HAITI

(HTG) Currency News >>

CURRENCY:

Gourde - HTG

DENOMINATIONS:

NOTE: HTG500, 250, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1.

COIN: HTG5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.

US DOLLAR ACCEPTED?

Yes, widely.

CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS AND ATMS:

Most credit cards are widely accepted. Please note: there are ATM machines in Port au Prince, but there have been many reports of problems and are generally unreliable.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE:

You can exchange US dollars widely - other currencies are less easy to exchange.

TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES:

Not recommended for Haiti. There are difficulties in the exchange of these. If necessary, they are best in US dollars.

BANKING HOURS:

Mon-Fri 0900 - 1700. Most banks close for two hours over lunch. Some banks are open until lunch on Saturdays.

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS:

N/A

COUNTRY OVERVIEW:

Haiti is located on the island of Hispaniola, along with the Dominican Republic. It is officially called the Republic of Haiti. Haiti is well-known for being the first nation to be made independent within the Caribbean, the first independent nation to be 'black-led', and the first nation that gained its independence through a slave rebellion. The capital is Port au Prince, and the official languages are French and Haitian Creole. Spanish is also recognised.

POPULATION:

8,706,500

ECONOMY:

Haiti has great problems with regards to its development - it is one of the least developed in its region. Corruption is rife - it is ranked high as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The vast majority of the population live in poverty. A sizeable percentage of Haitians work in agriculture, the most of which is based on subsistence farming. The main exports are coffee and mangoes. There is a large amount of foreign aid to Haiti, but this was cut off after the President of Haiti was accused of wrongdoing and misdeeds. This has since been reinstated after his departure in 2004.