"One Island, Two Worlds"

“One Island, Two Worlds”

Emily Vasiliou

Although the two countries of Haiti and the Dominical Republic are so close in proximity, there are many significant differences between the two countries. The video made me want to further research these differences, and see how the effect each of the countries. According to Time Magazine, the poverty levels between the two countries are significantly different. While the Dominical Republic is ranked 90^th out of 182 countries on the human development index, Haiti comes in 149^th. This affects the life expectancy in both countries. The average life expectancy in the Dominican Republic is 74 years, while Haiti’s is just 61 years.

But where do these differences come from?

Time states that the differences in these countries are directly related to the geography of the area. Mountains that cut across the island prevent rainfall in Haiti. The trade winds and rain blow in the favor of the Dominican Republic. This makes Haiti’s climate semiarid- which makes daily life more challenging. Haiti’s lack of resources and a much higher population density than the Dominican Republic makes it the poorest country in the western hemisphere. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1953959,00.html