Why did the political, economic and ecological histories of the Dominican Republic and Haiti – two countries that share the same island – unfold so differently? Part of the answer involves environmental differences.
Hispaniola’s rains come mainly from the east. Hence the Dominican (eastern) part of the island receives more rain and thus supports higher rates of plant growth. Hispaniola’s highest mountains (more than 10,000ft) are on the Dominican side and the rivers from those mountains mainly flow eastwards into the Dominican side. This has broad valleys, plains and plateaus and much thicker soils. In particular, the Cibao valley in the north is one of the richest agricultural areas in the world.
In contrast, the Haitian side is drier because of that barrier of high mountains blocking rains from the east. Compared to the Dominican Republic, the area of flat land good for intensive agriculture is much smaller. There is more limestone terrain and the soils are thinner and less fertile and have a lower capacity for recovery.
This is why it happened: There are a lot of pockets of thousands of country-less very poor suppressed and suffering people in this world that no one care about anymore. These people can still hear god speak and talk to him. They kneel in front of the sky and ask god to take their life from those making them suffer. This made god cry and upset to see his children not being loved by the many that doesn’t hear gods voice anymore; the many people of develop country. In god’s anger, he brought disaster to Haiti. It is the first sign of the beginning of the many disasters about to appear all over the world. Developed country will hurt the most because they cannot live without oil and electricity. Develop country will have no one to help them once they are all struck at once. For those that hear god speak, they will find shelter in the forest and live by nature. It is almost time. In 2011, the wind will start to pick up in america creating multiple tornadoes on a weekly schedule. The snow will pile higher in the north. In the summer, there will be more and longer drought and over flood. By the ocean, there will be flood and wash away and typhoon as they are alive. Again, the poor will not get effected because they are already at the bottom, it is the medium to well off that will feel the wraith of god, the wake up call.
@ D/CA IN JA I HAD ANSWER U,,,, I SAW U ANSWER SOMEONE BUT I CHECKING IF U DIDN’T SEE MY POST,,,,,,,,,,,,,GO BACK N CHECK IT OUT
Well, a lot of people do not want to hear what one of the first HISTORY BOOOK has to say…
The author of that book, Mr. Mathew.. wrote in the 24th Chpt. , Line no. 7,
For nation shall rise against nation,
Kingdom against Kingdom,
There shall be FAMINES, PESTILENCES and EARTHQUAKES
in divers places.
Am 81 years old, and nerver before in my life time, I have seen Hurricanes hitting the USA,
FLOODS hitting the USA…
EARTHQUAKE HITTING USA ,Haiti..Dominica..
HURRICANES lashing most CARIBBEAN ISLANDS..
HURRICANES hitting ENGLAND..
FLOODS and Droughts messing up AFRICA.
Eruption of VOLCANOS blasting in Monserat and otther countries..
Than the few years that have gone!
Mathew is talking sense people. LOOK ON TO JESUS!!
We ned to pray for them so that they will turn back to God, this is a lesson for the rest of the caribbean to learn, not do;inica only.
careful guys,does that mean dominica is better than haiti? God forbid,there is much vodoo in dominica,there is also murder,sodomie,selfishness,greed,jealousy,envie,theft,etc, so b careful if it is true that God acts when sin reaches his nostrils,then our turn cannot b far,when your comrade beard catches fire ,take water and wet yours
The above article is not without errors. The topography of the western part of the island (HAITI) lent itself to better fortifications against the frequent invading forces and the Spanish and British were never successful in wresting San Domingo from the French; in fact, Santo Domingo was captured by Toussaint Louverture before 1802 and it returned to Spanish rule by treaty after the war of independence.
Furthermore, the drier slopes of Haiti were more suitable for the cultivation of sugar and high yield indigo. The quality of its tobacco made a high premium blend that rivaled that of Cuba. Please understand that abundant rainfall does not presage a worthwhile harvest for certain crops.
Upon enslavement by Columbus, some Tainos retreated to higher ground and across the mountain range to Santo Domingo where they avoided capture. After Africans were imported, some escaped (maroons) and interbred with the Tainos; subsequently some whites also interbred with the Tainos and Africans. And this describes the population of the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) today.
One does not have to visit the Dominican Republic to know that there is crushing poverty there. I agree that it is not as bad as Haiti but with all the superior planning, geophysical and racial advantages, just look at the number of people who drown each year in their illegal attempts to escape the economic hardships in the Dominican Republic. Probably the writer has an excuse.
all the sins that are in haiti we have them in dominica,through the goodness and mercy of the lord we are still standing.remenber we are sitting on five active volcanoes.dominican repent while we can. d.o,nt wait till we have the blood and dust on our face to call onto the lord.
leason learnt, lats not our rivers dry up, control the cuting of tree along the banks of our rivers or we will be as dry ad haiti
If Haiti has really signed a pact with the devil and defaulted on it, then only God knows what else will happen.
Is God judging Haiti, or is Satan getting revenge? Or is it just plain bad luck?
you think……..?
let’s just go back to the beginning
in the early years of Haiti grander known as the bread basket of the Caribbean all of these didn’t mater but now it does
come on
When a country choose the creature over the creator that’s what happen
This article gives an even better picture of the Haitian problem:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/14/haiti-history-earthquake-disaster
Oh, by the way, didn’t Pat Robertson say that Haiti’s problems were the result of a pact with the devil? I hope he gets a copy of these articles. Such an idiot.
Seemingly, during the colonisationof Hispaniola, the Spaniards saw what the French couldn’t see.
Something must be wrong with Haiti. All hurricanes that pass must give Haiti a piece and will not touch the Dominican Republic though they are so close. Whats up with that. Lord have mercy on the people of Haiti
Hey, hold it there a minute… who said that things are so great in the Dominican Repubic. Yes, it may be better than Haiti but things are very far from rosy there also. just check the high rates of migration and prostitution in that country and you’ll see. in fact it is said that remittances from prostitution forms a greater part of the DR GDP than any other product or services. So yes things are bad in Haiti but at least they don’t depend on the ‘pumpum’ to earn a living.
According to this article, racism also contributed to their suffering.
@mouth of the south:i responded to u on the kartel blog.
this is jus a perfect example of the difference between good management(dominican republic) and bad management(haiti),,,,,,,
This is simply astounding. Even nature and geography is against Haiti. This island can’t seem to get a break.