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Nord-Ouest (
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 Nòdwès (
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 "North West") is one of the ten
departments of Haiti In the administrative divisions of Haiti, the department (french: département d'Haïti, ; ht, depatman Ayiti) is the first of four levels of government. Haiti is divided administratively into ten departments, which are further subdivided into 4 ...
as well as the northernmost one. It has an area of and a population of 728,807 (2015 Census). Its capital is
Port-de-Paix Port-de-Paix (; ht, Pòdepè or ; meaning "Port of Peace") is a commune and the capital of the Nord-Ouest department of Haiti on the Atlantic coast. It has a population of 462,000 (2015 IHSI estimate). Port-de-Paix used to be a large exporter ...
.


Department

There is a proposal for the department to become 2 departments, Nord-Ouest and Bas-Nordouest (Mole-St-Nicolas) with the Horn-of-Artibonite.


History


Taino Period

The region of the Great North of Haiti was under the administration of the Marien casicazgo, the Taino-chief Guacanaric was the one to have received
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
on his first voyage to Ayiti. Columbus explained how the Taino chief offers him safe harbor after one of his boats sunk. Columbus described the place has Paradise Valley or Valparaiso and named the island La Isla Espanola. This department specifically the town of Mole-Saint-Nicolas is believed to be the first place on the island to have received a Christian cross. The Island of Tortuga was part of the Taino dominion under the name of Cahini.


French Period

The
Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex history, including a number of different languages, both ...
lost interest in the western part of the island leaving it vacant for French, Dutch and British pirates, and buccaneers, making Tortuga one of the biggest
pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
hubs in the Caribbean. Under the French administration, the Nort-Ouest was part of the Ouest department and many French Governors governed the island from Le Môle.


Haitian Revolution

Early on the N-O departement was a strategic point for
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 ...
, one of the first diplomatic and pre-independenc
treaty
signed between the Indigènes and the British was signed by Toussaint and British Officer
Maitland Maitland is an English and Scottish surname. It arrived in Britain after the Norman conquest of 1066. There are two theories about its source. It is either a nickname reference to "bad temper/disposition" (Old French, ''Maltalent''; Anglo Norm ...
and thus th
Indigènes
took controlled of the part of
Saint-Domingue Saint-Domingue () was a French colony in the western portion of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, in the area of modern-day Haiti, from 1659 to 1804. The name derives from the Spanish main city in the island, Santo Domingo, which came to ref ...
that was under British rules. After
Napoléon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
sent his troop to capture the Toussaint and put them under French slavery, the Haitian Officer
Maurepas Maurepas may refer to: * Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, Count of Maurepas, French statesman Count of Maurepas (Yvelines) * Fort Maurepas, also known as Old Biloxi, a settlement in Louisiana (New France) * Maurepas, Louisiana, an unincorporated comm ...
under the order of Toussaint burned down the city of Port-de-Paix and went uphill to Les Trois Pavillons fort. Maurepas was later on captured by the French and they drowned him in the Bay of Cap-Haitian. Francois Lamort Cappois and the 9th
demi-brigade A ''demi-brigade'' ( en, Half-brigade) is a military formation used by the French Army since the French Revolutionary Wars. The ''Demi-brigade'' amalgamated the various infantry organizations of the French Revolutionary infantry into a sing ...
freed the city of Port-de-Paix and later on the island of Tortuga on April 12th, 1803. Le Mole officially became under Haitian control 10 days after the
Battle of Vertières The Battle of Vertières ( ht, Batay Vètyè) was the last major battle of the Haitian Revolution, and the final part of the Revolution under Jean Jacques Dessalines. It was fought on 18 November 1803 between the indigenous Haitian army and Na ...
with the help of Vincent Pourcely colonel in the 9th demi-brigade.


Haitian Period

Cappoix-Lamort commander of Port-de-Paix is a signatory of the Haitian Declaration of Independance. Francois Cappoix the brilliant and vaillaint Haitian officers was trapped by Henry 1st men and assassinated in
Limonade Limonade ( ht, Limonad) is a commune in the Cap-Haïtien Arrondissement, in the Nord department of Haiti. It has 69,256 inhabitants. Christopher Columbus and his crew celebrated the first Christmas in the Americas at Limonade in 1492.
. The department was in open rebellion with the Crown. Pétion in the West who needed ally after the rebellion of Rigaud in the
South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
and Goman in the Grand'Anse, sent troops to support the N-O. Henry 1st crushed the rebellion and granted amnitice to the rebelled troops. The town of Môle Saint-Nicolas is located in the Nord-Ouest. Ever since Columbus landed here in 1492 and named the island Hispaniola, Môle St-Nicolas has been of interest to the colonials, including the British, Spanish, French, and the Americans due to its strategic location on the Windward Passage, just miles from
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...
. The Mole-St-Nicolas affair was a diplomatic incident between the Haitians and the Americans because the Americans wanted a safe harbor to control the Winward Passage after the construction of the Panama Canal. The Haitian intellectual
Anténor Firmin Joseph Auguste Anténor Firmin (18 October 1850 – 19 September 1911), better known as Anténor Firmin, was a Haitian people, Haitian barrister and philosopher, pioneering anthropology, anthropologist, journalist, and politician. Firmin is best k ...
was remarkable in that affair. Sometime during the 19th century, it was created out of the
Nord Nord, a word meaning "north" in several European languages, may refer to: Acronyms * National Organization for Rare Disorders, an American nonprofit organization * New Orleans Recreation Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, US Film and televisi ...
and
Ouest Ouest (French for west) may refer to: *Ouest (department), Haiti *Ouest Department (Ivory Coast), defunct administrative subdivision of Ivory Coast * Ouest Province, Cameroon * Ouest Province, Rwanda *Ouest-France, a French newspaper * West France ...
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, ...
.


Geography

The department is bordered to the north by
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...
,
Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the a ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
and has direct access to the
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
through the Tortuga Canal, on the west the
Windward Passage The Windward Passage (french: Passage au Vent; es, Paso de los Vientos) is a strait in the Caribbean Sea, between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. The strait specifically lies between the easternmost region of Cuba and the northwest of Haiti. ...
, the south Gulf of Gonave and Artibonite Department and the east and North Department. At the western tip of the department, the Mole Peninsula protects the city of the same name. With the exception of Tortuga Island (La Tortue) and the coastal area near Port-de-Paix, the northwest is mostly arid and barren. In fact, the department has
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 ...
's second biggest satellite island under its administrative control, located less than 10 km offshore. At Les Palmiste on the eastern coast visit a pre-Columbian rock carving presumed to be of native Taino origin of a goddess at La Grotte au Bassin exists. Due to a lack of water management, the Trois-Rivières often flood the city of Port-de-Paix during the rainy season located on its east shore. On the west shore of the river, there is a lagoon.


Economy


Agriculture

Port-de-Paix, which was once a large exporter of
coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...
and
bananas A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
, now imports goods and produce from
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
. The Bombardopolis Plateau is another area of sustainable potential for industry, tourism, ecological reserve, and agriculture. Salt production is a major industry in the area.


Tourism

Tortuga island, once the biggest pirate base in the Caribbean is a popular tourist site and is represented frequently in films and movies based on piracy. Named for the smooth shape that reminded travelers of a turtle's shell, Tortuga's best beach is Pointe Saline at the western tip of the small island. There are several ruined forts along the coast. On clear nights the
Guantánamo Province Guantánamo is the easternmost province of Cuba. Its capital is also called Guantánamo. Other towns include Baracoa. The province has the only land border of the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay. Overview Guantánamo's architecture and cultu ...
of
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...
can be seen. This area is dry and offers little shade but has a beautiful shoreline.
Port-à-L'Écu
is the point of interest in leisure tourism.


Environnement

It is one of Haiti's dryest areas, the N-O still offers a unique scenery in Haitian tourist and ecological package. The Canal and the Tortuga island are more or less well preserved although they need to be reinforced. Although not having a major plain the
Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of ...
(Three Rivers), the second longest river after Artibonite offers a productive watershed and valley.


Transport

The department has long been isolated from Port-au-Prince, gaining it the nickname of Far-West. The RN5 now connects Gonayiv to Gros-Morne and Port-de-Paix. the RN6 from Ouanaminthes to Cap-Haitian is to be continued until Port-de-Paix. Port-de-Paix is the second biggest port on the Haitian Atlantic coast. Port-de-Paix has its own airport. The mountains overlooking the city of Port-de-Paix have great potential for wind energy.


Culture

The N-O has two of Haiti's major lakoun-Vodoun or Vodoun Yard such as lakoun Vilokan, probably the first lakoun in Ayiti since early Spanish colonial time, and lakoun-Grann-Sent-Àn in Anse-à-Foleur.


Administrative divisions

The Department of Nord-Ouest is subdivided into three
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 ten
communes An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, relig ...
. * Môle Saint Nicholas Arrondissement ** Baie de Henne ** Bombardopolis ** Jean-Rabel ** Môle Saint Nicholas *
Port-de-Paix Arrondissement Port-de-Paix ( ht, Podpè) is an arrondissement in the Nord-Ouest department of Haiti. As of 2015, the population was 336,650 inhabitants. Postal codes in the Port-de-Paix Arrondissement start with the number 31. The arrondissement consists of ...
** Bassin Bleu ** Chansolme ** La Tortue **
Port-de-Paix Port-de-Paix (; ht, Pòdepè or ; meaning "Port of Peace") is a commune and the capital of the Nord-Ouest department of Haiti on the Atlantic coast. It has a population of 462,000 (2015 IHSI estimate). Port-de-Paix used to be a large exporter ...
* Saint-Louis du Nord Arrondissement **
Anse-à-Foleur Anse-à-Foleur ( ht, Ansafolè) is a commune in the Saint-Louis-du-Nord Arrondissement, in the Nord-Ouest department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Gove ...
** Saint-Louis du Nord


References

Departments of Haiti {{Haiti-geo-stub