Cayes, is four leagues long; it is very fertile and furnishes the town with all kinds of victuals; at certain times wood-pigeons are plentiful there.
4th. Les Caimites, opposite Corail and Pestel, are a series of islets the largest of which has an area of only two square leagues; they furnish timber for building.
5th. La Navase, which has been taken possession of by the United States in spite of Haiti's protests.
The population of Haiti numbers about 2,000,000. Under the Constitution the following persons are considered Haitian citizens: 1st. Those who are born in Haiti or any other country of a Haitian father; 2nd. Those born in Haiti or any other country of a Haitian mother and not acknowledged by their father; 3rd. Those born in Haiti of foreign parents provided that they be of African descent.
A foreign woman upon marrying a Haitian citizen becomes a Haitian, whilst a Haitian woman who marries a foreigner loses her nationality.
Any foreigner can be naturalized a Haitian by declaring his intention of settling in Haiti before a justice of the peace and by taking the oath of allegiance; the naturalization papers being delivered afterward by the President of the Republic.[1] (Article 14 of the Civil Code.)
Haitians alone are allowed to own real estate.
At the age of twenty-one years a Haitian-born citizen attains his majority and the exercise of his political rights; but foreigners who have been naturalized must reside in Haiti for five years before being allowed to enjoy political rights.
The supreme power is in the hands of the people, who are represented by three independent powers: the Legislative, the Executive, and the Judiciary Powers.
The Legislative power is exercised by a House of Representatives (Chambre des Communes) and by a Senate. The House of Representatives is elected for
- ↑ The only exception to this rule are Syrians, who cannot become Haitian citizens without residing ten years in Haiti. (Art. 7, Law of August 10, 1903.)
