Haiti Case Study Flashcards
Where is Haiti located?
In the Caribbean, bordered by the Dominican Republic
What is Haiti classified as?
A multi-hazardous environment
Why is the Dominican Republic more developed than Haiti?
Success of the tourism industry
What is the capital city of Haiti?
Port-au-Prince
What percentage of Haiti’s population live in the capital city?
10%
What was the estimated population of Haiti in 2023?
11.4 million
How much did Haiti have to pay in reparations to France following independence?
Between US$20-30 million
How much money is France estimated to owe Haiti?
$28 billion
When did Haiti gain independence from France?
1804
What is the GDP per capita of Haiti?
US$1200
What is Haiti’s HDI?
0.535
What percentage of the population is at risk of mortality from two or more hazards?
96%
What is Haiti’s life expectancy?
63 years
What are the main risks facing Haiti?
- Political instability
- Extensive deforestation
- 66% of the population depends on agriculture
What type of plate boundary does Haiti lie on?
Conservative plate boundary
Between which tectonic plates does Haiti sit?
Caribbean and North American plates
What are the human determiners of a hazard hotspot?
- Poor education
- Low levels of affluence
- Lack of modern infrastructure
- Lack of warning systems
- High population density
What are the physical determiners of a hazard hotspot?
- Widespread deforestation
- Location and plate tectonics
- Path of tropical storms
What was the nature of the 2010 earthquake?
A strike-slip earthquake on one of the multiple faults on which the country lies
What was the magnitude of the 2010 earthquake?
7.0 on the Richter scale
Where was the epicentre of the 2010 earthquake?
25km west of Port-au-Prince
How many deaths were caused by the 2010 earthquake?
220,000
How many people were injured by the 2010 earthquake?
300,000
How many of the country’s civil servants were killed during the 2010 earthquake?
25%
How many homes were fully destroyed during the 2010 earthquake?
100,000
How many people were made homeless during the 2010 earthquake?
1.5 million
Which issues were caused by homelessness in 2010?
- Lack of sanitation and clean water
- Cholera outbreak in October leading to a further 9,000 deaths
When did the 2010 earthquake occur?
January
How many people were killed by a localised tsunami in 2010?
3
Why was the government response in 2010 slow?
- Civil service was immobilised
- Political instability led to a unorganised government response
What did international NGO MSF provide in 2010?
- 30,000 tents for homeless people
- Emergency surgeries which saved 20,000 lives daily
How much money was raised by the Disasters Emergency Committee following the 2010 earthquake?
£100 million
What did the money raised by the DEC pay for in 2010?
- Literacy classes for 60,000 women
- Hazard risk education for 100,000 people
What is the nature of vulcanicity in Haiti?
Haiti has two extinct volcanoes which have not erupted since the Pleistocene epoch
Between which months is Haiti at high risk of tropical storms?
June to November
What are the two most damaging tropical storms in Haiti’s history?
- Hurricane Flora (1963) - 8000 deaths
- Hurricane Jeanne (2004) - 4000 deaths
How many tropical storms did Haiti experience in 2008?
4
How many deaths were caused by tropical storms in 2008?
800
How many homes were destroyed by tropical storms in 2008?
20,000
What is the main cause of flooding in Haiti?
Storm surge from tropical storms
What was left on the land following flooding in 2008?
Millions of cubic metres of mud
What percentage of Haiti’s crops were destroyed in 2008?
70%
What was the economic damage caused by crop destruction in 2008?
$1 billion
How many people were killed and injured due to flooding in 2023?
- 51 deaths
- 140 injured
Why is Haiti at high risk of landslides?
Large-scale deforestation for charcoal production has left behind denuded mountains
What percentage of Haiti’s domestic energy consumption is reliant on charcoal?
85%
How many of the country’s largest mountains had primary forest remaining in 2016?
8 out of 50
What was the percentage rainforest cover in 1950?
50% of the country
What was the percentage rainforest cover in 1980?
2% of the country
What triggered the 2021 landslide in Haiti?
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake
When did Haiti suffer significant droughts?
2022 and 2023
What were the impacts of the droughts in 2022 and 2023?
- Aquifer depletion
- Decreased agricultural productivity
- Food insecurity
How many regions in Haiti are at ‘High’ risk of a wildfire due to climate conditions?
All but one
Why is wildfire risk in Haiti relatively low?
Widespread deforestation
What is the most recent example of a wildfire in Haiti?
Grand Bois National Park (2023) - Only burned 1 hectare of land
How much did the EU provide for long-term recovery?
$330 million
What did the World Bank do?
Waived debt repayments for 5 years
What did the Senegalese government do?
Offered land to any Haitian who moved there
How many people were provided with temporary shelter in relief camps?
1.6 million people
How any charities raised money for relief efforts?
A group of 23
How much money was raised by the group of charities?
$1.1 billion
How much of these funds had been released by 2024?
Only 2%
What project did the World Bank approve in 2023?
A project to increase rural access to sustainable water supplies
How much will the 2023 World Bank project invest in Haiti?
$80 million
