me
that Haiti’s government
was one of the most
corrupt in the year
2005.
There is a connection between the economic crisis in Haiti and the countries
geography. The few natural resources limits the job opportunity for the people. The
natural disasters prevents the government from improving the country when they are
constantly at a state of repair.