Sources

Sources

"Haiti: Index of Economic Freedom". Heritage.com. Web. 2016. http://www.heritage.org/index/country/haiti

"Dominican Republic: Index of Economic Freedom". Heritage.com. Web. 2016.http://www.heritage.org/index/country/dominicanrepublic

Makofsky, Nina. "Rituals, Traditions, and Celebrations in Haiti". Usatoday.com. Web. http://traveltips.usatoday.com/rituals-traditions-celebrations-haiti-103989.html

"Geography of the Dominican Republic". Hispaniola.com. Web. http://www.hispaniola.com/dominican_republic/info/nature_georaphy.php

"Haiti Longitude and Latitude Map". Mapsofworld.com. Web. http://www.mapsofworld.com/lat_long/haiti-lat-long.html

"Where is the Dominican Republic?". Worldatlas.com. Web. http://www.worldatlas.com/na/do/where-is-the-dominican-republic.html

"Haiti-Environment". Nationsencyclopedia.com. Web. 2016. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Haiti-ENVIRONMENT.html

"Global Warming Prompts Action in Caribbean". America.aljazeera.com. Web. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/2/6/dominican-republic-climate.html

"Nwosu, Chiamaka, Batalova, Jeanne. "Immigrants from the Dominican Republic in the United States." Migrationpolicy.org. Web. 2014. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/foreign-born-dominican-republic-united-states

Geography Theme of Movement

Geography Theme of Movement

The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is located on an island therefore making means of travel not too accessible. Being that it is in the Caribbean may other nations are close enough to travel to via boat. For everyday travel in the Dominican Republic, many people use public transportation such as buses, guaguas, caro publicos, and motoconchos. Guaguas are privately owned mini-vans that people use as a taxi service. Caros publicos are the offical public taxis, as opposed to the guaguas which are privately owned and genuinely go shorter distances. Motoconchos are motorcycles that are privately owned, and drivers take passengers on the back of their motorcycles to their destination. People in the Dominican Republic communicate using Spanish. Most of the public and country uses Spanish when writing things such as street signs and restaurant menus. The Dominican Republic is a part of Latin America and the people who live there speak a rendition of Spanish called, Dominicanese. The media in the Dominican Republic is all in Spanish and represents much of the Dominican culture. The newspaper, Listin Diario is the oldest and most popular newspress in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic also has televison, internet, and phones, all used as means of comunication. Another aspect of movement is migration, and the most well known example of migration from the Dominican Republic to the United States occured in the 1960's, "Large-scale migration from the Dominican Republic to the United States began in the 1960s, in the wake of economic and political turbulence that occurred after dictator Rafael Trujillo was killed by rebels in 1961 and the U.S. military and other government agencies intervened. The Dominican immigrant population in the United States, which stood at 12,000 in 1960, grew rapidly after that" (Batalova, Nwosu). Migration in the Dominican Republic. Movement in the Dominican Republic, is an important part in its geography, and enables the country to spread its ideas, culture, and people.

(Image via panoramio.com)

Haiti
Haiti is on the western side of Hispaniola, it is also coastal allowing people to have access to the ocean and use it for transportation to other countries in the nearby Caribbean Islands. For everyday travel throughout the roads and towns in the nation, many Haitians use public transportation because they do not own their own cars. The public transportation includes, tap taps which are pick up trucks, and buses that are usually old American school buses. Both of these modes of transportation are usually in very high demand and constantly crowded. The language of Haiti is Haitian Creole, which is a language derived from French. Many people in Haiti communicate using Creole and some are also fluent French speakers. The media in Haiti is also an important part in the movement aspect of geography. The main newspaper released in Haiti is called, The Haitian Times, and it is a Haitian-American newspaper that focuses on reporting Haitian and Haitian-American news. Many people in Haiti also migrated into the United States following the 2010 earthquake that killed many people and destroyed much of the country. Most Haitian immigrants migrate to the United States but a large portion also migrate to France, Canada, and the Bahamas. Migration in Haiti. Much of the movement in Haiti is due to spreading culture, goods, and language.

(Image via boston.com)

Geography Theme of Human-Environment Interaction

Geography Theme of Human-Environment Interaction

The Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic, many people are constantly interacting with their environment because much of the country is tropical jungle with a large amount of vegetation. The weather conditions of the tropical environment also affect the humans that live there in different ways. Many people in the Dominican Republic have been having to adapt to the biophysical environment primarily due to global climate change. The Caribbean is coastal therefore making it very susceptible to the sea level rise that is caused by the increase in the global temperature melting the sea ice. When the sea level rises many people have to move farther from the coast, and potentially lose much of their livlihood because of the sea level rise. "The Dominican Republic is taking climate change seriously, from grass-roots organizing among fishermen in a remote area of the country’s frontier, to government actions aimed at adapting to a warmer world. Pilot projects underway here could be used as examples of climate adaptation as other vulnerable Caribbean countries begin to feel the effects of global warming," (Lewis). Sea Level Rise The local agriculture is greatly affected by the sea and the salt water interference. Humans also modify their environment to achieve objectives, in the case of the Dominican Republic, much of the tropical forests have been cut down for industrial use. Deforestation has been a large part in how humans interact with the environment of the Dominican Republic. Deforestation is a natural resource extraction that is beneficial for human use but hurts the ecosystems and biodiversity within an environment. Also, pollution is another way humans have modified the environment for their own use, humans consume so much and much of the population's waste ends up in the environment, and this modifies how clean the area is and affects the the population and wildlife. Human Influences on Environment in the Dominican Republic. People in the Dominican Republic are also uses politics as a way to promote the reduction of biodiversity loss within the country. People are also working towards saving endangered animals, regulating deforestation, and replanting more vegetation.

(Image via america.aljazeera.com)

Haiti
Haitian people are very affected by their environment, but have a large influence on it as well. In Haiti, humans have adapted to the biophysical environment due to environmental changes brought about by global climate change. Due to Haiti also being an island in the Caribbean, it also has the problem of sea levl rise. Sea level ride has cause many people in Haiti to move inland and away from the ocean so that their homes and businesses are not at risk for being destroyed by harsher weather such as more intense storms and hurricanes, that are mire intense because of the increase of water in the ocean. Environmental Impacts from Climate Change. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti was also an example of the environment's effects on humans, when the earthquake happened, many people were forced to adapt because much of the country was destroyed. Haiti is also a place where humans modify their environment. Haiti is similar to the Dominican Republic in that it is also suffering from deforestation at a rapid rate. Humans are using the developing nation of Haiti as an inexpensive place to deforest and use for industrialization. Haiti also has a problem with pollution caused by humans, the oceans surrounding the country are polluted and the land is polluted from chemicals used in the industrial farming that occurs in the deforested areas. Humans also percieve the environment as something needing attention and in Haiti they are working towards planting more trees to counteract the rapid deforestation rates, and they have preserved areas for national parks. Environment in Haiti. Many people have a hopeful attitude in preserving the environment in Haiti, and want to sustain it.

Geography Theme of Place

Geography Theme of Place

The geographic theme of place discusses a location's features, places help social, political, and economic functions in a nation.

 The Dominican Republic
The most distinguishing part of the Dominican Republic as a place is its physical features which includes an abundance of picturesque natural lanscapes. The area is known for having a geography that consists of "arid semi-desert plains, to lush valleys, to tropical rain forests with 27 different climatic zones; resulting in a wide variety of incredibly beautiful vegetation. The topography of the Dominican Republic consists of a diverse range of highland and lowland areas, offshore islands, rivers and lakes," (hispaniola.com). Physical Geography of Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is located near the Caribbean Ocean which means that there is a large amount of tropical, diverse wildlife, and vegetation. The Dominican Republic has many mountains, however it is known to have the largest peak in the Caribbean, called Pico Duarte. The peak is in the Cordillera Central mountain range and attracts many hikers and climbers. The country's site is a theme that discusses the physical characteristics of a place, these characteristics being topography, vegetation, and water resources. These aspects of place all represent the Dominican Republic's site. Culture is also a very important aspect of place because it represents the people within an area, their belief system, and their lifestyle. The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish, but many people know English as well. Due to its colonial influence, almost all the population in the Dominican Republic is Roman Catholic. The Dominican Republic is a Latin American country so it has a large influence of latin culure such as an emphasis on food, dance, and the catholic religion. Description of Culture in the Dominican Republic

(Image via bocachicaplaya.com)

(Image Via worldatlas.com)

Haiti

The country of Haiti also has very distinguishing physical features that make up the country's site. Haiti is known for having the second largest Caribbean coastline which makes for a very diverse and exotic environment, and easily accessible when traveling by sea to other nearby nations. The country has many mountains, valleys, and offshore islands, the terrain is also very rugged but the country is very small in size making it easy for inhabitants to tavel. Since it is a Caribbean country it has tropical, exotic biodiversity. Haiti is home to the largest body of water in Hispaniola, Artibonite River. Landforms in Haiti. The climate of Haiti is also very tropical but semiarid in some areas. Haiti has also been affected by earthquakes and hurricanes, based on its geographic location, and there was a large earthquake that hit Haiti in 2010, that destroyed much of the small country. Culture is also an important part of Haiti's theme of place. The culture of Haiti is made up of African and European culutre due to the French colonization of the area. Haiti is also known for having voodoo ceremonies and practice honoring the dead through festivals and gatherings.Along with being a mix of cultures and full of mountainous land, Haiti is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. About 60% of the population lives in small villages and in rural areas. The official language of the nation is Kreyol, a language originated from French. Dance is an important part of Haitian culture as well, there are different dances for different events, these include: konpa which is done at parties, and congo which is performed at events such as parades. 

(Image via haiti-flash.org)

(Image via worldatlas.com)

Geography Theme of Region

Geography Theme of Region

The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is an area that has something in common with other areas, areas such as its neighbor, Haiti. The Dominican Republic's formal regions are areas that have unifying physical or cultural traits, these macro-regions include: Cibao, Sur, and Este. The regions unify the northern area, southern area, and western area. The Dominican Republic's functional regions are areas unified by economic, political, and social activities. The Dominican Republic's main functional region is  the city of Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo is the capital of the country and is the central region where many people both within the country and outside the country come to experience the culture, and where most of the country's politics, economics, and religion are congregated. The political region in the Dominican Republic is now democratically represented, however due to its weak economy, and poor population, the political region used to be authoritarian up until the 1960's. Politics in the Dominican Republic.  The economic region in the Dominican Republic is ranked 17th out of the South and Central America/Caribbean Region for its economy. The Gross Domestic Product in the Dominican Republic is about $138 billion, and it has an unemployment rate of 15%, (Heritage.org). The cultural region of the Dominican Republic is primarily based off of the Roman Catholic religion and the native cultural practices of the people that inhabited the nation. People in the Dominican Republic pronounce their Spanish language in a distict way that reflects the region that they live in. The natural regions of the country are determined based on mountain ranges and valleys throughout the country. The natural regions are separated into the northern, central, and southwestern regions, each have mountain ranges and valleys that they are known for and that distinguish them. The climate regions include the tropical rainforest regions, and the arid regions. 

Haiti
The formal regions in Haiti are similar to the Dominican Republic because they separate the country based on unifying physical, or cultural traits. These formal regions include, the coastal region which is connected to the Caribbean ocean, and the bordering region that borders the eastern side of Hispaniola, The Domincan Republic. Haiti also has regional subdivisions called departments or provinces. Regional Map of Haiti. Haiti's functional regions are areas unified by economic, political, and social activities. The functional region in Haiti is the capital city of Port-au-Prince, which is central to many political, and economic actions, and many cultural events, similar to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The political region of Haiti is democratic, however Haiti is said to be one of the most corrupt nations politically. Haiti also has very low political participation from its citizens. The economic region of Haiti is ranked 24th in the South and Central America/Caribbean region for its economy. Its Gross Domestic Product is $18.3 billion, and it has an unemployment rate of about 17%, (Heritage.org). The cultural region of Haiti is based off of religion and language. Many people speak Haitian Creole, and some speak French, whether people speak Haitian Creole or French is generally based on their region of origin. The natural regions of Haiti are also mountain ranges and valleys similar to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Dominican Republic share a mountain range, Cordillera Septentrional. Natural Regions. The climate regions of Haiti include the tropical areas and the arid regions, similar to the climate in the Dominican Republic.

Geography Theme of Location

Geography Theme of Location

Location of The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a country located in the northern and central area of the Caribbean, and it is on the eastern side of the island of Hipaniola. The country's exact location, is in the northern and western hemisphere, and the coordinates of its exact location are 18.7357 degrees N, 70.1627 degrees W. The Dominican Republic's location is also identified based on its relative location, which means where it is located based on its neighbors. The Dominican Republic is located to the east of the country of Haiti and Haiti is its only bordering country, the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean Ocean. 

Location of Haiti
The nation of Haiti is located in the northern and central area of the Caribbean. Haiti is located on the western side of the island of Hispaniola, and with its exact location being in the northern and western hemisphere, the longitude and latitude of the nation's exact location are 18.9712 degrees N, 72.2852 W. Haiti's relative location is west of its neighboring country on the island of Hispaniola, The Dominican Republic. Haiti shares a border with the Dominican Republic, and the western coast of Haiti is the Caribbean Ocean.

(Image via mapsofworld.com)

Exploring the Five Themes of Geography in Haiti and The Dominican Republic

Exploring the Five Themes of Geography in Haiti and The Dominican Republic

(Image via EdwardMaya.com)

Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two countries percieved to be very similar due to their physical geography, similar landscapes, and similar culture. The countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic are known for their Caribbean beauty and to be geographic neighbors. They have an alluring and exciting sense of culture, picture perfect natural landscapes, and share many aspects of the five themes of geography. One might think of the two countries as similar because they are both located on the same island in the Caribeean, they both have similar landscapes, and they both are small countries where culture is a very big aspect of the population's lifestyle. This blog will discuss how Haiti and the Dominican Republic are sometimes seen as similar based the the themes of location, place, human environment interaction, movement, and region. It will discuss how these countries have so much in common based on different aspects within these themes. 

Location Selection and Preliminary Research: Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two countries located on the island of Hispaniola, the two countries are percieved to be very similar due to their physical geography, similar landscapes, and similar culture. Haiti is on the western side of Hispaniola and has three main mountain ranges which makes the land very mountainous and lush. It also has the second largest Caribbean coastline which makes for a very diverse and exotic environment, and easily accessible when traveling by sea to other nearby nations. The culture of Haiti is made up of African and European culutre due to the French colonization of the area. Along with being a mix of cultures and full of mountainous land, Haiti is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. About 60% of the population lives in small villages and in rural areas. The official language of the nation is Kreyol, a language originated from French. The Dominican Republic is on the Eastern side of the island of Hispaniola, the area is also on the Caribbean so it has a very tropical climate which allows for a very diverse ecosystem and an extensive amount of vegetation. The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish, but many people know English as well. Due to its colonial influence, almost all the population in  Dominican Republic is Roman Catholic. Demographically, the upper class of the population are derived from European settlers and the lower class is generalized to be derived from slaves in Africa or native Haitians. Haiti and the Dominican Republic can be percieved as similar because they are in geographically the same location, and they have similar environments, and have a culure based off of colonization. Haiti and the Dominican Republic can be percieved as different mainly due to their difference in language and difference in culture. Most of the population is the Dominican Republic resides in urban areas, whereas much of the population in Haiti lives in rural communities and small villages. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same geographic theme of place, in a sense that both countries share a region and have a culture created by the people that live there. 

Sources

Schwartz, Timothy. "Haiti". Everyculture. http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Haiti.html. Accessed 4 October, 2016. 

"Haiti and the Dominican Republic: More Than the Sum of its Parts". Worldbank. 11 June 2012. http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2012/06/11/haiti-and-the-dominican-republic-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts. Accessed 4 October 2016.

"Dominican Republic Guide". Commisceoglobal. http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/dominican-republic-guide. Accessed 5 October 2016. 

"Haiti Geography". Worldatlas. http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/haiti/htland.htm. Accessed 4 October 2016.