Centre (

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

) or Sant (

Haitian Creole Haitian Creole (; ht, kreyòl ayisyen, links=no, ; french: créole haïtien, links=no, ), commonly referred to as simply ''Creole'', or ''Kreyòl'' in the Creole language, is a French-based creole language spoken by 10–12million people wor ...

; both meaning "Center") is one of the ten

departments Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

(french: départements, links=no; ht, depatman, links=no) of

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and s ...

, located in the center of the country along the border with the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

. As of 2015, its estimated population was 746,236. Its capital is Hinche.

History

Taino Period

The department was part of the Marien kasika and Maguana along side San Juan de la Maguana in the DR under the leadership of Caonabo.

Spanish Period

Much of the Centre Departement was Spanish territorial even after the Treaty of Ryswick. Many towns were built and settled by the Spanish like Hincha, Las Caobas, San Rafael and many more.

French Period

The southern part of the department was French territory with towns like Mirebalais.

Haitian Period

Haitian Revolution

The department played a big part in the Revolution serving as maroon territory extending to the Baoruco. Toussaint Louverture capture the town of Hinche from the Spanish for the French making it an early Haitian territory.

Independence

David Troy commander of Mirebalais is a signatory of the Haitian Declaration of Independance. In contemporary times the department played a big role in the fight against the American Marines, being a Caco a refuge for men like Charlemagne Péralte and Benoit Batraville.

Geography

It borders the

with the province of Elías Piña to the east and is the only landlocked department in Haiti. Haiti Saut-d'Eau

Centre is the only department without access to the sea, but is nevertheless affected by soil erosion as a result of

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated ...

. In 2004, the floods caused by

Hurricane Jeanne Hurricane Jeanne was a Category 3 hurricane that struck the Caribbean and the Eastern United States in September 2004. It was the deadliest hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Mitch in 1998. It was the tenth named storm, the seventh hurric ...

resulted in hundreds of deaths, focused in Centre and Artibonite Departments. It contains the second largest lake in Haiti Lake Péligre, which was created as a result of the construction of the Péligre Dam on the Artibonite River during the 1950s. It is the largest

hydroelectric dam Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined a ...

in the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...

. The Centre department is a high plateau topographical region. Due to its isolation if one of the greenest departments.

Historical places

* Hinche: Former Dominican territory. Siece to Republic of Haiti in 1929. Birthplace of Charlemagne Péralte, the leader of the Cacos movement, which opposed the American occupation in 1915. * Mirebalais and

Lascahobas Lascahobas ( ht, Laskawobas; es, Las Caobas) is a commune located in the Centre department of Haiti, roughly one hour east of Mirebalais, 10 minutes south of Lac de Peligre, and one hour west of the border with the Dominican Republic. The popu ...

: Place of bloody fighting of

Toussaint Louverture François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture (; also known as Toussaint L'Ouverture or Toussaint Bréda; 20 May 1743 – 7 April 1803) was a Haitian general and the most prominent leader of the Haitian Revolution. During his life, Louverture ...

against the English, who were resupplying in the Central Plateau (1795). Birthplace of Benoît Batraville.

Economy

Tourism

The department had two of Haiti's most impressive waterfalls. Sodo receives a lot of ''touris-lokal'' in August for the Mont-Carmel Vodoun Pilgrimage. Zim is very beautiful

Agriculture

Centre has great agricultural potential. They are known for their tobacco production, goat and turkey.

Administrative divisions

The Department of Centre is subdivided into four

arrondissement An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissements ...

s, which are further subdivided into twelve communes.

Transport

The RD3 connects it to the North and the West. The RD304 connects it to Gonaives. The RD301 connects it to St-Marc. * Cerca la Source Arrondissement ** Cerca-la-Source ** Thomassique *

Hinche Arrondissement Hinche ( ht, Ench) is an arrondissement in the Centre department of Haiti. As of 2015, the population was 264,943 inhabitants. Postal codes in the Hinche Arrondissement start with the number 51. The arondissement consists of the following commun ...

** Hinche **

Cerca-Cavajal Cerca-Cavajal ( ht, Sèka Kavajal) is a commune in the Hinche Arrondissement, in the Centre department of Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on ...

** Maissade **

Thomonde Thomonde ( ht, Tomonn) is a commune in the Hinche Arrondissement, in the Centre department of Haiti. It is located in the Centre or "Plateau Central", arrondissement Hinche. The geo-coordinates are 19.02N and 71.97W. The population was about ...

Lascahobas Arrondissement Lascahobas ( ht, Laskawobas) is an arrondissement in the Centre department of Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola ...

** Belladere ** Savanette ** Baptiste *

Mirebalais Arrondissement Mirebalais ( ht, Mibalè) is an arrondissement in the Centre department of Haiti. As of 2015, the population was 192,852 inhabitants. Postal codes in the Mirebalais Arrondissement start with the number 52. The arondissement consists of the follo ...

** Mirebalais **

Saut-d'Eau Saut-d'Eau ( ht, Sodo) is a commune in the Mirebalais Arrondissement, in the Centre department of Haiti. It has 34,885 inhabitants. Its name is French for 'waterfall', named after a large waterfall called 'Le Saut'. It is said that this wate ...

** Boucan-Carre

References

Departments of Haiti {{Haiti-geo-stub