Haiti
Haiti is a United Nations member state on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea.
Haiti is a United Nations member state on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. In the United Nations statistical framework, Haiti carries the M49 code 332, ISO alpha-2 code HT, and ISO alpha-3 code HTI. The UN places Haiti in the Americas region and the Latin America and the Caribbean subregion. The World Bank’s capital field for Haiti is Port-au-Prince. These identifiers are statistical and administrative conventions for data organization; they do not constitute a political or territorial claim. For the authoritative list of country codes and regional groupings, see the UN M49 overview.
Country Basics
Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola. The eastern two-thirds belong to the Dominican Republic. The capital is Port-au-Prince, as recorded in the World Bank’s country data.
When you see “Haiti” in a dataset, verify which coding system it uses. The UN M49 code 332, ISO alpha-2 HT, and ISO alpha-3 HTI are stable identifiers. They do not change with elections, territorial disputes, or government changes. The World Bank uses the same ISO alpha-3 code (HTI) in its API. If a dataset labels Haiti differently, it may be using a legacy code or a non-standard abbreviation.
How to Verify Data for Haiti
The most common mistake is assuming a single number is “the” number. Population, GDP, and health statistics are estimates with different reference years, methodologies, and margins of error. For Haiti, the World Bank country API returns the official code, region, income level, and capital city. The UN M49 overview provides the standard codes and region assignments used across international statistics.
For figures that change over time, always check the source and reference year. The World Bank API returns country metadata and indicators; the UN M49 overview provides the statistical grouping; and national statistical offices publish the most recent census and survey data. The United Nations Statistics Division maintains the M49 standard, which is a statistical grouping, not a political or territorial claim.
Population
Population figures for Haiti change often, and sources disagree because they use different definitions and reference dates. The United Nations Population Division publishes the most commonly cited estimates, but those are projections, not head counts. The most recent census data comes from the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI), the national statistical office. Censuses are conducted infrequently and may not capture every household, especially in remote areas or during periods of instability.
For the latest UN estimate, use the UNdata portal or the World Population Prospects. For the World Bank figure, use the World Bank country API (https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country?format=json). This returns the country’s metadata and can be paired with the indicators API (for example, SP.POP.TOTL for total population) to retrieve a time series. The World Bank’s API documentation and data catalog specify the reference year for each indicator, and you should always note that year when citing the figure. The UN M49 overview defines the country codes and regional grouping, but it does not provide population estimates.
The UN Population Division publishes annual estimates and projections. The World Bank’s population series is a separate dataset, often close but not identical, because each institution uses different post-censal estimates. Census data in Haiti is irregular; the most recent national census was conducted in 2003, and later figures are projections. Cite the source and the reference year for every figure you use.
Languages, Currency, Government, Economy, and Travel
For attributes beyond population, apply the same source-and-year discipline.
Official languages: Haitian Creole and French.
Currency: Gourde (HTG), issued by the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH).
Government: Unitary semi-presidential republic. The seat of government is Port-au-Prince. Political control on the ground may differ from formal constitutional provisions. Check current sources for the latest executive and legislative composition.
Economy: Low-income and remittance-dependent, with agriculture and light manufacturing. Exact figures for GDP, trade balance, and sector shares need a source and a reference year. Use the World Bank indicators API or the IMF’s data portal for cross-nationally comparable series.
Travel requirements: Visa policy changes. Check your own government’s current advisory and the IATA Travel Centre. Border disputes or territorial claims, if any, should be attributed to the parties involved and dated.
Classification Facts (UN M49)
Haiti’s grouping in the UN M49 standard is stable and independent of political debate:
- UN M49 code: 332
- ISO alpha-2: HT
- ISO alpha-3: HTI
- UN region: Americas
- UN subregion: Latin America and the Caribbean
- UN member state: Yes
- World Bank capital field: Port-au-Prince
These codes and regional groupings come from the UN Statistics Division’s Methodology Service (UN M49 overview, cited as of 2025). They are conventions for data organization, not political or territorial claims.
Statistical Grouping vs. Political Claims
A statistical grouping assigns a territory to a region so that data can be aggregated and compared. It does not express an opinion on sovereignty, boundary disputes, or political status. The UN M49 overview states this explicitly. When you use a code such as 332 or a regional label such as “Latin America and the Caribbean,” you are using a data-management tool. If your work touches on a contested boundary or a political question, cite the parties’ positions separately and date them. Do not let a dataset’s region field substitute for a legal or diplomatic source.
Sources
- UN M49 overview: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/overview/
- World Bank country API:
https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country?format=json - UN population estimates: UNdata portal and World Population Prospects
- National statistics: Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI)
- Travel requirements: IATA Travel Centre and your own government’s foreign-travel advisory
Adjacent Topics
- How to read a World Bank indicators API response
- Census vs. projection: why the reference year matters
- When a country code changes and why Haiti’s has not)
- Distinguishing ISO codes from FIPS and other legacy systems
- How to source government structure and political control separately
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