Haiti’s natural resources include water, forests, minerals and marine biodiversity. The country has 14.03 km³ of renewable freshwater resources, forests cover 12.26% of its territory (3,379.7 km²), and the Péligre hydroelectric plant on the Artibonite River has a nominal capacity of 54 MW. What natural resources does Haiti have today?
Haiti is a country on the island of Hispaniola, with unique biodiversity and a rich cultural history. Its natural resources include a wide variety of plant and animal species, as well as a broad range of minerals and water resources.
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The country also has abundant fishery resources and rich marine biodiversity.
What are Haiti’s natural resources, and how rich are they? How much water and which energy sources does the country use? And how well are its biodiversity and land use protected?
Natural resources
Natural resources are materials or energy sources provided by or found on Earth that are useful to humans. Every product we manufacture is made up of natural resources.
- Renewable resources: these can be restored by natural processes faster than the rate at which they are consumed. Examples include solar radiation, wind, hydroelectric power, water when used properly, and plant and animal life.
- Non-renewable resources: once extracted, these are depleted and cannot regenerate. Examples include hydrocarbons, metals and minerals.
Examples of Haiti’s main natural resources
Haiti’s environmental snapshot
Land use, available water and energy, in comparable figures.
| Agricultural land | 65.1% of land area2023 |
|---|---|
| Arable land | 36.5% of land area2023 |
| Forest cover | 12.3% of land area2023 |
| Renewable freshwater per capita | 1,131 m³ per year2022 |
| Renewable electricity | 20.5% of total generation2021 |
| Protected land area | 8.6% of land area2025 |
| Resource | Reserves / production | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable freshwater | 14.03 km³ (116th, 2020) | FAO |
| Average rainfall | 1,440 mm (53rd) | World Bank |
| Forests | 12.26% (3,379.7 km², 2023) | World Bank |
| Environmental performance | 36.4 points (124th) | EPI 2024 (Yale) |
| Birds | 277 species (2023); 31 endemic | BirdLife International |
Water resources of Haiti
Haiti has 14.03 km³ of renewable freshwater resources, which placed it 116th in the world ranking in 2020. A lack of infrastructure and water pollution affect the quality of the water its population can access.
Haiti’s two main rivers are the Artibonite and the Grande Rivière de Jacmel, while its most important lake is Lake Azuei, on the border with the Dominican Republic.
Average rainfall and soils of Haiti
Haiti has an average annual rainfall of 1,440 mm, which places it 53rd in the world. The country’s actual moisture levels are reflected in the diversity of its soils, which range from dry to humid depending on the region.
Renewable electricity and hydropower production in Haiti
In 2024, Haiti generated 160 GWh of electricity from renewable sources — 19% of its total generation of 860 GWh — virtually all of it from hydropower (Ember, 2024). The country’s main hydroelectric plant is the Péligre plant on the Artibonite River, with a nominal installed capacity of 54 MW.
Although renewable energy production in Haiti is low, it is expected to increase in the coming years thanks to the implementation of solar and wind energy projects.
Forest resources of Haiti
Haiti’s forest area covers 12.26% of its territory, equivalent to 3,379.7 km² according to 2023 data (World Bank). Its main forest region is the mountainous area in the north.
Environmental performance and protection of Haiti’s natural resources
According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI 2024, Yale University), Haiti scored 36.4 and ranked 150th out of 180 countries. Protected areas cover 8.6% of its land area (3.0% of its total land and marine territory, World Bank 2025) and play a key role in protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.
Natural parks of Haiti: the hidden wealth of natural resources
Biodiversity: animal and plant resources of Haiti
Birds of Haiti
Haiti has a rich diversity of birds, with a total of 277 species according to 2023 BirdLife International data (worldrainforests.com), which places it 141st in the world. It also has 31 endemic bird species.
However, 17 of these species are endangered, so it is important to take measures to protect this valuable natural resource. Among the most notable species is the Hispaniolan trogon, or papagayo, Haiti’s national bird.
Fish and amphibians of Haiti
According to 2023 AmphibiaWeb data (worldrainforests.com), 57 amphibian species are recorded in the country, which places it 52nd in the world.
In addition, 536 fish species have been recorded. However, 30 of these species are threatened.
Haiti is a place of great importance for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity.
Mammals of Haiti
Haiti has rich biodiversity, with a total of 49 mammal species, 4 of which are endangered. It ranks 83rd in the world.
It also has 7 endemic mammal species, which places it 35th in the world. It is important to stress the need to preserve these natural resources. Several bat species stand out.
Reptiles of Haiti
Haiti has a rich diversity of reptiles, with a total of 123 species recorded in 2019, which places it 64th in the world. The rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta), endemic to Hispaniola, stands out as one of its most emblematic reptile species.
Organizations that protect or study Haiti’s natural resources
- Ministry of the Environment (Ministère de l'Environnement, MDE): National ministry that governs environmental policy and resource conservation in Haiti.
- National Agency for Protected Areas (Agence Nationale des Aires Protégées, ANAP): State agency that manages and protects Haiti’s protected areas and biodiversity.
- Haiti National Trust: NGO that acquires land and creates parks to save Haiti’s biodiversity.
- FAO in Haiti: UN agency that supports sustainable agriculture and natural resources.
- The Nature Conservancy in Haiti: International organization that restores marine habitats and promotes sustainable fishing in Haiti.
Haiti is the world’s largest producer of vetiver essential oil, a base for high-end perfumes: more than half of the planet’s vetiver comes from its fields, the work of some 30,000 smallholder farmers in the southwest. Its essential oil exports totaled $16 million in 2012, out of global production of about 250 tonnes a year (Agriculture in Haiti, Wikipedia, citing ETC Group; Vetiver, Wikipedia, 2001).
Untapped gold and copper in the north
The country’s biggest mineral resource is still underground. In a mineralized belt of more than 1,000 square miles (2,600 km²) that crosses the north, estimates of the gold recoverable by open-pit mining reach as high as $20 billion, with firms such as Newmont Mining involved in exploration (Mining in Haiti, Wikipedia, 2012). Despite a history of copper mining (the Halliwell mine exported about 0.5 million tonnes of ore between 1960 and 1972), formal mining generated only $13 million in 2013 (Economy of Haiti, Wikipedia).
Francique mangoes and the collapse of coffee
After vetiver, mango is the main export crop: the Francique variety generated about $13 million in 2012, with the United States as the main destination. That trade stalled when the US ended its preclearance program for Haitian mangoes in October 2022 for sanitary reasons. Coffee went the opposite way: it collapsed from its all-time high in 1955 to about 21,000 tonnes in 2019 (Agriculture in Haiti, Wikipedia, with data from FAO and Haiti Libre).
Deforestation: from 60% to 2% cover
In 1950, forests covered about 60% of the territory; the most widely cited figures put them at around 2% well into the 21st century, although the exact percentage is debated depending on whether dense forest or total tree cover is measured. The contrast with the Dominican Republic, with which Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola, is striking: the neighboring country retains much more forest cover.
Sources used
- Forest area (km²) – World Bank
- Forest area (% of land area) – World Bank
- Water and agriculture statistics – FAO
- Precipitation (mm) – World Bank
- Environmental Performance Index – Environmental Performance Index
- Bird species – Mongabay
- Amphibian species by country – Mongabay
- Mammal species – Mongabay
- Endemic mammal species – Our World in Data
- Plant species – Mongabay
- Reptile species by country – Mongabay
- Endemic bird species by country – Our World in Data
The World Bank noted in 2023 that more than 60% of Haiti’s population depends on subsistence farming, making the country one of the most vulnerable to climate change in the Caribbean.
Last updated: September 26, 2026
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