FACTS

Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic

Area (only Total) total: 27,750 sq km

Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous

Population: 8,924,553

Main Language (only first): French

Government type: republic

Capital (Name): Port-au-Prince

Capital (Time Difference): UTC-5

Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)