Rapid Baseline Assessment for the

Hispaniola Island
An Integrated View of Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Developed by GeoAdaptive LLC

March 2017
 Assessment Structure
HAITI DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Capital: Port-au-Prince Capital: Santo Domingo
Population: 9,996,731 (2014) Population: 10,349,741 (2014)
Language: French / Creole Language: Spanish

Port-au-Prince
! Santo Domingo
!

Purpose
Ethnic composition Ethnic composition
(The World Factbook, 2012) (The World Factbook, 2012)

Haiti and Dominican Republic:

One Island, Two Worlds
Black African Mixed Black African Mixed Caucasian
95% 5% 11% 73% 16%

GDP - composition by sector (2013 indexmundi) GDP - composition by sector (2013 indexmundi)

This document represents the results of a Rapid and Preliminary National Assessment (RPNA) of the island of Hispaniola,
which includes the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This RPNA aims to provide a characterization of the
human development and economic conditions and disparities between the two countries, as well as an overview of Services
56%
Agriculture
24.1%
Industry
19.9%
Services
64.9%
Agriculture
6%
Industry
29.1%

the existing natural and infrastructure-based assets of the region. The goal of this rapid assessment is to identify critical
factors that have contributed to the current socio-economic status and ongoing conflicts between the two nations.
Through further comparative geospatial evaluation of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, their relative strengths and
weaknesses can be assessed at a subregional scale, which will inform more targeted strategies for improving conditions
across the island. While the results presented here reflect a preliminary review based on an accelerated research and
data collection process, this RPNA illustrates GeoAdaptives well-established capabilities working in data-poor regions,
and integrating products from government agencies, NGOs, open data repositories, and the private sector. Each section
of the document provides a research-based perspective on one of five key topic areas, as well as highlighting the need for
more comprehensive analysis of specific indicators and geographic patterns to pinpoint gaps in development and provide
a basis for future policy and investment decisions. The main topics are organized as follows: Natural Natural Demographic & Economy & Infrastructure &
Resources Disasters Socioeconomics Productivity Social Services
Natural Resources: specifically forest cover, protected areas, and the hydrology of the island
Natural Disasters: highlighting past impacts from a range of hazards, with a focus on Hurricane Matthew
Demographics and Migration: focused on trends in population distribution and socioeconomic indicators
Economy and Productivity: identifying the major economic sectors and distribution of productive areas
Infrastructure and Social Services: accessibility across the island, especially to health and education facilities

Summary

Perceived
Challenges
 Haiti and Dominican Republic:
One Island, Two Worlds
Hispaniola is the only Caribbean island shared by two different
independent states (the Dominican Republic and Haiti). It
supports the largest human population (20 million) of any single
island in the West Indies. Even as a single island, Hispaniola
genuinely reflects the Caribbean microcosm of cultural, social,
political, economic and language dissimilarities that characterize
the regions history, with resulting fragmentation of their
societies.
The island of Hispaniola has a surface area of 76,420 km and is
highly mountainous, with four major mountain ranges running
generally west-northwest to east-southeast. The mountains
are commonly steep and the highest peaks in Haiti and the
Dominican Republic are at 2,680 and 3,098 metres above sea
level respectively. One geographical difference between the two
countries is that the Dominican Republic has much more flat
and gently sloping land than Haiti. In Haiti the plains at the base
of the mountains are generally relatively small. In comparison,
the eastern and northern half of the Dominican Republic is
dominated by relatively flat land that is suitable for agriculture.
All major cities in both countries are found either on the coast or
on the flat alluvial plains.
Relations between the neighboring countries of Haiti and the
Dominican Republic have been and remain complex. Enormous
disparities exist between them in social, economic, and
environmental wealth. Despite their problems the countries
are major trading partners and political relations between them
have improved dramatically since 2010, thanks in part to the
Dominican Republics generosity towards the Haitian people
following the earthquake of that year, and in part because of
improvements in the political landscape of Haiti.
In terms of vulnerability to natural disasters, Haiti is classed as
a Least Developed Country and a fragile state in the UN-World
Bank development index, while Dominican Republic is classed
as a middle income country. The strongest similarities between
the countries are in their geography and climate, as well as their
vulnerability to natural hazards the Island of Hispaniola lies
next to a fault line and in the path of many tropical storms and
hurricanes.
The state of the environment in Haiti and the Dominican Republic
is a sobering study in contrasts. These countries, which had very
similar environmental baselines in 1800, have evolved into very
different societies and the current state of the environment in
each country reflects that difference. Coastal resources are an
important part of the economic base of the Dominican Republic
and Haiti. Two of the most significant income-generating
industries, tourism and fisheries, depend on them directly.
Their wise management, therefore, is essential if the Dominican
4 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | Mar 2017
How this summary is organized
This document presents an overview of the two countries
following 5 main sections:
natural resources
natural disasters
demographics and migration
economy and productivity
infrastructure and social services
Republic and Haiti are to meet both economic and ecological
goals.
Not all Dominicans are sharing equally in the countrys economic HAITI DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
growth. The sectors that employ the most people, such as
Capital: Port-au-Prince Capital: Santo Domingo
farming and retail, are not doing as well as less labor-intensive Population: 9,996,731 (2014) Population: 10,349,741 (2014)
activities, such as mining, finance and telecom, as pointed out Language: French / Creole Language: Spanish
by the Inter-American Development Bank. The poverty rate has
fallen more slowly than GDP has risen. Haiti is a free market
economy that enjoys the advantages of low labor costs and tariff-
free access to the US for many of its exports. Poverty, corruption,
vulnerability to natural disasters, and low levels of education
for much of the population are among Haitis most serious Port-au-Prince
Santo Domingo
!
impediments to economic growth. The Dominican Republic has !
long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and
tobacco, but in recent years the service sector has overtaken
agriculture as the economys largest employer, due to growth in
telecommunications, tourism, and manufacturing.
Ethnic composition Ethnic composition
The governance and stability situations in Haiti and the (The World Factbook, 2012) (The World Factbook, 2012)
Dominican Republic have been historically very independent of
each other. Each country has managed its affairs and endured its
own crises with relatively limited interaction with its neighbor.
The Dominican Republic has managed to move beyond a long
dictatorship to develop rapidly and relatively steadily over the
last 30 years, whilst Haiti unfortunately moved from a long lived
dictatorship to major instability and social-economic decline. Black African Mixed Black African Mixed Caucasian
This independence is however now effectively at an end. One 95% 5% 11% 73% 16%
in 10 inhabitants of the Dominican Republic is a temporary or
illegal immigrant from Haiti, and the Dominican Republic is now GDP - composition by sector (2013 indexmundi) GDP - composition by sector (2013 indexmundi)
a major player in the post-earthquake reconstruction effort.
The border zone is unique. Culture, language, and law, as well
as conditions of trade, work, and life vary tremendously from
one side of the border to the other. Haitians and Dominicans
see the border zone in very different ways. Compared with the
rest of the Dominican Republic, the border region is poor and Services Agriculture Industry Services Agriculture Industry
isolated. Many Dominican nationals are leaving this part of the 56% 24.1% 19.9% 64.9% 6% 29.1%
country for the cities. In contrast, many Haitians see proximity
to the Dominican border as an opportunity to trade, work, farm
vacant land, or get access to basic services in the Dominican
Republic. Many of them emigrate. The border region presents
a long and rapidly lengthening list of challenges, which includes
weak governance, severe environmental degradation, and a
population that is profoundly vulnerable to natural disasters and
food insecurity. These many challenges are balanced in part by
positive short-term trends and opportunities: trans-boundary
trade is substantial, levels of violence are relatively low, and
there is substantive formal and informal cooperation between
the two governments in their efforts to resolve several of the
issues listed above.
Mar 2017 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | 5
 Natural Resources
Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic have a wide range of
natural resources, thanks to the geological setting of the island
and the humid tropical climate of the Caribbean Sea. Many
endemic flora and fauna exist in the remaining forests and coastal
and marine ecosystems support fisheries and aquatic mammals,
which provide both a tourist attraction and important economic
resource to the people of each country. More protected areas
have been established, particularly conserving forested areas
in the Dominican Republic, with more protection allocated
towards coastal marine areas in Haiti. Years of poverty and
overexploitation of resources have led to dramatic degradation
of the islands forests and soil resources, particularly on the Haiti
side. Wood is a valuable commodity, as charcoal is the main fuel
source; however, deforestation has increased the rate of topsoil
loss, which has secondary effects on the agricultural sector. In
addition, the ongoing erosion increases areas of landslides
susceptibility and increases sedimentation of rivers and the
islands two largest lakes, which has led to flooding issues along
major roads and in lakeshore settlements.
Water resources in the two countries are not equally distributed,
and there are some transboundary issues, particularly where

Table 1. Average Monthly Precipitation (mm) (1990 - 2012)

Source: World Bank, 2012
Month Haiti Dominican Republic
Jan. 57.5 80.8
Feb. 55.8 58.2
Mar. 72.4 51.5
Apr. 136.3 113.5
Figure 3. Hispaniola forest cover and protected areas
May 228.1 196.4 Source: JAXA, 2010, 2015; IUCN, 2017
Jun. 141.0 130.4
Jul. 120.0 125.4
Aug. 153.2 131.2
Sept. 194.6 163.9
Oct. 292.0 220.4
Nov. 144.5 157.3
Figure 1. Precipitation (1990 - 2012) Dec. 68.3 108.0
Source: World Bank, 2012 Total 1663.8 1536.8

Figure 4. Hispaniola hydrology and population distribution

Source: USGS, IUCN, 2017; WorldPop, 2015

watersheds span the national border. The distribution of rainfall
varies throughout the year and across the island. Both countries
generally receive more rainfall in the early summer and during
the hurricane season, particularly October. Haiti receives more
rainfall on average during these periods, although the Dominican
Republic has slightly higher monthly rainfall from November to
January. There are 5 major river basins across the island, with
most on the Dominican side, and the Artibonite River watershed
spanning the border, with a majority of its surface area in Haiti.
Figure 2. Hispaniola average annual rainfall 1960 - 2012 Source: WorldClim, 2015
6 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | Mar 2017
In the drier valley where the saline Lago Enriquillo and Lac Azui
are located, water flows into the lakes, but has no outlet. Water
levels have been rising due to changes in rainfall, as well as
sedimentation, forcing some residents to relocate. As climate
change threatens to increase extreme events and change the
annual temperature and rainfall patterns, both countries must
continue to consider how to maintain their vulnerable land and
water resources.
Mar 2017 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | 7
 Natural Disasters
Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic are highly vulnerable the most susceptible island to hurricanes in the Caribbean.
to natural hazards. Although the Dominican Republics relative In 2008, for example, four hurricanes affected nine of Haitis 568 7
2 !
natural hazard exposure is higher, Haiti is ranked as the 10th most ten departments within one month, impacting an estimated 8 !
11.000
Jean-Rabel
Cap-Haitien
2.840 3.856
!
Puerto Plata

vulnerable to natural hazards having a higher vulnerability due to percent of its population (about 800,000 people) and causing 20.000
! 19.165

its high susceptibility, and lack of coping and adaptive capacities. major damages in all sectors. Santiago De Los Caballeros 274 6
!
This means that Haiti can significantly reduce its natural hazard - Hait
i
1
!
Moca 1.370
173
Cuba 1.350 128
vulnerability by improving its public infrastructure, economic Disaster data from the Dominican Republic indicatesEarthquake
73 natural 12.300 640
2 888

Wildre
capacity, governance, and public services. The key natural hazard events for the period 1900 to 2014, 2.3% which2.3% affected 1
1
hazards for both countries are: 4.75 million people with total economic damages estimated at 0
Flood 22
Hurricanes and associated major floods and landslides US$2.93 billion (EM-DAT). Tropical storms and floods have had 46.5%
1 2 0
Tropical storms and associated flash floods the greatest impact in the country, causing respectively US$2.86 Jrmie
9 1 166
0 !
Higuey

Earthquakes billion and US$97.7 million dollars in damage. The number of 141
! 197 Port-au-Prince
184 Santo Domingo
35 1
^ ^27 0 La Romana
Droughts people killed is estimated at 5,792, of whom 77.5% were killed 1.698 22.000 !
Petit-Gave
0 28
!

For both countries tropical storms and floods are the more by storms, 15% by floods and the remaining 6.2% by epidemics. 39.730
Les Cayes
58.467
Jacmel
0
20
301
! ne
frequent natural hazards (accounting for about 95%). In terms of Average Annual Losses for both countries, ! 1
ai t
i
137
0
as
eli
-H ic
B ! Major Cities
earthquakes and cyclone wind Storm have the highest value: for 57 2 blic 352 House damaged
lag
2.835
ep
n R 24
u
ch
ipe People affected ^ Capital Cities

In Haiti, statistics show that a major disaster (such as a tropical Haiti earthquakes have the most 48.8%
relevant potential value of 71.009 i nic
a
bli
cA
r
Road collapsed
Boundaries

om pu Primary Roads

storm, flood, or drought) occurs every 5-7 years and an damage and for Dominican Republican, cyclonic wind causes D Re Bridge collapsed Miles
12 an Secondary Roads 0 12.5 25 50
1
nic

mi
internationally recognized disaster hits it every 2 years. Overall, the most infrastructure damage. Combining the AAL with the
Heavy rains Rivers
D o
190
Landslides Districts affected

between 1900 and 2014, around 250,000 people died in Haiti Shelters
Cyclone

Hazard frequencies
Heavy Rains

(due to tropical storms, floods, epidemics, and earthquakes). Floods

Heavy Rains and Cyclone

Haiti is also the country with the highest relative vulnerability to Wildre Earthquake
2.3% Other Drought Figure 5. Hurricane and Flood impacts on Hispaniola in 2016 (Source ECHO 2016)
2.3% Flood
tropical cyclones among Small Island Developing States, followed 1.5% 46.5%
4.5%

by the Dominican Republic in second place, making Hispaniola Flood

46.5%

Table 2. Hazards impacts in Domincan R. and Haiti Jean-Rabel Puerto Plata

Cap-Haitien

Disaster type Dominican R. Haiti Jeanne 2004

2.754 deaths
Santiago De Los Caballeros
Moca
Total deaths - Hait
i
Cuba
Flood
Storm
Drought 0 0 Storm 43.3%
50.7%

48.8%
Gustave 2008
Earthquake 76 222,576 Source: EM-DAT (1900-2016) 85 deaths

Epidemic 361 7,168 AAL Value [million US$] Noel 2007

Georges 1998
190 deaths Higuey
600 Jrmie 90 deaths
Flood 865 5,200 509.16 Port-au-Prince Santo Domingo
La Romana
500 Petit-Gave
Inez 1966
Storm 4,490 14,694 400 Other 363.87 Drought
480 deaths
Flood 4.5% Jacmel
1.5% 46.5% Les Cayes
Total affected
e
300 i ti lin
se
Ha Ba
c- i c
bli ela
g
Drought 240,000 6,905,217 200 Re
pu
Ar
c hip ! Major Cities Hurricane Matthew (Wind Speeds)

100
119.53
100.83
mi
nic
an
pu
bli
c ^ Capital Cities tropical storm: >= 39mph
strong tropical storm: >= 58mph
Hurrican mpacts

Do
Earthquake 2,015 3,700,000 Re Pressure (millibars)
40.65 40.19 32.76 n Miles

hurricane: >= 74mph
10.51 ca 0.00 - 950.00 0 12.5 25 50

Gilbert 1988 ini Boundaries

0 D om 950.01 - 975.00
54 deaths
Epidemic 48,153 588,177
Primary Roads
Earthquake Cyclonic wind Storm Surge Flood 975.01 - 1000.00
Secondary Roads
1000.01 - 1010.00
Source: UNISDR, GAR (2015) Haiti DR 1010.01 - 1015.00
Rivers

Flood 1,592,475 2,461,682 Flood

Storm 2,865,709 5,566,149

Storm
43.3% AAL/Social expenditure [%]
50.7%
Figure 6. Hurricane Matthews wind speeds and historical hurricane trajectories on Hispaniola island (Source: NOAA 1966-2014)
40

Total damage (000 US$) 35 32.52

30 social expenditures, earthquakes in Haiti also result in a very levels. The flood peaks, which can last from hours to a few days,
Drought 5,000 1,000
25 high percentage (around 33%), followed by cyclonic wind in breach river banks and impact settlements in and adjacent to the
Earthquake 0 8,020,000 20 Dominican Republic (12%). flood plains. This is a nationwide problem in Haiti and a problem
Epidemic 0 0
15
11.06 11.93 in some specific areas in the Dominican Republic.
8.53 8.91
10 Related to floods, the phenomenon of flash flooding in Transboundary flooding is a very localized subset of the larger
Flood 97,725 51,959 5 2.86
0.94
2.36
Hispaniola is well understood. High rainfall events in the upper problem of flooding in Hispaniola. In select cases, rainfall in one
0.03 0.01

Storm 2,827,910 3,236,906

0
Earthquake Cyclonic wind Storm Surge Tsunami Flood
parts of degraded catchments result in very rapid rises in river country causes floods and damage in the other.
Source: EM-DAT (1900-2016) Source: UNISDR, GAR (2015) Haiti DR

8 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | Mar 2017 Mar 2017 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | 9
 Demographics & Migration
The two countries have similar population growth trends.
However, due to the deficiencies in health and social services,
Haitians face a lower life expectancy rate and higher infant
mortality rate than Dominicans, and more than 25% of Haitis
population lives under extreme poverty.
Many Haitians migrate to the Dominican Republic primarily to
escape the poverty in Haiti. Almost 75% of the Haitians living
in the Dominican Republic have been residing in the country
for less than 10 years (ENI, 2012). However, immigrants face
potential deportation under the Dominican Republics new law.

The population density in Haiti is approximately 255 people per

square kilometer, and two-thirds of them live in rural areas. 95%
of Haitians are predominantly African descent, and the remaining
5% of the population are of mixed ethnicity, Europeans, Asians
and Arabs. The population density in Dominican Republic is
slightly lower than Haiti with about 197 people per square
kilometer, concentrating in major metropolitan area such as
Santo Domingo, Santiago, and La Vega. The countrys population
is consisted by 73% of Hispanic, 16% white, and 11% Black.

Figure 10. Extreme poverty rate of Haiti and Dominican Republic

Source: UNDP, 2013; UNDP, 2014

Figure 7. Population growth of Haiti and Dominican Republic (1980 - 2014) Figure 8. Life expectancy rate and infant mortality rate of Haiti and
Source: World Bank, 2014 Dominican Republic (1980 - 2014) Source: World Bank, 2014

Figure 11. Migration and distribution of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic
Source: UNDP, 2013; UNDP, 2014

Figure 9. Population Density of Haiti and Dominican Republic

Source: Worldpop, 2015; UN, 2015
10 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | Mar 2017 Mar 2017 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | 11
 Economy & Productivity
Haitis economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, but
production has been limited by growing population in rural
area, climate change, poor roads, and the absence of modern
technology. Estimates indicated that over 40 percent of Haitian
population is unemployed, and about 2.5 million Haitians live
in extreme poverty (below $1.25 per day). However, Haiti has
experienced positive economic growth rates (about 3.9%) since
2011 (USAID, 2016).
The major crops in Haiti include corn, rice, beans, plantains,
cacao, and mangoes. Because of the rugged terrain, only one-
third of the countrys land is considered suitable for cultivation.
The strategies for improving income and livelihood for Haitians
should be focusing on strengthening MSMEs (micro-, small-, and
medium-sized enterprises), introducing professional training and
new technology to the production value chain, and providing
access of financial support to farmers.
Table 3. Economic performance of Haiti and Dominican Republic
On the other side of the island, Dominican Republic has the
ninth largest economy in Latin America, and is the largest in the
Caribbean and Central American region (World Bank, 2014). The
countrys economy is driven primarily by agriculture, mining,
services, and tourism and relies heavily on the US market, which
is the destination of nearly 60% of its exports. It has long been
known as the primary exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco.
However, the country suffers from income inequality, the poorest
half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while
the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of the GDP.
The following maps shows the major economic activities in both
countries. Most mining concessions are located in the central
area of the island. The agricultural map shows crop land from
satellite-derived land cover data. Manufacturing is an emerging
sector in both countries, even more in the Dominican Republic,
as shown in the map of free trade zones and industrial parks.

Haiti Dominican Republic Figure 14. Agricultural land cover in Haiti and Dominican Republic
Source: ESACCI, 2010
Exports $876.8 million $9.9 billion
apparel,
manufactured gold, tobacco, jewellery,
Export goods goods, cocoa, cocoa, sugar, apparel,
mango, coffee, manufactured goods
orange
Main export
United States United States
destination
Imports $2.67 billion $16.9 billion
Figure 12. GDP per capita of Haiti and Dominican Republic
Source: OEC, 2013; OEC, 2015
Source: World Bank, 2014

Figure 15. Accessibility to industrial parks and free trade zones in Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Source: UN,2014

Figure 13. Mining concessions and protected areas in Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Source: Recursos del Caribe, S.A, 2014

12 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | Mar 2017 Mar 2017 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | 13
 Infrastructure & Social Services
Haiti is the third most populated country in the Caribbean
with an estimated population of over 10 million, but it is also
one of the most unequal societies in the world (OXFAM, 2017).
Although, most of the country is accessible within 1 hour of
major roads, Haiti still lacks a high quality road network. Haiti
also reports some of the worlds lowest health indicators and
lacks a modern health system. Roughly 40% of the population
has access to essential health and nutrition services, and there
are approximately four health professionals per 10,000 people.
Haitis literacy rate is about 61% (64% for males and 57.3% for
females) with 15,200 primary schools (World Bank, 2015).
Dominican Republic is a country with high levels of inequality.
Even though the country has experienced sustained economic
growth over the past forty years, it has still produced very little
improvement for the most disadvantaged group of society
(OXFAM, 2017). The country has expanded the coverage of health
facilities in recent years in order to improve social safety. The
literacy rate is 92% in Dominican Republic. However, it is worth
noting that approximately 2% of youth have no formal education
and 30% of them have not completed primary education, most
of whom are from the poorest population group (World Bank,
2014).

Figure 19. Accessibility to health facilities in Haiti and Dominican Republic

Source: OSM, 2017

Figure 16. Literacy rate in Haiti and Dominican Republic Figure 17. Access to Healthcare in Haiti and Dominican Republic
Source: UNDP, 2013; UNDP, 2014 Source: UNDP, 2013; UNDP, 2014

Figure 20. Accessibility to university in Haiti and Dominican Republic

Source: OSM, 2017

Accessibility Analysis

The concept of accessibility in the context of regional
planning refers to the ability to effectively move people
and materials between critical locations, using existing
transportation infrastructure. Cost distance analysis provides
an indication of accessibility for the region at multiple levels
(national, regional, and local).
Figure 18. Literacy rate in Haiti and Dominican Republic (by department and province) An accessibility analysis considers the time to travel between
Source: UNDP, 2013; UNDP, 2014
key locations within and outside of the region, using all
available modes of transportation. After performing a
spatial assessment of existing transportation networks, the
results can be used to establish regional and sector-specific
accessibility thresholds, which allow comparison between
different supply chains, as well as the identification of
infrastructure gaps or bottlenecks.

14 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | Mar 2017 Mar 2017 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | 15
 Summary Perceived Challenges
1. NATURAL
RESOURCES
Perceived Challenges Potential Next Steps

Percentage Forest cover (FAO, 2010) Percentage Land Cover as Protected Areas (FAO, 2010) Wide range of natural resources in both countries but Identification of most vulnerable natural resources
41% 25%
Haiti Haiti overexploitation is causing serious degradation of (anthropogenic and climate change pressures)
1. Natural
land and water resources. Particularly in Haiti there is and prioritization of measures and initiatives that
DR DR Resources
4% 0.3% an urgent need to protect forests and reduce topsoil can better enable local authorities to protect and
erosion. monitor them.
2. NATURAL AAL Value [million US$] Develop a national probabilisti crisk assessment for
DISASTERS Considering how both countries are exposed to
(UNISDR GAR, 2015) complex countries like Haiti and DR could require time
different risks and are vulnerable in different ways,
2. Natural and also data that are difficult to collect. It will be very
it will be critical to develop national probabilistic
Hurricane Earthquake Flood Disasters important to coordinate with different institutions that
risk assessments that can better estimate
have these data, as well as building off of any previous
potential economic and human losses.
hazard and risk assessments.
DR 509.16 DR 363.87 DR 100.83
Haiti 40.65 Haiti 119.53 Haiti 32.76 Lack of updated census data in Haiti, which creates the
Develop inequality assessments for both countries
3. Demographic difficulty on comparing social conditions for the two
in order to understand socioeconomic trends and
3. DEMOGRAPHIC and Socioeconomic countries, identification of causes of income inequality
the spatial pattern of current disparities.
AND SOCIOECONOMICS in the Dominican Republic.

Unemployment rate
There is a huge difference in economic performance Create a cross-island value-chain and human
Population below poverty line (2003 Haiti -2010 DR)
Haiti DR Source: CIA Factbook
Haiti DR between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Human capital analysis for major sectors and products to
4. Economy and
Source: CIA Factbook
80% 34% 40% capital, infrastructure, and logistics issues are limiting help detect problems in current production and
15% Productivity
Haitis ability to expand and diversify its economic improve the efficiency for future production, as
sectors. well as identifying new areas for growth.

4. ECONOMY Lack of precise data about public infrastructure (hospital, Develop accessibility and level of service analyses
AND PRODUCTIVITY 5. Infrastructures clinic, health facility, schools, etc.), which inhibits the to understand current service gaps (roads, health
Export (Source: www.trademap.org) Import (Source: www.trademap.org)
and Social Services ability to accurately analyze service gaps and correlate facilities, education facilities). This can help point
human development indicators with access to facilities. out potential locations for public investment.

United States of America Dominican Republic

83.3% 4.4%
Others
12.3%
United States of America Dominican Republic
31.7% 28%
Others
40.3%
References
1. BID. (2013). Cuando los vientos a favor se agotan - Oportunidades para fomentar el crecimiento inclusivo en Centroamrica y
Repblica Dominicana. Washington, D.C.
2. CFI. (2016). Trade flows between Haiti and the Dominican Republic - Opportunities for Increasing Haitian Production. Port au
Prince, Haiti
3. CNZFE. (2015). Informe Estadistico - Sector zonas francas de Republica Dominicana. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
United States of America Haiti Others United States of America China Others 4. UNDP. (2013). Report Millennium Development Goals 2013 - Haiti a New Look. New York, USA.
53.6% 12.1% 34.3% 41.3% 13.4% 45.3%
5. UNDP. (2014). Haiti 2030 on the Horizon. New York, USA.
5. INFRASTRUCTURES 6. UNEP, UNDP, and WFP. (2013). Haiti - Dominican Republic - Environmental Challenges in the Border Zone. New York, USA.
AND SOCIAL SERVICES 7. WHO. (2017). Cholera in the Americas - Situation Summary. Geneva, Switzerland.
Haiti DR
8. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
9. World Bank Group, and OECD. (2016). Inclusive Global Value Chains. Policy Options for Small and Medium Enterprises and Low-
Income Countries. Washington, DC.

Access to Healthcare Paved roads Access to Secondary school Access to Secondary school Paved roads Access to Healthcare
40% 18% 22% 80% 50% 65%

16 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | Mar 2017 Mar 2017 | Rapid Baseline Assessment for the Hispaniola Island | 17
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Economic and Development Planning; Urban Sustainability; Environmental and Conservation; Climate
Change Risk and Resilience; Public Health, Food Security and Social Development; Land Analysis and
Tourism Strategy and Planning. Within these practice area our team offers multiple integrated and
interdisciplinary services.

Some representative clients

 For more information please contact:

Managing Partner: JUAN CARLOS VARGAS M.

USA, Mexico and Central American Region
jcvargas@geoadaptive.com; +1 617-227-8885
LinkedIn: Juan Carlos Vargas - Twitter: @Geo_jcvargas

Contact:
250 Summer Street, 1st Fl
Boston, MA 02210. USA
phone +1 617-227-8885
www.geoadaptive.com info@geoadaptive.com

GeoAdaptive LLC

@GeoAdaptive

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