About equal to the size of Maryland. Approximately 7.1 million people. Population growth is quite rapid in Haiti. Since the beginning of the 20th century there has been a fourfold increase in population. This expansion took place despite high rates of mortality.
Population growth is reduced by external migration.
Since the early 1960s Haitians have been emigrating at a rate of some 50,000 per year. The main destinations for Haitian emigrants have been Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Independent republic since 1804. The first democratic elections were held only in December 1990 when Jean Bertrand Aristide was elected President. Aristide was re-elected in November of 2000.