Part 319

People ------

Population: 6,731,539 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 1,568,943; female 1,523,406) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,614,679; female 1,758,388) 65 years and over: 4% (male 132,460; female 133,663) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.77% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 38.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 15.96 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 103.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.26 years male: 47.26 years female: 51.35 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic divisions: black 95%, mulatto and European 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 80% (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo), Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)

Languages: French (official) 10%, Creole

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 45% male: 48% female: 42.2%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti

Data code: HA

Type of government: republic

Capital: Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution: approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994

Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996), was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); results - Rene PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3% head of government: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH (since March 1996) was appointed by the president cabinet: Cabinet; was chosen by prime minister in consultation with the president