Port-au-Prince
Port-au -Prince on the map of Haiti
Port-au -Prince [ pɔroprɛs ] ( haitian Pòtoprens, Spanish Puerto Príncipe ) is the capital and also the largest city of Haiti. It lies on the Gulf of Gonaïves, the nearest neighbor islands are Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas. The city has about 1,275,000 inhabitants ( 2006), in the metropolitan area about 2.2 million people (2010). A majority of them live in poverty in the so-called slums on the slopes around the city.
History
The area around Port -au -Prince has been inhabited since long before the arrival of the first Europeans of the Taíno, who arrived about 2600 BC in the area of present-day Venezuela in the country. When Christopher Columbus in 1492 the country took the Spaniards in possession, several settlements were established, but the leave or all of the French ( 1535) and the English ( 1592) were destroyed. In the following more than 50 years, the population of the region was about the present city declines rapidly until it eventually became, later used as the basis of some buccaneers and Dutch fur traders also by French pirates. This also founded the then most important city in the region: Hôpital. The French influence on the area grew with it, and the Spaniards, who still claimed the territory for themselves, trying their claim with an attack on the French settlements clarify. Because of this, however, failed, they found themselves by the Peace of Rijswijk forced their claims to the territory of present-day Haiti (and thus also of today's Port-au -Prince ) give up entirely. When still very numerous, basically independent pirates inhabited the region, the French crown decided to make final a colony of their country the land. The majority of the pirates responded by migration from the area, so it became more and more the perspective of English conquerors. In order to counteract English conquest, the French finally established in 1749, the city of Port-au -Prince. In 1770 it replaced Cap- Haïtien as capital of the French colony, and in 1804 became the capital of the independent state of Haiti. 1861 Port-au -Prince Bishopric, 1944, the Université d'État d' Haïti was founded.
Since the beginning of 2004, there is a political state of emergency in Haiti with disturbances and uncertainties which had its center in Port-au -Prince.
On 12 January 2010, a major earthquake of magnitude 7.1 MW, which destroyed large parts of the city, and more than 217,000 death toll occurred at 16:53 local time clock. The hypocenter was 25 km southwest of the capital in around 13 km depth.
Climate
In Port -au -Prince, there is still a predominantly savannah climate with consistently constant annual temperatures. The rainy season lasts from March to November, however it is a break in June. During the rainy season, average temperatures are higher than those of the dry season.
Management
The current mayor of Port -au -Prince is Jean -Yves Jason. The seat of the head of state is located on the Champ de Mars, a large square in the city. Have their headquarters in Port -au -Prince, the Police Nationale d' Haïti and the Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilization en Haïti, a list established by the United Nations peacekeeping mission.
Traffic
In Haiti, there are two main roads that connect one end of the country to the other. The National Route 1 starts in Port -au -Prince and leads to Cap-Haïtien on the north coast. The Route Nationale 2 connects the capital with Les Cayes on the Tiburon Peninsula. The National Route 3 connects Port-au -Prince also with Cap-Haitien, Mirebalais and Hinche, however, leads over.
The Port international de Port-au -Prince is home port for more ships than any other port in the country. The port facilities include cranes and warehouses. The earthquake on 12 January 2010, the port was heavily damaged.
The Aéroport international Toussaint Louverture was opened in 1940 and 1965 expanded. It is 10 km north of the city. It is the only airport in Haiti, which can be served by jet aircraft, and therefore handles most of the international traffic from.
Economy
Port-au -Prince is one of the most important business and financial centers of the country. One of the most important exports of the city include coffee and sugar, but also soap, textiles and cement. Despite political unrest and economic sectors such as tourism and the construction industry play a role, albeit less than before the riots. Unemployment in Port-au -Prince is very high, since many people in the slums have no fixed place of work and, for example, earn the necessary money to survive with street stores.
Culture
Well-known buildings in the city were the Presidential Palace of Haiti (French National Palace ) and the Cathedral, both of which were destroyed by the earthquake in January 2010. Also the hotel Olofsson is one of the culturally and architecturally significant buildings in the city. The cultural part of the city are mainly concentrated on the center. Thus, the National Museum was founded in 1838, for example, at the Presidential Palace. Other major cultural institutions are the Musée d'Art Haïtien du Collège Saint- Pierre and the Bibliothèque Nationale ( National Library ).
Education
Despite a six -year compulsory education and a small vocational schools to universities reaching school system and the illiteracy rate as in the whole country is about 50%. Among the most important educational institutions in the city include the Université d'Etat d' Haïti, the Union School, the Quisqueya Christian School, the Lycée Français for French-speaking students, as well as the Anís Zunúzí Bahá'í School.
Personalities
Sons and daughters
- Georges Anglade (1944-2010), Haitian writer, geographer and politician
- Louis Borno (1865-1942), President of Haiti
- Silvio Cator (1900-1952), Haitian athlete and Olympian, Mayor of Port -au -Prince
- Samuel Dalembert ( born 1981 ), Haitian / Canadian Basketball Players
- François Duvalier (1907-1971), Haitian president and dictator
- Jean -Claude Duvalier ( born 1951 ), Haitian ex-president and dictator
- Joseph Gaetjens (1924-1964? ), American- Haitian soccer player
- Lee Holdridge ( born 1944 ), American composer
- Michaëlle Jean ( born 1957 ), Governor General of Canada
- Wyclef Jean (born 1972 ), American- Haitian rapper
- Occide Jeanty (1860-1936), composer
- Ludovic Lamothe (1882-1953), composer and pianist
- Luck Mervil (born 1967 ), Haitian- Canadian actor
- Raoul Peck ( born 1953 ), Haitian film director and screenwriter
- René Préval ( born 1943 ), former president of Haiti
- Julio Racine ( b. 1945 ), composer and flautist
- Emmanuel Sanon (1951-2008), Haitian national football team
- Pierre Toussaint (1766-1853), Haitian Catholic dignitaries
- Charles Weymann (1889-1976), aviation pioneer and entrepreneur
Famous mentions in the literature
- The Comedians by Graham Greene ( 1966). Filmed with Liz Taylor and Richard Burton.
- Malko - death spell on Haiti by Gérard de Villiers (1980, original French title: Tontons Macoutes Requiem pour )
- Voodoo by Nick Stone ( 2006)
- Betrothal in St. Domingo ( 1811), novel by Heinrich von Kleist