The International Red Cross reports that seven out of ten Haitians live on less than US$2 a day, and The World Factbook reported that more than two thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty.
As of 2009, at least 225,000 Haitian children were working as unpaid household servants. The United Nations considers this a modern day form of slavery.
Half of the children in Haiti have never been vaccinated, and most people have no access to health care services. The WHO cites diarrheal diseases, HIV/AIDS, meninghitis, and respiratory infections as common causes of death. Ninety percent of Haiti's children suffer from waterborn diseases and intestinal parasites. The incidence of tuberculosis is more than ten times as high as in the rest of Latin America.
12.5% of the population have access to electricity. In the capital of Port-au-Prince, the access rate is about 45%.
Haiti has consisently ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world on the Corruption Perceptions Index. It is estimated that President "Baby Doc" Duvalier, his wife, and their agents stole $504 million from the country's treasury between 1971 and 1986.
90% of the primary schools in Haiti are non-public and are managed by communities, religious organizations or NGOs. The enrollment rate for primary school is 67%, and fewer than 30% reach 6th grade. Haiti's literacy rate is 52.9%
Roughly 75% of households lack running water. Unsafe water, along with inadequate housing and unsanitary living conditions, contributes to the high incidence of infectious diseases. There is a chronic shortage of healthcare personnel in the country.
in 2004, Tropical storm Jeanne left 3006 people dead on the island. In 2008, Haiti was hit by 4 more storms that killed 331 and left 800,000 in need of humanitarian aid.
on January 12 2010, Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake - the most severe in over 200 years. It was reported to have left up to 85,000 dead and 1.6 million homeless. The country has yet to recover from the 2010 earthquake due to the severity of the damage, as well as a government that was ineffective well before the earthquake.
in 1925, Haiti was lush, with 60% of its original forest covering the lands and mountainous regions. Since then, the residents of the island have cut down an estimated 98% of its original forest cover for use as fuel for cookstoves, destroying farmland soils and contributing to desertification.
The country relies on imports for half of its food needs and 80% of its rice. It also has no hydrocarbon resources and is heavily dependent on energy imports of petroleum and petroleum products.
Since independence, Haiti has suffered 32 coups. It has a long history of oppression by dictators, which has markedly affected the nation.