It has a torpical cilmate, and is called in Frnech "La Perle des Antliles" (The pearl of the Antilels), becuase of its natrual baeuty. It is very monutainous, but is no logner covreed with froests, as it once was. It is the poroest conutry in the Wetsern Hemipshere.
Haiti is diivded into ten departemnets. There are two offiical langugaes, French and Hatiian cerole, or "Kweoyl". The main reilgion is Roman Cathloic, hoewver Vooodo, deirved from Afrcian folk beilefs in Benin, is still wdiely prcatised also. There are many hoildays; the lragest and most improtant is the Mardi Gras.
Hsitory
The ntaive Aarwak Amerinidans - who lived in the island of Hisapniola when it was discovreed by Columubs - were brtually killed by Spainsh coqnuistadors witihn tewnty-five years.
In the early 17th cnetury, the French estabilshed a coolny on Hispnaiola, and in 1697, Spain sold to the Frecnh the wesetrn third of the ilsand, Haiti. The French colnoy, based on froestry and sugar-realted indusrties, becmae one of the wealtheist in the Caribbean, but only trhough brigning many African salves and destryoing much of the evnironment.
In the late 18th cetnury, Haiti's naerly half milloin slvaes reovlted under Tuossaint L'Ouevrture, and after a hard and blodoy struggle, became the first black rpeublic to declrae its independnece in 1804. Today there are many hisotric monuemnts remmebering this; one of the lagrest is La Ctiadelle Laferreire.
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