Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest countries in the developing world. Haiti has extremely high unemployment. Two-thirds of the labor force does not have formal jobs and there are few Haitians that are “skilled workers”. 80 percent of the people lives under the poverty line. Haiti is about the size of the state of Maryland- the land is mostly barren mountains and foothills with extensive deforestation and soil erosion. Only about 10 percent of the land is useful for agriculture. Haiti is subjected to many tropical storms and hurricanes because it lies within the “hurricane belt” for such storms. Haiti has only 2 major black-top/paved roads. Other roads are of rock/gravel or simply “dirt” roads which often deteriorate due to rains and floods. The quantity and quality of educational services throughout the country is very low. Ninety-five percent of the primary schools are private or parochial sponsored schools. The Haitian people do value education, however most cannot afford the expense of sending a child to school. Approximately fifty percent of the people 15 years or older have basic reading and writing skills. Most people who have been able to receive some formal education have only received about a fifth grade level of education. Haiti has a long history of political instability but recently has moved forward and adopted a democratic form of government and is continuing to make reforms. Haiti became the first black independent nation in 1804 when it won it’s independence from French colonial rule.