Introduction
Haiti is a Caribbean country located in the island of Hispaniola and occupies a third of it. The country has been facing high poverty levels that have been attributed to the political instability experienced in the past. Speaking about the weather conditions, Haiti has a warm tropical climate (Coupeau, 2008). The population of the state constitutes about 10 million people according to a recent national census.
Famous sites in Haiti
Haiti offers a lot of opportunities to those visiting the country on either business or leisure activities. It boasts of having some of the world’s most famous sites among which the following are some of the most famous ones:
Citadelle Laferriere
This is a mountain top mammoth fortress located 27 kilometers from the city of Cao Haitien. The Citadelle Laferriere took over 10 years to be constructed by the government of Haiti after the French had expressed their desire to retake the island. It was strategically positioned to help the military forces secure the country. Having 365 cannons, it symbolizes the days the people of Haiti fought in order to gain independence (Spears & Joseph, 2010).
Sans-Souci Palace
This palace served as the official resident of King Henry I. A huge part of the palace was destroyed in an earth quake that also hit the nearby city of Cap Haitien. It should be noted that King Henry I committed suicide in this palace. It is believed that he shoot himself with a silver bullet.
Basin Bleue
This is a breath taking waterfall that is located in Jacmel town. It is hidden in the hills and offers a picturesque setting making it one of the most popular sites in Haiti (Dayan, 2005). One should note that, due to the efforts put by the government of Haiti to conserve the environment, the number of tourists visiting Basin Bleue is restricted.
Languages in Haiti
The national language of Haiti is known as Haitian Creole. Out of 10 million of Haiti’s population, 7 million people use Haitian Creole in the homeland. Haitians living abroad also use this language. However, some part of the population speaks French. It is interesting that Haitian Creole is of French origin. The language uses over 90% of the French language (Goldstein, 2006). However, the grammar of Haitian Creole differs from that of the French language. Thus, French people find it hard to understand the Haitian Creole and vice versa.
Religion in Haiti
No doubt, religion is important in any community. Different communities have been practicing different religions all over the world and Haiti is no exception. Here are some of the religions practiced in Haiti:
Roman Catholicism
This is considered to be the official religion in Haiti.
Voodoo
In contrast to Roman Catholicism, it is Haiti’s national religion. It is practiced by majority of Haiti’s population (Clammer, 2012). However, people who practice voodoo consider themselves Roman Catholics as well. It is also worth noting that some of the practices of the voodoo religion are not performed by Roman Catholics.
Protestantism
A small part of Haiti’s population confess Protestantism. The members of this religion are strongly against the voodoo. In the historical perspective, Protestantism was practiced by the upper and middle class in the early 1950s because it encouraged people to embrace education.
Conclusion
Haiti inherited a great history that offers fascinating and breath taking sites. There are, however, spectacular natural sites that are popular among the visitors of Haiti. Haitian Creole is the most spoken language in this country, but a small population still speaks French. Voodoo is the most popular religion confessed there, but Roman Catholics and Protestants are also an important part of the religious life of Haitian.
References
Clammer, P. (2012). Haiti. Chalfont St. Peter, United Kingdom: Bradt Travel Guides.
Coupeau, S. (2008). The history of Haiti. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Dayan, J. (2005). Haiti, history, and the gods. Berkeley, CA: University of Californi Press.
Goldstein, M. J. (2006). Haiti in pictures. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications.
Spears, A. K., & Joseph, C. B. (2010).The Haitian Creole language: history, structure, use, and education. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.