Espanola Island - resorts of the Galapagos Islands. Geographical location and natural conditions of the island of Haiti. Dominican Republic, island of Haiti: description, interesting facts and attractions Where is the island of Haiti? Geographical position

Map of the island of Haiti (Hispaniola).

The island of Haiti (in some sources – Hispaniola) is the second largest island in the Greater Antilles archipelago, located approximately 100 kilometers east of and approximately the same distance west of the island of Puerto Rico. The island of Haiti is washed by the open Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The word "Haiti" comes from a phrase in the language of the Taino Indians, translated as "Mountain Country". The second name – Hispaniola (La Española) was assigned to the island by Christopher Columbus and is literally translated into Russian as “Spanish”.

The determination of the geographical coordinates of the island of Haiti is carried out by its conditional geographical center: 19°00′ N. w. 70°40′w. d.

The area of ​​the island of Haiti and other small islands and rocks adjacent to it is approximately seventy-six and a half thousand square kilometers.

At the moment, there are two states on the island of Haiti: the Republic of Haiti (in the western part of the island) and the Dominican Republic (in the eastern part), which in a number of sources is also called the Dominican Republic or the Dominican Republic.

Southern coast of the island of Haiti.

Story.

The island of Haiti was discovered during the expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492, receiving the name Hispaniola, after which its colonization by the Spaniards began. During colonization, the indigenous population of the island, represented by the Taino Indians, was practically exterminated.

In 1667, the western part of the island officially came under French control, while at the same time the Spaniards strengthened in the center and west, calling their part of the island Santo Domingo. During this period, both France and Spain began to import slaves from Africa to the island to work on plantations and in mines.

In 1803, a slave revolt broke out in the French part of the island of Haiti under the leadership of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, which spread to the eastern part. The result of the uprising was the proclamation of the independence of the Republic of Haiti in the western part on January 1, 1804 and the expulsion from the island of the Spaniards, who were able to regain control of Santo Domingo only in 1808, and even then, only for a short period.

In 1822, another uprising of the local population against the Spaniards broke out in Santo Domingo, which ended with the final liberation from Spanish rule. However, almost immediately, the eastern part of the island is occupied by troops of the Republic of Haiti.

In 1825, after delays, France recognized the independence of the Republic of Haiti, but on the condition that it pay a huge indemnity for the loss of property of the French living on the island at that time.

Levantado Reef in the north of Haiti in Samana Bay.

In 1844, after a successful anti-Haitian uprising in the eastern and central parts of the island, the independent Dominican Republic was proclaimed.

In 1905, exhausted by the confrontation with Spain and internal contradictions, the Dominican Republic became financially dependent on the United States.

From 1915 to 1934, the Republic of Haiti was occupied by US troops. The occupying forces bring to power in the country a government representing the mulatto minority. In 1916, American occupation befell the Dominican Republic after the assassination of the country's president.

During World War II, both the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti entered the war on the side of the Anti-Hitler coalition, but their participation became more than a formality.

In 1957, the Duvalier family clan of dictators comes to power in the Republic of Haiti. The last representative of this dynasty, Jean-Claude Duvalier, was overthrown after popular unrest in 1986.

In 1965, after a pro-Soviet coup in the Dominican Republic, the United States once again occupied this country, establishing its democratic power.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the political situation in the Dominican Republic stabilized somewhat, and the country’s financial and economic indicators improved. At the same time, in the Republic of Haiti, numerous coups, popular unrest and foreign interventions have thrown the country back to the position of one of the poorest countries in the world.

A bay in the southwest of the island of Haiti.

Origin and geography of the island.

The island of Haiti, like the neighboring islands of Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, is the surface part of the North Caribbean underwater mountain range, which rose at the boundary of the collision of three geological plates. Therefore, experts classify all the islands of the Greater Antilles as volcanic. Their formation dates back to approximately the early Miocene period, and their age is estimated at approximately 6-7 million years.

To the west of Haiti across the Windward Strait lies the island of Cuba, to the east from Haiti it is separated by the Mona Strait, and to the southwest from the island of Jamaica by the strait of the same name. In the northwest, the islands of Haiti and Grand Iguana (Bahamas) are separated by a fairly wide Foster Strait.

The island of Haiti has a complex geometric shape. The coastline winds strongly along its entire length, forming numerous bays and bays of varying sizes. Among the most significant bays washing the island are the bays of Gonave (on the west coast), Samana (in the northeast) and Deverger (in the south).

Off the coast of Haiti there are several inhabited and uninhabited islands and rocks, among which it is worth noting Gonave (in the Gulf of Gonave), Tortue (off the northwest coast), (USA) and Vash (off the southwest coast), Saona and Mona (off the east coast and in the Mona Strait).

The relief of the island of Haiti in its central and western parts is predominantly mountainous, and only in the west and southwest do flat lowlands stretch in a narrow strip from north to south. Four massive mountain ranges stretch from east to west of the island, the largest of which is the Cordillera Central (Cordillera Central), where the highest point of both Haiti and the entire Antillean archipelago is located - Mount Duarte Peak, 3087 meters above sea level . In the south of Haiti, beyond the low-lying Cibao Valley, the mid-elevation Central Plateau and the shallow Cul de Sac depression, stretch the mountain ranges of Sel, Haut, Sierra de Bauroco, Mato and Sierra de Neiba. In the northern part of the island, it is worth noting the Northern ridges, which are a continuation of the Central Cordillera, the medium-high Cordillera Oriental and the rather high (about 1200 meters) Cordillera Septentrional.

The rivers on the island of Haiti are deep and full-flowing, but not long. Among the most significant rivers of the island are the Artibonite, which flows in the west and flows into the Atlantic Ocean, the Yaque del Norte in the northern part of the island, and the Osama, which flows into the Caribbean Sea in the south. In addition to rivers, there are quite a lot of lakes in Haiti, the largest in area are Enriquillo (in the border areas of the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti), as well as Somatre (in the central part of the island).

The coast of Lake Enquillo.

Climate.

The climate on the island of Haiti should be classified as tropical trade wind type. The air temperature does not fluctuate significantly depending on the time of year. On the coast of the island, the weather is consistently warm with a temperature of + 22-27 degrees. In the interior of the island, in areas protected from the trade winds, the temperature can even rise to +30-35 degrees. Almost the entire territory of the island receives quite a lot of precipitation in the form of tropical downpours throughout the year. The greatest amount of precipitation falls between early June and mid-December. On average, over a year, on the slopes of mountain ranges located in the path of sea trade winds, sometimes more than 2000 millimeters fall, and in the middle part of the island and mountain valleys - about 400-1100 millimeters. Between the beginning of August and the end of September, the island is most likely to experience hurricanes and typhoons originating in the central Caribbean Sea.

The La Esperilla district in the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo.

Population.

According to UN data as of 2013, more than 20 million people lived throughout the island of Haiti, of which about 9.2 million were in the Republic of Haiti and about 11 million in the Dominican Republic. The ethnic composition of the island's population is uneven. Thus, in the Republic of Haite, the Negroid population makes up more than 95% of the total number living in the country, while mulattoes and whites account for only about 5%. In the Dominican Republic, mulattoes predominate (73%), while whites and blacks make up approximately 27% in approximately equal proportions. The official languages ​​in the Dominican Republic are Spanish, and in the Republic of Haiti are French and Haitian Creole, which is a modified French.

The capital of the Republic of Haiti is the city of Port-au-Prince, located on the shores of the Gulf of Gonave and populated by almost nine hundred thousand inhabitants. At the same time, the capital of the Dominican Republic is the city of Santo Domingo, located on the southeast coast of the island and having a population of more than 2 million people. Among the large settlements on the island of Haiti are the cities of Delmas and Carrefour (Republic of Haiti), as well as Santiago (Dominican Republic).

The form of government in both the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic is a presidential republic with a legislative body - parliament.

The national currencies of the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti are respectively the Dominican Peso (DOP, code 214) and the Haitian Gourde (HTG, code 332). However, in both countries both the US dollar and the euro are accepted quite freely as means of payment.

The village of Cap-Haitien in the Republic of Haiti.

Flora and fauna.

The flora of the island of Haiti is represented mainly by evergreen massive tropical forests, where more than 100 species of woody plants grow. Among them, it is worth noting logwood, rosewood, rambi and yamasin palms, which are native to the island. On the slopes of the Cordillera Central mountain range there are significant areas of coniferous-hard-leaved forests, in the central regions of Haiti there are deciduous forests, where, in addition to woody plants, quite a lot of shrubs grow.

The fauna of Haiti, like other Caribbean islands, is not very diverse. Mammals here are represented only by domestic animals, bats and rodents. There are always a lot of birds on the coast of Haiti and the coastal islands, and in the central regions of the island, especially in the areas of rivers and lakes, there are a large number of reptiles, among which crocodiles and lizards predominate.

A typical beach on the east coast of the Dominican Republic.

Tourism.

Despite the fact that the natural conditions are almost the same both in the west of Haiti and in the east, tourism is developed only in the Dominican Republic. All last-minute holiday tours in the Dominican Republic (as well as in other resorts on Earth) are provided by the hottours.in.ua agency, which guarantees its clients maximum convenience and service when traveling to various countries.

The prospects for the development of tourism in the Republic of Haiti are undermined by the unstable political situation in the country and the increased, especially recently, crime situation.

As for the Dominican Republic (Dominican Republic), everything is done for tourism here, since it has long become a prevailing sector of the national economy. Almost the entire coast of the country is divided into resort areas that function autonomously from other territories of the country. They include airports, seaports, a chain of hotels of various classes and beach complexes. Both residents of the USA and Canada, as well as Europe, visit the resorts of the Dominican Republic quite willingly. Over the past three years, the flow of tourists visiting the Dominican Republic has tripled and now amounts to 120 thousand people a year.

One of the beaches on the Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic.

Bartolome de Las Casas::: The shortest message about the ruin of the Indies

A SHORT MESSAGE ON THE RUIN OF INDIA

India were discovered in one thousand four hundred and ninety-two. The following year some of the Christian Spaniards went to settle [in them], so that for forty-nine years there have been a certain number of Spaniards in them; the first land they arrived in to settle was the large and most fertile island of Hispaniola, six hundred leagues in circumference. There are other very large and innumerable islands around, on all sides of it, and they were all, and we saw them densely populated and full of native peoples, the Indians there, so that it was perhaps the most populated land in the world. The mainland, which is closest to this island, two hundred and fifty leagues or a little more, has more than ten thousand leagues of already open sea coast, and every day more are opened, and everything is like a hive full of people there, which was discovered before the year forty-one, so that it seems as if the Lord placed in those lands the entire multitude or most of the entire human race.

The Lord created all these together and countless people of every kind the most simple, without malice and duplicity, the most submissive and faithful to their natural rulers and the Christians whom they serve, the most humble, the most patient, the most peaceful and calm, without discord and rebellion, not quarrelsome , not irritable, without rancor, without hatred, without vindictiveness, which only exists in the world. And at the same time they are the most fragile, weak and delicate in constitution, and those who are least able to endure labor, and who die most easily from any disease, so that the sons of princes and lords among us, raised among pleasures and pampering life, are not more fragile than they, even if they were from a family of workers.

They are at the same time the poorest people, who do not have and do not want to have transitory blessings, and therefore are not arrogant, not vain and not greedy. Their food is such that the meal of the holy desert fathers, it seems, was no more meager, no less tasty, no poorer. They dress in such a way that they usually walk naked, covering their private parts, and at most they are covered with a cotton cloak, which will be a rectangular piece of fabric one and a half or two varas. Their bed is a mat, and moreover, they sleep in some kind of suspended nets, which in the language of the island of Hispaniola are called hamakas [ hamacas].

And the same [concerns] their pure, and unprejudiced, and living mind, very capable and pliable to every good teaching, most suitable for the perception of our holy Catholic faith and for being endowed with virtuous customs; and they are the ones who have the least obstacles to this of all whom the Lord has created in this world. And they have been so persistent since they once began to receive information about matters of faith, in finding out about them, and in administering the sacraments of the Church and worship, that, I say, truly the clergy had the need, in order to endure them, to be endowed by the Lord with the gift outstanding patience; and finally, I have heard many lay Spaniards say for many years and many times, without being able to deny the goodness that was seen in them: “These people would certainly be the most blessed in the world, if only they knew the Lord.”

And to these gentle sheep, endowed by their Creator and Creator with the above-mentioned qualities, the Spaniards rushed in, from the time they learned about them, like the cruelest wolves, and tigers, and lions, hungry for many days. And nothing else was done for forty years in these parts, until today, and today, on this day they are doing it, except to exterminate them, kill them, oppress them, oppress them, torture them and destroy them with sophisticated, and new, and varied, and never more seen, never read, nor heard of forms of cruelty, of which some few will be spoken of below, to such an extent that, if on the island of Hispaniola there were more than three million souls that we saw, today there are none of it natives and two hundred people. The island of Cuba is almost the same length as from Valladolid to Rome; today it is almost completely deserted. The island of Sant Juan and Hamaica, islands very large, and very fertile, and beautiful, are both devastated. In the islands of Lucayos, neighboring Hispaniola and Cuba to the north, of which there are more than sixty, together with those called the Islands of the Giants, and other large and small islands, and of these the worst is more fertile and beautiful than the royal garden at Seville, and where there were more fifty thousand souls, there is not a single creature today. They were all killed while being transported, or in order to be transported, to the island of Hispaniola, after they saw that its natives had disappeared. When they followed the ship for three years in order to find people on them who would remain after they were killed, since one good Christian was moved by mercy towards those who were there, in order to convert them and deliver them to Christ, they found only eleven people I saw. The other more than thirty islands in the vicinity of the island of Sant Juan are for the same reason deserted and lost. There will be land on all these islands for more than two thousand leagues, which are all deserted and deserted.

Regarding the large continent, we are sure that our Spaniards, with their cruelties and vile deeds, devastated and destroyed, and today they are deserted, but were full of intelligent people, more than ten kingdoms, larger than all of Spain, including Aragon and Portugal, and a land twice longer than from Seville to Jerusalem, which is more than two thousand leagues.

And we give as a very reliable estimate that during these said forty years, due to the said tyrannies and infernal acts of Christians, more than twelve million souls, men, women and children, perished, unjustly and tyrannically; but in fact, as I believe, and I think I am not deceived, there are more than fifteen million of them.

Those who arrived there and called themselves Christians had two generally accepted and main methods in order to uproot and wipe out these unfortunate nations from the face of the earth. One - unjust, cruel, bloody and tyrannical wars. The second, after they killed everyone who could thirst, or sigh, or think about freedom, or about getting rid of the torments they endured, and such were all the local natural rulers and mature men (because, as a general rule, in wars the living only teenagers and women were left) - to turn them into the most severe, terrifying and difficult slavery, which neither people nor animals could ever be subjected to. And these two methods of hellish tyranny were limited to, and all the other many and varied manners of extermination of these peoples, which cannot be counted, were reduced to them or were their varieties.

The reason why the Christians ruined and destroyed so many and such and such countless human souls was, in the end, only to have gold, and fill themselves with riches in the shortest time, and rise to the highest position, disproportionate to their personalities (which is worth knowing): because of the insatiable greed and vanity that they had, and which was greater than could have been in the whole world, because these lands were so fertile and so rich, and people were so humble, so patient and so easy to conquer, and for whom they had no more respect, and no more valued and considered no more (I’m telling the truth, for I know and saw it), I won’t say, than animals (for I pray to God that they will be treated and treated like animals), but like, and even less than, dung in the squares. This is how they took care of their lives and their souls, and for this reason all the hundreds of thousands and millions mentioned died outside the faith and without the sacraments. And this is a well-known and attested truth, which everyone, even tyrants and murderers, know and admit, that the Indians in all India never caused any harm to Christians, but considered them strangers from heaven, until first they themselves or their neighbors experienced it many times. , many atrocities, robberies, murders, violence and insults.

ABOUT THE ISLAND OF ESPAÑOLA

Group hanging of Indians on Hispaniola. Engraving by Jodocus van Winge from the book “Narratio regionum indicarum per hispanos qvosdam devastatarum verissima”, 1598.

The island of Hispaniola was the first, as we have said, where the Christians came and began the great extermination and destruction of these peoples, and which was the first to be ravaged and devastated; and when the Christians began to seize the women and children of the Indians to serve them or for base purposes, and to devour their food, which they obtained with their sweat and labor, not being content with what the Indians gave them of their own free will in accordance with the capabilities that each had (which always turned out to be little, because they did not have the custom of having more than what was daily necessary, and was obtained with little labor, and what was enough for three houses with ten people in each for a month, one Christian ate and destroyed for day), and many other violences, and oppressions, and insults were inflicted on them, the Indians began to understand that these people were not supposed to be strangers from heaven, and some hid their food, others their women and children, others fled into the forests to be away from people whose communication turned out to be so cruel and terrible. The Christians beat them with kicks, fists, and sticks, until their hands reached the rulers of the villages. And it got to such impudence and shamelessness that the chief king, lord of the entire island, had one Christian captain rape his own wife.

Since then, the Indians began to look for ways to expel Christians from their lands: they took up weapons, which were very weak, and were little suitable for attack and resistance, and even less for defense (which is why all their wars were not something more than the local game with sticks and even children’s); Christians with their horses, swords, and spears began to inflict massacres and sophisticated cruelties against them. They burst into the villages, and there was no one young or old, no pregnant woman, no mother in labor whose bellies were not ripped open and who were not cut into pieces, as if they were pouncing on lambs caught in their pens. They bet on who would cut a man in half with one blow, or cut off his head at one time, or disembowel him. They tore babies from their mothers' breasts by their legs and hit their heads on a stone. Others were driven into the river with swords with laughter and jokes, and when they sank into the water, they said: “Gurgle, so-and-so’s body”; other babies were impaled on swords along with their mothers, all of them, no matter how many of them were found in front of them. They built long gallows so that their feet almost touched the ground, and thirteen people each, as a sign of honor and respect for Our Redeemer and the twelve apostles, placing brushwood and fire under them, burned them alive. Others were tied up and tied with dry grass all over their bodies and, having set them on fire, were burned in this way. Others, and everyone they wanted to keep alive, had both their hands cut off, and they carried them hanging, and told them: “Go with the letters.” It meant go and deliver news to the people who had fled into the woods. Rulers and nobles were usually killed in this way: they made bars from rods on slingshot posts, and tied them to them, and placed a weak fire below, so that little by little, uttering cries from this torment, despairing, they gave up the ghost.

Once I saw that when four or five noble [Indians] and rulers were burned on a grate (and even, I think, there were two or three pairs of such grates on which others were burned), because they shouted very loudly, something Whether it bothered the captain or prevented him from sleeping, he ordered them to be strangled, and alguacil, who turned out to be worse than the executioner who burned them (I know his name, and even met his relatives in Seville), did not wanted to strangle them, but with his own hands he stuffed a piece of wood into each of their mouths so that they would not make noise, and began to fan the fire under them until they were slowly roasted, as he wanted. I have seen all of the above and countless more. And since all the people who could escape hid in the forests and climbed into the mountains, fleeing from people so inhuman, so unmerciful, and such cruel beasts, destroyers and sworn enemies of the human race, they taught and trained greyhounds, the fiercest dogs, so that, When they saw an Indian, they instantly tore him to pieces, or better yet, pounced on him and devoured him, as if he were a pig. These dogs caused great disasters and carnage. And since sometimes, occasionally and in small numbers, the Indians killed some Christians for just cause and holy justice, they established a law among themselves that for every Christian who was killed by the Indians, the Christians should kill a hundred Indians.

From these words it follows that the beginning of the “Shortest Message” was written in 1541.

1 vara = 83.6 cm.

Modern researchers estimate the population of Hispaniola on the eve of the arrival of Europeans from approximately 400 thousand (Frank Moya Pons) to 1.1 million (Rudolph Zambardino) people (Denevan, William M. Native American Populations in 1492: Recent Researches and revised Hemispheric Estimate // The Native Population of the Americas in 1492. Second Edition / Ed. by William M. Denevan. Madison, WI, The University of Wisconsin Press. 1992. Pp.xxiii-xxiv).

Puerto Rico and Jamaica.

Modern Bahamas.

Modern Turks and Caicos Islands.

Las Casas' estimates of Native American losses are generally considered to be exaggerated. However, according to the data accepted by most researchers, on the eve of the Conquista, in 1519, the population of Mexico without Yucatan was 10 -14 million people (the figure of 11 million people in 1948 was proposed by Sherborne Cook and Woodrow Borah, Rudolf Zambardino in 1981 justified the figure of 6 - 10 million, Thomas Whitmore in 1991 came to a figure of about 14 million people; see: Denevan, William M. Native American Populations in 1492. Pp.xxi-xxii). By 1548 it had fallen to 3.6 million, and by 1568 to 2.65 million (Cook, Sherburne Friend and Woodrow Wilson Borah. Essays in Population History: Mexico and the Caribbean, Vol. 1. Berkeley - Los Angeles - London, University of California Press, 1971. P.82, table. VIII; Zambardino, Rudolf. Errors in Historical Demography // Institute of Mathematics and Its Application. V.17, n.23 (1981). Pp.234 -240). The population of the Inca Empire of Tawantinsuyu by 1532, according to various estimates, was 8 - 15 million people (the lower figure is indicated by K. Smith - Smith, C.T. Depopulation of the Central Andes in the 16th Century // Current Anthropology. 1980. V.11, No. 4/5. P. 460, top – S.I. Semenov; Semenov S.I. Peru. Historical sketch // Latin America. Encyclopedic reference book. Volume 2. Moscow, Soviet Encyclopedia, 1982. Stb. 982. Yu. E Berezkin considers an acceptable figure of 9 - 12 million people; Berezkin Yu. E. Incas. Historical experience of the empire. Leningrad, Nauka, 1991. pp. 78, 194, Nathan Wachtel - 10 - 11.2 million, Noble David Cook – up to 12.8 million; see: Denevan, William M. Native American Populations in 1492. pp. xxiv-xxv). In 1571, the Indians of the Andes and the Pacific coast of Peru numbered 311.3 thousand tax payers. Based on the fact that there were an average of 4 family members per payer, the Indian population of this region can be estimated at 1.56 million people (Smith, C.T. Depopulation of the Central Andes ... P.453); Considering that the population of Peru (without the Amazon) relates to the population of the territory of the entire Tawantinsuyu approximately as 1: 1.51, we have the total Indian population of the Andean region at that time of approximately 2.35 million people. If we assume that the decrease in the Indian population in the Andes in 1432 - 1572. occurred more or less evenly, then in 1532 - 1548 it will amount to 3.1 - 5.1 million people. Thus, depopulation in only the two most developed and populated regions of the New World by 1548 was: for Mesoamerica - 6.4 - 8.4 million people, for the Andean region - 3.1 - 5.1 million people, to to which should be added about 500 thousand more Indians of the Antilles, by that time almost completely exterminated, that is, only 10 - 12 million. Human. If we take the period before 1570, the losses of the Indian population will be: in Mesoamerica - 7.35 - 9.35 million, in the Andes and adjacent areas - 7.65 - 9.65 million, in total (including the Antilles) – 15.55 - 19.55 million people. The frightening figures of Las Casas turn out to be not an exaggeration at all, but a very correct forecast. F. Braudel writes in this regard: “... With the European conquest, America experienced a colossal biological collapse, perhaps not reducing the number of its inhabitants by 10 times, but undoubtedly huge and incomparable with the Black Death and the accompanying catastrophes in Europe in terrible XIV century." (Braudel, Fernand. Material civilization, economics and capitalism, XV - XVIII centuries. Volume I. Structures of everyday life: possible and impossible. Moscow, Progress, 1986. P. 47).

The Taino revolt on Hispaniola began in 1502 and was largely suppressed by 1505.

The Spanish word "espada" means both "sword", "epee" and "rapier". Historians of weapons indicate that in the first half of the 16th century. (i.e., during the Conquista period) the newly appeared rapiers were used mainly as ceremonial weapons, and swords were still used in battle: ordinary, with a blade length of 80-90 cm, and two-handed, with a length of 1.4 - 1 .7 meters (Paul, John, Robinson Charles M. Aztecs and conquistadors. M., Eksmo, 2009. pp.46-49).

This was boasted, in particular, by a certain Alejo Gomez, “who had extensive experience in exterminating the Indians” (Las Casas, Bartolome de. History of the Indies. P.93).

One of the main organizers of the genocide of the Indian population of Hispaniola was the Spanish governor Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, commander of the Order of Alcántara in Lares, then the great commander of the Order of Alcántara (1460-1511), who ruled Hispaniola from 1502 to 1509.

According to the “History of the Indies” this happened in the province of Higuey in 1504 (Las Casas, Bartolomé de. History of the Indies. P.98).

This was Juan de Esquivel (c. 1570 - c. 1514), a Sevillian, participant in Columbus's expeditions, to whom Governor Ovando entrusted the suppression of the Indian uprising in the Higuey region.

19°00′ s. w. 70°40′w. d. /  19.000° N. w. 70.667° W d. / 19.000; -70.667 (G) (I)Coordinates: 19°00′ s. w. 70°40′w. d. /  19.000° N. w. 70.667° W d. / 19.000; -70.667 (G) (I) Water areaCaribbean Sea CountriesHaiti Haiti
Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

Square76,480 km² Highest pointPeak Duarte 3087 m Population (2009)20,123,000 people Population density263,115 people/km²

Former name - " Espanola" During Soviet times, the “colonialist” name “Hispaniola” in Russian-language sources was changed to the variant “Haiti”, originating from the aboriginal language.

The area of ​​Haiti is about 76.48 thousand km². The island's population is more than 20 million people ().

Nature

The shores are heavily indented, mostly elevated (with the exception of the southeastern ones), surrounded by reefs; in the west there is the large Gulf of Gonave with the island of the same name. The base of Hispaniola is composed of Middle Cenozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks; the subsoil contains gold, silver, copper, iron, rock salt. The relief is mountainous (hence the name); Four mountain ranges stretch from west to east, the largest of which is the Cordillera Central (Cordillera Central) with the highest point of the island and the entire West Indies - Mount Duarte Peak (3087 m); it, as its name suggests, occupies a central position and stretches from the northwestern part of the island to the southern coast of the Dominican Republic. In the southern part of the island, beyond the lowlands of the Cibao Valley, the Central Plateau and the Cul de Sac depression, there are the Haute, Sel, Sierra de Bauroco ridges, which stretch along the southern coast of the island, as well as the Sierra de Neiba and Mato. In the north of the island there are the Northern ridges (a continuation of the Central Cordillera), the Cordillera Septentrional (highest point 1249 m) and the low Cordillera Oriental (highest height - 701 m). In the southeastern part of the island there is a vast lowland.

The rivers are full-flowing, turbulent, and mostly have a short length (the largest are Artibonite in the west, Yaque del Norte in the north and Osama in the south). Many lakes; the largest are the drainless Enriquillo and Somatre.

Story

States

The eastern part of the island is occupied by the Dominican Republic, the western part by the Republic of Haiti:

Economy

Coffee, cocoa, sugar, tobacco, cotton, cassava, vanilla, bananas, precious woods, and Dominican rum are exported.

2010 earthquake

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred on January 12, 2010 off the coast of Haiti. The epicenter was located 15 kilometers from the city of Port-au-Prince. The city of Port-au-Prince was badly damaged, the number of victims was tens, and according to some estimates, hundreds of thousands of people. The magnitude of the first earthquake, which occurred ten kilometers west of the city of Carrefour, near Port-au-Prince, was 7-7.3. Later, three more repeated earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.5 or higher were recorded in the same area. During the earthquake, many buildings were severely damaged, including the Presidential Palace, as well as the building of the Christophe Hotel, which housed the UN mission in Port-au-Prince.

The number of victims was 222,570 people. Also on February 22, another earthquake with a magnitude of about 4.7 occurred in Haiti, 20 kilometers from the city of Port-au-Prince. 3 people were injured.

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Notes

Literature

• Gonionsky S. A. Haitian tragedy. M.: Nauka, 1974.

Links

• since 1639

Excerpt characterizing Haiti (island)

– Not everything, because you won’t be there; not all,” said Prince Hippolyte, laughing joyfully, and, grabbing the shawl from the footman, even pushed him and began to put it on the princess.
Out of awkwardness or deliberately (no one could make out this) he did not lower his arms for a long time when the shawl was already put on, and seemed to be hugging a young woman.
She gracefully, but still smiling, pulled away, turned and looked at her husband. Prince Andrei's eyes were closed: he seemed so tired and sleepy.
- You are ready? – he asked his wife, looking around her.
Prince Hippolyte hastily put on his coat, which, in his new way, was longer than his heels, and, getting tangled in it, ran to the porch after the princess, whom the footman was lifting into the carriage.
“Princesse, au revoir, [Princess, goodbye," he shouted, tangling with his tongue as well as with his feet.
The princess, picking up her dress, sat down in the darkness of the carriage; her husband was straightening his saber; Prince Ippolit, under the pretext of serving, interfered with everyone.
“Excuse me, sir,” Prince Andrei said dryly and unpleasantly in Russian to Prince Ippolit, who was preventing him from passing.
“I’m waiting for you, Pierre,” said the same voice of Prince Andrei affectionately and tenderly.
The postilion set off, and the carriage rattled its wheels. Prince Hippolyte laughed abruptly, standing on the porch and waiting for the Viscount, whom he promised to take home.

“Eh bien, mon cher, votre petite princesse est tres bien, tres bien,” said the Viscount, getting into the carriage with Hippolyte. – Mais très bien. - He kissed the tips of his fingers. - Et tout a fait francaise. [Well, my dear, your little princess is very sweet! Very sweet and perfect Frenchwoman.]
Hippolytus snorted and laughed.
“Et savez vous que vous etes terrible avec votre petit air innocent,” continued the Viscount. – Je plains le pauvre Mariei, ce petit officier, qui se donne des airs de prince regnant.. [Do you know, you are a terrible person, despite your innocent appearance. I feel sorry for the poor husband, this officer, who pretends to be a sovereign person.]
Ippolit snorted again and said through his laughter:
– Et vous disiez, que les dames russes ne valaient pas les dames francaises. Il faut savoir s"y prendre. [And you said that Russian ladies are worse than French ones. You have to be able to take it on.]
Pierre, having arrived ahead, like a homely man, went into Prince Andrei's office and immediately, out of habit, lay down on the sofa, took the first book he came across from the shelf (it was Caesar's Notes) and began, leaning on his elbow, to read it from the middle.
-What did you do with m lle Scherer? “She’s going to be completely ill now,” said Prince Andrei, entering the office and rubbing his small, white hands.
Pierre turned his whole body so that the sofa creaked, turned his animated face to Prince Andrei, smiled and waved his hand.
- No, this abbot is very interesting, but he just doesn’t understand the matter well... In my opinion, eternal peace is possible, but I don’t know how to say it... But not with political balance...
Prince Andrei was apparently not interested in these abstract conversations.
- You can’t, mon cher, [my dear,] say everything you think everywhere. Well, have you finally decided to do something? Will you be a cavalry guard or a diplomat? – asked Prince Andrei after a moment of silence.
Pierre sat down on the sofa, tucking his legs under him.
– You can imagine, I still don’t know. I don't like either one.
- But you have to decide on something? Your father is waiting.
From the age of ten, Pierre was sent abroad with his tutor, the abbot, where he stayed until he was twenty. When he returned to Moscow, his father released the abbot and said to the young man: “Now you go to St. Petersburg, look around and choose. I agree to everything. Here is a letter for you to Prince Vasily, and here is money for you. Write about everything, I will help you with everything.” Pierre had been choosing a career for three months and had done nothing. Prince Andrey told him about this choice. Pierre rubbed his forehead.
“But he must be a Mason,” he said, meaning the abbot whom he saw at the evening.
“All this is nonsense,” Prince Andrei stopped him again, “let’s talk about business.” Were you in the Horse Guards?...
- No, I wasn’t, but this is what came to my mind, and I wanted to tell you. Now the war is against Napoleon. If this had been a war for freedom, I would have understood; I would have been the first to enter military service; but helping England and Austria against the greatest man in the world... it's not good...
Prince Andrei only shrugged his shoulders at Pierre's childish speeches. He pretended that such nonsense could not be answered; but indeed it was difficult to answer this naive question with anything other than what Prince Andrei answered.
“If everyone fought only according to their convictions, there would be no war,” he said.
“That would be great,” said Pierre.
Prince Andrei grinned.
“It may very well be that it would be wonderful, but it will never happen...
- Well, why are you going to war? asked Pierre.
- For what? I don't know. That's how it should be. Besides, I’m going... - He stopped. “I’m going because this life that I lead here, this life is not for me!”

A woman's dress rustled in the next room. As if waking up, Prince Andrei shook himself, and his face took on the same expression that it had in Anna Pavlovna’s living room. Pierre swung his legs off the sofa. The princess entered. She was already in a different, homely, but equally elegant and fresh dress. Prince Andrei stood up, politely moving a chair for her.
“Why, I often think,” she spoke, as always, in French, hastily and fussily sitting down in a chair, “why didn’t Annette get married?” How stupid you all are, messurs, for not marrying her. Excuse me, but you don’t understand anything about women. What a debater you are, Monsieur Pierre.
“I keep arguing with your husband too; I don’t understand why he wants to go to war,” said Pierre, without any embarrassment (so common in the relationship of a young man to a young woman) addressing the princess.
The princess perked up. Apparently, Pierre's words touched her to the quick.
- Oh, that’s what I’m saying! - she said. “I don’t understand, I absolutely don’t understand, why men can’t live without war? Why do we women don’t want anything, don’t need anything? Well, you be the judge. I tell him everything: here he is his uncle’s adjutant, the most brilliant position. Everyone knows him so much and appreciates him so much. The other day at the Apraksins’ I heard a lady ask: “est ca le fameux prince Andre?” Ma parole d'honneur! [Is this the famous Prince Andrei? Honestly!] – She laughed. - He is so accepted everywhere. He could very easily be an adjutant in the wing. You know, the sovereign spoke to him very graciously. Annette and I talked about how this would be very easy to arrange. How do you think?

The territory of Haiti seems to have been specially created by unknown forces for relaxation. The Dominican Republic, which occupies the largest part, is a paradise on earth, a secluded corner of the planet where a vacation cannot but be enjoyed, no matter how whimsical the tourist may be. Incredibly beautiful landscapes, warm water and a little cool of the Atlantic Ocean, delicious local cuisine, tranquility and tranquility - that’s what Haiti is!

Where is the island of Haiti? Geographical position

It is the second largest among the Big Ones. It is located in the West Indies, washed on one side by the Caribbean Sea and on the other by the Atlantic Ocean. If you look at the world map, you will see that the island is located between Cuba (on the western side, separated by the Windless Strait) and Puerto Rico (on the east, separated by the Mona Strait).

The area is 76,480 square kilometers, and the population in 2009 was 20,123,000 people.

Description of the island of Haiti

In early December 1492, a tireless navigator and discoverer discovers the uncharted territory of the island of Haiti. Then he said that “this is the most beautiful land that human eyes have seen.” After this, development here begins in full swing: first, the land was given the Spanish name La Españona, and then the inhabitants of civilized Europe gradually began to contribute to Indian culture. The island began to bring good income to the country; life was in full swing here, seemingly carefree, with a barbecue and a canoe, tobacco and a hammock. So other states began to learn about these delights.

The island of Haiti today is divided by two Republics: the first has the same name, and the second is Dominican. The latter occupies 2/3 of the entire territory and is considered more developed and comfortable. The population is almost equal in both Republics, only Haiti has an area of ​​27,750 square kilometers, and the Dominican Republic - 48,730. The capital of the first is Port-au-Prince, and the second is Santo Domingo.

Dominican Republic

As is already known, most of the island of Haiti is the Dominican Republic. It occupies the southern coast and is divided into 31 regions. By the way, the capital (Santo Domingo) is the oldest city here.

The second most important settlement is Santiago. Other cities of the Republic:

• La Vega.
• San Francisco de Macoris.
• San Cristobal.
• San Pedro de Macoris.
• La Romana.
• Puerto Plata.

You can talk about it endlessly. It is not for nothing that they say that it is better to see once than to hear 100 times. The Dominican Republic (the island of Haiti) is an exotic nature, amazingly beautiful coral reefs, several hundred kilometers of snow-white beaches, lakes with emerald water, rivers with crystal clear water, and unruly waterfalls. It has its own history, way of life, unique flavor and friendly people. And by the way, the Dominican Republic is considered the most environmentally friendly place on earth. There is stable atmospheric pressure and the tropical climate is more comfortable than humid. So you can feel great in this area!

Sights of the Dominican Republic

Many people believe that when they come to the Dominican Republic, they will only be able to enjoy beach holidays and sea activities. But in fact there are plenty of things to do here, one of which is sightseeing. Of course, you won’t be able to find historical places in this part of the island of Haiti, but the nature is like no other place on the planet.

An interesting place to visit is the village of Altos de Chavon, which is located near Punta Cana. It is themed and stylized as an early colonial settlement. The buildings here are made of stone using old technologies. The village has an amphitheater, which is an exact copy of a Greek architectural structure. The museum features an exhibition dedicated to the pre-Columbian era. She will tell tourists how the Arawak Indians lived before the Europeans came here.

There is a grand museum in the capital. It is called the Columbus Lighthouse and is a huge area where you can find a lot of interesting things, including memorable places. This large building is built in the shape of a cross and is a kind of reminder that America is a Christian state. The most important thing here is the ashes of Christopher Columbus.

Also in Santo Domingo there is a unique museum of its kind, the World of Amber. It presents a large collection of these stones, including very rare specimens. For example, with plants and insects inside, or even blue or red.

Another city worth visiting on the island of Haiti is Puerta del Conde. It was built to protect the capital, and here in 1844 the independence of the Republic was proclaimed. It is a fort, today open to tourists. There is a park behind it, this is a very important place for the patriots of the Republic. They especially value the Altar of Freedom (mausoleum with the founders of the Dominican Republic), which, like other elements of the park, is dedicated to the struggle for independence and freedom.

In honor of the centenary of the recognition of the independence of the Republic, a palace was built, which today serves as the president’s workplace. If you look at the photo of this building, you will notice the resemblance to the White House. And it’s very big.

A list of a few more attractions that are recommended to visit:

• Del Este National Park.
• Captain's Palace.
• Ruins of a Franciscan monastery.
• Ozama Fortress.
• Ruins of the hospital of St. Nicholas of Bari.
• Caves of Los Tress Ojos.
• Church of St. Barbara.

Weather

Speaking about the “behavior” of nature, one cannot help but consider the question of why earthquakes often occur on the island of Haiti. The answer is simple - in this place (that is, in the Caribbean Sea), the earth's crust shifts and geological faults arise, which is why today the territory is recognized as a seismically active zone.

One of the most powerful earthquakes occurred in 2010. And more than once. The first was on January 12th. The epicenter was located 15 km from the capital of the Republic of Haiti, which was very badly damaged, as were its inhabitants. Then they did not give a clear answer about the number of victims - either tens or hundreds of thousands. The magnitude was 7-7.3 points.

The second earthquake on the island of Haiti occurred on February 22, and again in the Port-au-Prince area. Then only 3 people were injured (according to official data), and the magnitude was 4.7 points.

Now about something more pleasant. The climate here is tropical, with relatively humid summers and dry winters. The temperature of water and air practically does not change throughout the year. Moreover, they are also approximately the same among themselves. It is recommended to come to the Dominican Republic in winter, as at this time it is more comfortable here - 26-28 degrees Celsius.

• According to 2010 data, 34.4% of the population lives below the poverty line. But this does not prevent them from remaining friendly and friendly people.
• Rum is considered a particularly popular Dominican product. It combines centuries-old traditions and modern technologies. Twice Ron Barceló Imperial rum was recognized as the best in the world.
• Semi-precious stone is mined here, which is found only in one other place in Spain. Some tourists come just for it. It ranges from bright blue to deep blue.
• Military and police cannot participate in elections.
• Only in the Dominican Republic can you see the Ricordi iguana. She has red eyes, which makes her different from the others.

What will you remember about your vacation?

A holiday on La Españona (the former name of the island of Haiti) will be memorable for everyone, from the gently hugging warm water to the adventures, the most common of which is diving. And what nature is here! Of course, you need to take more pictures so that you can remember the wonderful days and buy souvenirs. They will remind you of the Dominican Republic even more colorfully. Moreover, these souvenirs are unique. For example, high-quality coffee, the best of which is difficult to find in the world, or cognac. Lots of jewelry made of pure gold, amber, and even earrings with larimar. In addition to rum, cigars are also the hallmark of the country. Painted plates, clay dolls without faces, figurines, shell jewelry, exotic fruits, handmade carpets - you can find anything. The main thing is not to spare money, because these souvenirs are made with love by the residents of the Dominican Republic!

Haiti
fr. Haïti, hait. Ayiti
Image of the island of Haiti from NASA World Wind
Characteristics
Square	76,480 km²
Highest point	Peak Duarte 3087 m
Population	21,396,000 people (2014)
Population density	279.76 people/km²
Location
19°00′00″ n. w. 70°40′00″ W. d. HGIOL
Water area	Caribbean Sea
Countries
Orographic map of Haiti
Audio, photo and video on Wikimedia Commons

Alternative title - " Espanola(Spanish) La Española, fr. Hispaniola, Hait. Creole Ispayola)".

The area of ​​Haiti is about 76.48 thousand km². The island's population is more than 20 million people ().

Nature

The rivers are full-flowing, turbulent, and mostly have a short length (the largest are Artibonite in the west, Yaque del Norte in the north and Osama in the south). Many lakes; the largest are the drainless Enriquillo and Somatre.

Story

The island was discovered on December 6, 1492 by Christopher Columbus and named by him Hispaniola("Little Spain"); During Columbus's second voyage, the first Spanish colony in the New World was founded here. The Indians resisted the Spanish conquistadors. After this, Great Britain and France began to lay claim to the island. In 1697, the Peace of Riksvik was signed, according to which the western part of the island went to France, and the eastern part remained with Spain. After the outbreak of France's war with Great Britain and Spain, the entire island was captured by the French in 1795.

In 1808, Spain regained the eastern part of the island. In 1821, as a result of the war of liberation, Santo Domingo was freed from the colonialists, but in 1822 it again came under the control of the neighboring Republic of Haiti. In 1844, an anti-Haitian revolt occurred and the Dominican Republic was proclaimed in the eastern part of the island.

States

Economy

2010 earthquake

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred on January 12, 2010 off the coast of Haiti. The epicenter was located 15 kilometers from the city of Port-au-Prince. The city of Port-au-Prince was badly damaged, the number of victims was tens, and according to some estimates, hundreds of thousands of people. The magnitude of the first earthquake, which occurred ten kilometers west of the city of Carrefour, near Port-au-Prince, was 7-7.3. Later, three more repeated earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.5 or higher were recorded in the same area. During the earthquake, many buildings were severely damaged, including the Presidential Palace, as well as the building of the Christophe Hotel, where the mission was housed