Haitis

Haitis is not a standard or widely recognized name for a country, territory, or ethnic group. In most reference works, the Caribbean nation on the western portion of the island of Hispaniola is called Haiti (Ayiti in Haitian Creole; Haití in Spanish; Haïti in French). The form Haitis may appear only as a misspelling or as an erroneous possessive “Haiti’s” without an apostrophe, or in rare fictional or historical usages where a locality is named Haitis. There is no official jurisdiction or widely accepted place known as Haitis.

Etymology and usage: The name Haiti derives from the Taíno word Ayiti, meaning “land of high mountains.” The modern country name reflects this indigenous origin, reflected in creole and many other languages. The nonstandard form Haitis lacks an established etymology or recognized counterpart in geography or political history.

Geography, demography, and language: Because Haitis is not an established place name, standard information about the country is presented under Haiti. Haiti occupies the western third of Hispaniola, borders the Dominican Republic, and has Port-au-Prince as its capital. The population is primarily Haitian, with official languages of Haitian Creole and French. The economy is classified as developing, with a history of natural disasters and economic challenges.

See also: Haiti, Haïti, Haití, Haitians, Haitian Creole, Hispaniola.