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For the most current version of this Note, see Background Notes A-Z.
Republic of Haiti
Area: 27,750 sq. km. (10,714 sq. mi.); about the size of Maryland. Ile de la Gonave and Ile de la Tortue comprise Haiti's principal offshore territories.
Cities: Capital--Port-au-Prince (pop. 2 million). Other cities--Cap Haitien (pop. 600,000).
Terrain: Rugged mountains with small coastal plains and river valleys, and a large east-central elevated plateau.
Climate: Warm, semiarid, high humidity in many coastal areas.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Haitian(s).
Population (2001 est.): 8.4 million.
Annual population growth rate: 1975-2001, 1.9%; 2000-2015 (est.): 1.3%.
Ethnic groups: African descent 95%, African and European descent 5%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16%, voudou (voodoo) practices pervasive.
Languages: French (official), Creole (official).
Education: Years compulsory--6. Adult literacy (2001 est.)-50.8%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--79/1000. Life expectancy--52 yrs.
Type: Republic.
Independence: January 1,1804.
Constitution: March 1987.
Branches: Executive--President. Legislative--Senate (30 seats), Chamber of Deputies (99 seats). Judicial--Court of Cassation.
Administrative subdivisions: Ten departments.
Political parties and coalitions: Fanmi Lavalas (FL), Struggling People's Organization (OPL), Open the Gate Party (PLB), Christian Movement for a New Haiti (MOCHRENHA), Tet Ansam, Fusion of Socialist Democrats (FUSION), Grand Center Right Front Coalition, Assembly of Progressive National Democrats (RNDP), Union to Save Haiti, Mobilisation for Haiti's progress, Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement, several others.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
GDP (FY 2005): $3.7 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (FY 2005): 1.5%.
Per capita GNP (FY 2005): $440.
GDP by sector (2002): Agriculture--27%; industry--14%; services--52%; indirect and import taxes--7%.
Inflation (2005 est.): 15%.
Natural resources: Bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble.
Agriculture (27% of GDP): Products--coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, cacao, sorghum, pulses, other fruits and vegetables.
Industry (15.5% of GDP): Types--apparel, handicrafts, electronics assembly, food processing, beverages, tobacco products, furniture, printing, chemicals, steel.
Services (52% of GDP): Commerce, government, tourism.
Trade (2005 est.): Total exports f.o.b.--$416 million: apparel, mangoes, leather and raw hides, seafood, electrical. Major market--U.S. Imports--$547 million c.i.f.: grains, soybean oil, motor vehicles, machinery, meat, vegetables, plastics, petroleum.
Note: There are serious problems with national accounts in Haiti, including incomplete coverage and the questionable accuracy of raw data.
Although Haiti averages about 290 people per square kilometer (748 per sq. mi.). Its population is concentrated most heavily in urban areas, coastal plains, and valleys. About 95% of Haitians are of African descent. The rest of the population is mostly of mixed Caucasian-African ancestry. A few are of European or Levantine heritage. About two-thirds of the population live in rural areas.
French is one of two official languages, but it is spoken by only about 10% of the people. All Haitians speak Creole, the country's other official language. English is increasingly used as a second language among the young and in the business sector.
The dominant religion is Roman Catholicism. Increasing numbers of Haitians have converted to Protestantism through the work of missionaries active throughout the country. Much of the population also practices voudou (voodoo), recognized by the government as a religion in April 2003. Haitians tend to see no conflict in these African-rooted beliefs coexisting with Christian faith.
Although public education is free, the cost is still quite high for Haitian families who must pay for uniforms, textbooks, supplies, and other inputs. Due to weak state provision of education services, private and parochial schools account for approximately 90% of primary schools, and only 65% of primary school-aged children are actually enrolled. At the secondary level, the figure drops to around 20%. Less than 35% of those who enter will complete primary school. Though Haitians place a high value on education, few can afford to send their children to secondary school and primary school enrollment is dropping due to economic factors. Remittances sent by Haitians living abroad are important in paying educational costs.
Large-scale emigration, principally to the U.S.--but also to Canada, the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas and other Caribbean neighbors, and France--has created what Haitians refer to as the Tenth Department or the Diaspora. About one of every eight Haitians lives abroad.
The Spaniards used the island of Hispaniola (of which Haiti is the western part and the Dominican Republic the eastern) as a launching point from which to explore the rest of the Western Hemisphere. French buccaneers later used the western third of the island as a point from which to harass English and Spanish ships. In 1697, Spain ceded the western third of Hispaniola to France. As piracy was gradually suppressed, some French adventurers became planters, making Saint Domingue, as the French portion of the island was known, the "pearl of the Antilles"--one of the richest colonies in the 18th century French empire.
During this period, African slaves were brought to work on sugarcane and coffee plantations. In 1791, the slave population revolted--led by Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, and Henri Christophe--and gained control of the northern part of the French colony, waging a war of attrition against the French.
By January 1804, local forces defeated an army sent by Napoleon Bonaparte, established independence from France, and renamed the area Haiti. The impending defeat of the French in Haiti is widely credited with contributing to Napoleon's decision to sell the Louisiana territory to the United States in 1803. Haiti is the world's oldest black republic and the second-oldest republic in the Western Hemisphere, after the United States. Although Haiti actively assisted the independence movements of many Latin American countries, the independent nation of former slaves was excluded from the hemisphere's first regional meeting of independent nations, in Panama in 1826, and did not receive U.S. diplomatic recognition until 1862.
Two separate regimes--north and south--emerged after independence but were unified in 1820. Two years later, Haiti occupied Santo Domingo, the eastern, Spanish-speaking part of Hispaniola. In 1844, however, Santo Domingo broke away from Haiti and became the Dominican Republic. With 22 changes of government from 1843 to 1915, Haiti experienced numerous periods of intense political and economic disorder, prompting the United States military intervention of 1915. Following a 19-year occupation, U.S. military forces were withdrawn in 1934, and Haiti regained sovereign rule.
From February 7, 1986--when the 29-year dictatorship of the Duvalier family ended--until 1991, Haiti was ruled by a series of provisional governments. In March 1987, a constitution was ratified that provides for an elected, bicameral parliament; an elected president that serves as head of state; and a prime minister, cabinet, ministers, and supreme court appointed by the president with parliament's consent. The Haitian Constitution also provides for political decentralization through the election of mayors and administrative bodies responsible for local government.
1991-1994 - An Interrupted Transition
In December 1990, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a charismatic Roman Catholic priest, won 67% of the vote in a presidential election that international observers deemed largely free and fair. Aristide took office on February 7, 1991, but was overthrown that September in a violent coup led by dissatisfied elements of the army and supported by many of the country's economic elite. Following the coup, Aristide began a 3-year exile in the U.S. Several thousand Haitians may have been killed during the de facto military rule. The coup contributed to a large-scale exodus of Haitians by boat. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a total of 41,342 Haitians at sea during 1991 and 1992, more than the number of rescued boat people from the previous 10 years combined.
From October 1991 to September 1994 an unconstitutional military de facto regime governed Haiti. Various OAS and UN initiatives to end the political crisis through the peaceful restoration of the constitutionally elected government, including the Governor's Island Agreement of July 1993, failed. When the military refused to uphold its end of the agreements, the de facto authorities refused to allow a return to constitutional government, even though the economy was collapsing and the country's infrastructure deteriorated from neglect.
1994 - International Intervention
On July 31, 1994, as repression mounted in Haiti and a UN-OAS civilian human rights monitoring mission (MICIVIH) was expelled from the country, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 940. UNSC Resolution 940 authorized member states to use all necessary means to facilitate the departure of Haiti's military leadership and to restore Haiti's constitutionally elected government to power.
In the weeks that followed, the United States took the lead in forming a multinational force (MFN) to carry out the UN's mandate by means of a military intervention. In mid-September, with U.S. troops prepared to enter Haiti by force, President Clinton dispatched a negotiating team led by former President Jimmy Carter to persuade the de facto authorities to step aside and allow for the return of constitutional rule. With intervening troops already airborne, Gen. Raoul Cedras and other top leaders agreed to accept the intervention of the MNF. On September 19, 1994, the first contingents of what became a 21,000-member international force touched down in Haiti to oversee the end of military rule and the restoration of the constitutional government. By early October, the three de facto leaders--Cedras, Gen. Philippe Biamby, and Police Chief Lt. Col. Michel Francois--and their families had departed Haiti. President Aristide and other elected officials in exile returned on October 15.
Under the watchful eyes of international peacekeepers, restored Haitian authorities organized nationwide local and parliamentary elections in June 1995. A pro-Aristide, multi-party coalition called the Lavalas Political Organization (OPL) swept into power at all levels. With his term ending in February 1996 and barred by the constitution from succeeding himself, President Aristide agreed to step aside and support a presidential election in December 1995. Rene Preval, a prominent Aristide political ally, who had been Aristide's Prime Minister in 1991, took 88% of the vote, and was sworn in to a 5-year term on February 7, 1996, during what was Haiti's first-ever transition between two democratically elected presidents.
Political Gridlock
In late 1996, former President Aristide broke from the OPL and created a new political party, the Lavalas Family (FL). The OPL, holding the majority of the Parliament, renamed itself the Struggling People's Organization, maintaining the OPL acronym. Elections in April 1997 for the renewal of one-third of the Senate and creation of commune-level assemblies and town delegations provided the first opportunity for the former political allies to compete for elected office. Although preliminary results indicated victories for FL candidates in most races, the elections, which drew only about 5% of registered voters, were plagued with allegations of fraud and not certified by most international observers as free and fair. Partisan rancor from the election dispute led to deep divisions within Parliament and between the legislative and executive branches, resulting in almost total governmental gridlock. In June 1997, Prime Minister Rosny Smarth resigned. Two successors proposed by President Preval were rejected by the legislature. Eventually, in December 1998, Jacques Edouard Alexis was confirmed as Prime Minister.
During this gridlock period, the government was unable to organize the local and parliamentary elections due in late 1998. In early January 1999, President Preval dismissed legislators whose terms had expired--the entire Chamber of Deputies and all but nine members of the Senate--and converted local elected officials into state employees. The President and Prime Minister then ruled by decree, establishing a cabinet composed almost entirely of FL partisans. Under pressure from a new political coalition called the Democratic Consultation Group (ESPACE), the government allocated three seats of the nine-member Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) to opposition groups and mandated the CEP to organize the overdue elections for the end of 1999. Following several delays, the first round of elections for local councils--ASEC and CASEC, municipal governments, town delegates, the Chamber of Deputies, and two-thirds of the Senate took place on May 21, 2000. The election drew the participation of a multitude of candidates from a wide array of political parties and a voter turnout of more than 60%.
The Electoral Crisis
Controversy mired the good start, however, when the CEP used a flawed methodology to determine the winners of the Senate races, thus avoiding run-off elections for eight seats and giving the FL a virtual sweep in the first round. The flawed vote count, combined with the CEP's failure to investigate alleged irregularities and fraud, undercut the credibility of that body. The CEP President fled Haiti and two members eventually resigned rather than accede to government pressure to release the erroneous results. Nonetheless, on August 28, 2000, Haiti's new Parliament, including the contested Senators accorded victory under the flawed vote count, was convened.
Through a number of diplomatic missions by the OAS, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the United States, the international community had sought to delay Parliament's seating until the electoral problems could be rectified. When these efforts were rebuffed, Haiti's main bilateral donors announced the end of "business as usual." They moved to re-channel their assistance away from the government and announced they would not support or send observers to the November elections. Concurrently, most opposition parties regrouped in an alliance that became the Democratic Convergence. The Convergence asserted that the May elections were so fraudulent that they should be annulled and held again under a new CEP. Elections for President and nine Senators took place on November 26, 2000. All major opposition parties boycotted these elections in which voter participation was estimated at 5%. Jean-Bertrand Aristide emerged as the easy victor of these controversial elections, and the candidates of his FL party swept all contested Senate seats. On February 6, 2001, the Democratic Convergence named respected lawyer and human rights activist Gerard Gourgue as provisional president of their "alternative government." Gourgue called the act "symbolic," designed to protest flawed elections. On February 7, 2001, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was inaugurated as President. Notwithstanding the previous year's electoral controversy, the inauguration marked the first time in the country's history that a full-term president peacefully transferred power to an incoming president.
It did not, however, put an end to the political stalemate. OAS-mediated negotiations began in April 2001 to find a resolution, focusing on the on possible makeup of a new electoral council, a timetable for new elections, security for political parties, and other confidence-building measures. These negotiations made some progress, but were suspended in mid-July without a final agreement. On July 28, 2001, unknown gunmen attacked police facilities in Port-au-Prince and the provinces. A subsequent government crackdown on opposition party members and former soldiers further increased tensions between Lavalas and Convergence. On December 17, 2001, unidentified gunmen attacked the National Palace in Port-au-Prince. Following the assault, pro-government groups attacked the offices and homes of several opposition leaders. One opposition member was killed. Negotiations between FL and Democratic Convergence, already on hold following the July violence, were suspended indefinitely.
In January 2002, the OAS Permanent Council adopted Resolution 806 on Haiti that called for government action to address the political stalemate, growing violence, and deterioration in respect for human rights. It also authorized OAS establishment of a Special Mission in Haiti to support implementation of steps called for in Resolution 806.
The OAS Special Mission began operations in March 2002, working with the government on plans to strengthen Haiti's democratic institutions in security, justice, human rights, and governance. Nevertheless, the climate of security deteriorated and a rapidly weakening economy created risks of a humanitarian disaster.
The OAS Permanent Council adopted Resolution 822, September 4, 2002, which set a new course for resolving the crisis by: committing the Haitian government to a series of steps leading to an improved climate of security for free and fair elections in 2003; supporting Haiti's resumption of normal relations with the International Financial Institutions; and strengthening the mandate of the OAS to monitor as well as support Haitian government efforts to comply with OAS resolutions. It also conferred new mandates related to conduct of elections and disarmament.
Protest strikes and attacks on opposition demonstrations by government-supported gangs between November 2002 and February 2003 hardened attitudes on both sides. The opposition issued a public call for Aristide's removal and announced plans for a transitional government. In March, 2003, a high-level joint delegation of the OAS and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) presented specific demands to President Aristide to restore public security and create confidence necessary to move toward elections: select new leadership for the Haitian National Police in consultation with the OAS; arrest Amiot Metayer, a notorious gang leader; and disarm the security forces used by government politicians to intimidate opponents.
Since then, a new police chief, appointed June 9 in consultation with the OAS, resigned and fled the country June 23 after being ordered to give up his authority over budget and personnel; government-paid thugs violently disrupted a civil society public ceremony July 12 in Cit� Soleil; police attacked civil society marches in Cap Haitien August 30 and September 14 and prevented an opposition march scheduled for October 5. Amiot Metayer was murdered September 21 (it is widely believed the government ordered the murder to prevent release of compromising information). The government announced August 13 that it was re-activating a defunct CEP in what many have interpreted as a move toward holding elections outside the framework of OAS Resolution 822 .
The OAS and other foreign observers, including the U.S., have denounced these steps. To re-invigorate the process envisioned in Resolution 822, the OAS designated a Special Envoy for Dialogue in Haiti, Terence Todman, a retired U.S. Career Ambassador. Todman, a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, undertook three negotiating missions to Haiti in September-October 2003.
Political instability grew throughout fall 2003. In Gonaives, Metayer's followers, hitherto pro-Aristide, led a violent rebellion against government authorities in the city. Government-sponsored repression of opposition protests reached a nadir when on December 5 pro-government gangs entered Haiti's state university campus and broke the legs of the Rector.
Following a meeting with Aristide at the Summit of the Americas in January 2004, Caribbean Community leaders proposed a plan to resolve the political crisis. President Aristide stated he accepted the plan at a meeting January 31. However, as the plan remained unimplemented, a high-level international delegation came to Haiti February 21 to obtain agreement on specific implementation timetable. President Aristide agreed, but the opposition "Democratic Platform" group of political parties and civil society expressed reservations.
Meanwhile, the violence in Gonaives culminated February 5 in the former Cannibal Army, now called the Artibonite Resistance Front, seizing control of the city. Other armed groups opposed to the Aristide government quickly emerged and succeeded in seizing control of many towns, mostly with little resistance from government authorities. By February 28, 2004, a rebel group led by a former police chief, Guy Philippe, had advanced to within 25 miles of the capital.
A New Government Following the Departure of Aristide
On February 29, 2004 Aristide submitted his resignation as President of Haiti and flew on a chartered plane to South Africa. Following the constitutional line of succession, Supreme Court Chief Justice Boniface Alexandre assumed the presidency and Gerard Latortue was appointed prime minister of the Interim Government of Haiti (IGOH) with the mandate of organizing elections to choose a new government.
The first round for the election of the President and the Parliament took place peacefully on February 7, 2006. An impressive turnout estimated at over 60% of registered voters caused some logistical difficulties rapidly overcome. Overall, those elections have been considered free, honest, and democratic by the national and international observers.
Ren� Pr�val, former President (1996-2001) and former ally to Aristide, won the presidential election with 51.15%. Partial results had shown he fell short of the majority and triggered demonstrations against alleged fraud. The later decision of the Electoral Council not to count blank ballots gave the victory to Preval. The legislature will likely be broadly representative with most of the senators' and deputies' seats decided during the run-off scheduled on March 19, 2006.
International Presence 1995-2004
After the transition of the 21,000-strong MNF into a peacekeeping force on March 31, 1995, the presence of international military forces that helped restore constitutional government to power was gradually ended. Initially, the U.S.-led UN peacekeeping force numbered 6,000 troops, but that number was scaled back progressively over the next 4 years as a series of UN technical missions succeeded the peacekeeping force. By January 2000, all U.S. troops stationed in Haiti had departed. In March 2000, the UN peacekeeping mission transitioned into a peace-building mission, the International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH). MICAH consisted of some 80 non-uniformed UN technical advisers providing advice and material assistance in policing, justice, and human rights to the Haitian Government. MICAH's mandate ended on February 7, 2001, coinciding with the end of the Preval administration. The OAS Special Mission has some 25 international police advisors who arrived in summer 2003; is in addition to observing and reporting Haitian police performance, they provide limited technical assistance.
International Presence 2004-Present
At the request of the interim government and the UN, the U.S.-led Multilateral Interim Force, made up of troops from the U.S., Canada, France, and Chile, arrived in Port-au-Prince to ensure stability until the arrival of a UN peacekeeping force.
In April 2004, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1542, which created the UN Stability Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). The Stability Mission is authorized at 6,700 troops and 1,622 civilian police.
Principle MINUSTAH Officials
Special Representative of the Secretary General--Juan Gabriel Valdes (Chile)
Force Commander--Jose Elito Carvalho Siqueira (Brazil)
Police Commissioner--Graham Muir (Canada)
Principal Government Officials
President--Boniface Alexandre (interim); President-elect Rene Preval (swearing-in ceremony scheduled March 29, 2006)
Prime Minister--Gerard Latortue (interim)
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Herard Abraham
Ambassador to the U.S.--Raymond Josephe, Charg� d'Affaires
Ambassador to the OAS--Duly Brutus, Charg� d'Affaires
Ambassador to the UN--Leo M�rores, Charg� d'Affaires
The Embassy of Haiti is located at 2311 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-332-4090).
Haiti remains the least-developed country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world. Comparative social and economic indicators show Haiti falling behind other low-income developing countries (particularly in the hemisphere) since the 1980s. Haiti now ranks 150th of 175 countries in the UN's Human Development Index. Haiti's economic stagnation is the result of earlier inappropriate economic policies, political instability, a shortage of good arable land, environmental deterioration, continued reliance on traditional technologies, under-capitalization and lack of public investment in human resources, migration of large portions of the skilled population, a weak national savings rate, and the lack of a functioning judicial system.
The 1991 coup and the irresponsible economic and financial policies of the de facto regime resulted in a sharp economic decline from 1991-94. Following the coup, the United States adopted mandatory sanctions, and the OAS instituted voluntary sanctions aimed at restoring constitutional government. International sanctions culminated in the May 1994 UN embargo of all goods entering Haiti except humanitarian supplies, such as food and medicine. The assembly sector, heavily dependent on U.S. markets, employed nearly 80,000 workers in the mid-1980s. During the embargo, employment fell below 17,000. Private domestic and foreign investment has returned to Haiti slowly. Since the embargo's end, assembly sector employment has gradually recovered to about 30,000, but further growth has been stalled by investor concerns over safety and political instability.
Under President Pr�val (1996-2001), the country's economic agenda included trade/tariff liberalization, measures to control government expenditure and increase tax revenues, civil service downsizing, financial sector reform, and the modernization of two out of nine state-owned enterprises through their sale to private investors, the provision of private sector management contracts, or joint public-private investment. Structural adjustment agreements with international financial institutions (IFIs) intended to create conditions for private sector growth proved only partly successful, however.
Haiti's real GDP growth turned negative in FY 2001 after six years of growth. Following almost 4 years of recession ending in 2004, the economy grew by 1.5% in 2005. GDP growth is projected to reach 2.5% in 2006. But significant improvement in living standards would require an estimated doubling of the growth rate.
Since the departure of President Aristide, the financial situation has stabilized. Inflation has fallen from 42.7% at end-2003, to 15% by end-September 2005, although persistent high oil prices put at risk the 10% inflation target for FY 2006.
The IGOH has conducted a largely sound fiscal policy. But the traditional low revenue collection rate (roughly 9% of the GDP) constrains its ability to provide social services and invest in physical and human capital. External assistance (approximately $800 million from July 2004 through December 2005) as well as diaspora remittances (estimated at over $800 million) will remain critical to keep the economy afloat.
Workers in Haiti are guaranteed the right of association. Unionization is protected by the labor code. A legal minimum wage of 70 gourdes a day (about U.S. $1.70) applies to most workers in the formal sector.
Haiti is one of the original members of the United Nations and several of its specialized and related agencies, as well as a member of the Organization of American States (OAS). It maintains diplomatic relations with several dozen countries.
The international community rallied to Haiti's defense during the 1991-94 period of de facto military rule. Thirty-one countries participated in the U.S.-led multinational force (MNF) which, acting under UN auspices, intervened in September 1994 to help restore the legitimate government and create a secure and stable environment in Haiti. At its peak, the MNF included roughly 21,000 troops, mostly Americans, and more than 1,000 international police monitors. Within 6 months, the troop level was gradually reduced as the MNF transitioned to a 6,000-strong peacekeeping force, the UN Mission in Haiti (UNMIH). UNMIH was charged with maintaining the secure environment which the MNF had helped establish as well as nurturing Haiti's new police force through the presence of 900 police advisers. A total of 38 countries participated in UNMIH.
To spur Haiti's social and economic recovery from decades of misrule before that, international donors pledged in 1994 to provide more than $2 billion over five years in total assistance. Most bilateral assistance is now channeled through non-governmental organizations. Major bilateral donors are led by the United States, with the largest program, and include Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan. Cuba provides highly visible, low-cost medical and technical experts. Multilateral aid is provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and the UN and its agencies. All aid is coordinated informally by the World Bank.
In July 2004, $1.085 billion was pledged through 2006 at the World Bank Donors' Conference. Donors include the U.S., Canada, the EU, France, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Greece, Norway, Mexico, and Ireland. The IDB and the World Bank pledged multilateral aid. As of December 2005, almost $800 million had been disbursed, mainly to address humanitarian needs.
U.S. policy toward Haiti is designed to foster and strengthen democracy; help alleviate poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition; promote respect for human rights; and counter illegal migration and drug trafficking. The U.S. also supports and facilitates bilateral trade and investment along with legal migration and travel. U.S. policy goals are met through direct bilateral action and by working with the international community. The United States has taken a leading role in organizing international involvement with Haiti. The United States works closely with the Organization of American States (OAS; see "Key OAS Issues"), particularly through the Secretary General's "Friends of Haiti" group (originally a UN group that included the U.S., Canada, France, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina which was enlarged in 2001 to add Germany, Spain, Norway, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and The Bahamas), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and individual countries to achieve policy goals.
Maintaining good relations with and fostering democracy in Haiti are important for many reasons, not least of which is the country's geographical proximity to the continental United States. In addition to the many Haitians who receive visas to immigrate into the U.S. (averaging over 13,000 annually in FY 1999-2003), there is a flow of illegal migrants. Over 100,000 undocumented Haitian migrants were intercepted at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard in the past two decades, particularly during the 1991-94 period of illegal military rule when more than 67,000 migrants were interdicted. Since the return of the legitimate government in 1994, the interdiction of illegal migrants by U.S. Coast Guard vessels has decreased dramatically, averaging fewer than 1,500 annually. Neighboring Caribbean countries, particularly The Bahamas, continue to interdict Haitian migrants as well. The prospect remains, however, for the renewal of higher flows of illegal migrants, particularly under conditions of political unrest or further economic downturn.
U.S. Economic and Development Assistance
Political insecurity and the failure of Haiti's governments to invest in developing the country's natural and human resources has contributed significantly to the country's current state of underdevelopment. U.S. efforts to strengthen democracy and help build the foundation for economic growth aim to rectify this condition. The U.S. has been Haiti's largest donor since 1973. Between FY 1995 and FY 2003, the U.S. contributed more than $850 million in assistance to Haiti. These funds have been used to support programs that have addressed a variety of problems. Among the programs are:
Since 2004, the U.S. provided over $400 million in assistance. These funds have been provided in a variety of areas:
In addition to financial support, the U.S. provides human resources. U.S. Peace Corps volunteers are largely focused on health- and income-generation programs in Haiti's rural areas. Many private U.S. citizens travel regularly to Haiti or reside there for extended periods to work on humanitarian projects.
Haiti has been plagued for decades by extremely high unemployment and underemployment. The precipitous decline in urban assembly sector jobs, from a high of 80,000 in 1986 to fewer than 17,000 in 1994, exacerbated the scarcity of jobs. To revitalize the economy, U.S. assistance attempts to create opportunities for stable sustainable employment for the growing population, particularly in rural areas. More recently, programs that help to increase commercial bank lending to micro-enterprises, especially in the agricultural sector, have helped to create a significant number of jobs. U.S. assistance is channeled primarily through private voluntary agencies and contractors to ensure efficient implementation of U.S. assistance programs.
Combating Drug Trafficking
Haiti is a major transshipment point for South American narcotics, primarily cocaine, being sent to the United States. To counter this threat, the U.S. has taken a number of steps, including signing a counternarcotics letter of agreement with the Government of Haiti in May 2002, vetting and training the counternarcotics division of the Haitian National Police, providing material assistance and training to the Haitian Coast Guard for drug and migrant interdiction, and obtaining the expulsion of several traffickers under indictment in the United States. Although Haiti did not meet counternarcotics certification criteria the past three years, the country was provided a waiver of any sanctions on grounds of vital national security interest.
U.S. Business Opportunities
The U.S. remains Haiti's largest trading partner. Port-au-Prince is less than 2 hours by air from Miami, with several daily direct flights. A daily flight also connects Port-au-Prince with New York, and a new Port-au-Prince-Fort Lauderdale flight started in 2003. Both Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitien on the north coast have deepwater port facilities. Many Haitian entrepreneurs conduct business in English, and U.S. currency circulates freely in Haiti. A number of U.S. firms, including commercial banks, telecommunications, airlines, oil and agribusiness companies, and U.S.-owned assembly plants are present in Haiti.
Further opportunities for U.S. businesses include the development and trade of raw and processed agricultural products; medical supplies and equipment; rebuilding and modernizing Haiti's depleted infrastructure ; developing tourism and allied sectors--including arts and crafts; and improving capacity in waste disposal, transportation, energy, telecommunications, and export assembly operations. Haiti's primary assembly sector inputs include textiles, electronics components, and packaging materials. Other U.S. export prospects include electronic machinery, including power-generation, sound and television equipment, plastics and paper, construction materials, plumbing fixtures, hardware, and lumber. Benefits for both Haitian and American importers and exporters are available under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA)-- which provides for duty-free export of many Haitian products assembled from U.S. components or materials-- the successor program to the Caribbean Basin Initiative.
U.S. export opportunities also exist for four-wheel-drive vehicles, consumer electronics, rice, wheat, flour, animal and vegetable fats, meat, chicken, vegetables, and processed foodstuffs. The Government of Haiti seeks to reactivate and develop agricultural industries where Haiti enjoys comparative advantages, among which are essential oils, spices, fruits and vegetables, and sisal. The government encourages the inflow of new capital and technological innovations. Additional information on business opportunities in Haiti can be found at the Country Commercial Guide for Haiti.
Establishing a Business
Individuals wishing to practice a trade in Haiti must obtain an immigrant visa from a Haitian Consulate and, in most cases, a government work permit. Transient and resident traders must also have a professional ID card.
Property restrictions still exist for foreign individuals. Property rights of foreigners are limited to 1.29 hectares in urban areas and 6.45 hectares in rural areas. No foreigner may own more than one residence in the same district, or own property or buildings near the border. To own real estate, authorization from the Ministry of Justice is necessary.
Hurdles for businesses in Haiti include poor infrastructure, a high-cost port, an irregular supply of electricity, and Customs delays. The government places a 30% withholding tax on all profits received. There is little direct investment.
Foreign investment protection is provided by the Haitian Constitution of 1987, which permits expropriation of private property for public use or land reform with payment in advance. American firms enjoy free transfer of interest, dividends, profits, and other revenues stemming from their investments, and are guaranteed just compensation paid in advance of expropriation, as well as compensation in case of damages or losses caused by war, revolution, or insurrection. The U.S. and Haiti have a bilateral agreement on investment guarantees that permits the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation to offer programs in Haiti. The two governments also signed a bilateral investment treaty in December 1983, but it was not ratified.
Additional information on establishing a business in Haiti can be found at www.export.gov, then to market research, then Country Commercial Guides.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Janet Sanderson
Deputy Chief of Mission--Douglas M. Griffiths
Consul General--Jay T. Smith
Public Affairs Officer--Ferial Saeed
USAID Director--Erna Kerst
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti is located on 5, Harry Truman Blvd., Port-au-Prince.
Contact Information
U.S. Commercial Service does not have a separate office in Haiti. Commercial matters are handled by the Embassy economic section.
Tel: (509) 223-1477
Fax: (509) 223-9038
Cell: (509) 409-1441
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
1615 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20527
Tel: (202) 457-7200
Fax: (202) 331-4234
U.S. Department of Commerce
14th and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20230
Office of Latin America and the Caribbean
Tel: (202) 482-0704
Fax: (202) 482-0464
Caribbean/Latin American Action
1818 N Street, NW, Suite 310
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 466-7464
Fax: (202) 822-0075
Association des Industries d'Haiti (ADIH)
Bldg. Le Triangle Delmas 31, #139
Tel: (509) 246-4509/4510 or 2211
Centre Pour la Libre Entreprise et la Democratie (CLED)
37, Avenue Marie-Jeanne,
No. 8 B.P. 1316
Tel: (509) 244-0901 or (509) 245-6039
Fax: (509) 222-8252
Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie d'Haiti
P.O. Box 982
Tel: (509) 222-0281 or (509) 222-2475
Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AMCHAM)
Rue Oge, A-5
Republic of Haiti
Tel: (509) 511-3024, fax not available


text:
Top Definition
Highly over-publicized activities that at least half the time are undertaken or discussed by otherwise boring people in a desperate attempt to seem interesting. Posers are extraordinarily abundant, especially inThe Heartland. After all, how the hell does some kid in Nebraska go surfing, or rock-climbing in Iowa?
The purchased experiences of white-water rafting and bungee jumping gave Ned a sense that he was not a vanilla, SUV-driving corporate automaton, but a wild and crazy alpha-male living his life on the edge!
viết bởi FunkyBumpkin
29 Tháng tư, 2005
4 more definitions
Sports which rock, such as boardin, inline, bmxin, sufin. Need i go on?
It simply rocks
viết bởi sk8ter.
25 Tháng tám, 2003
Originally, adult sports involving a high level of danger and adrenaline that would not appeal to most people but attract a daring few: things like skydiving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, ice climbing, technical mountaineering, hang gliding. It generally did not include sports which were "extreme" in their early years but since became mainstream (e.g., downhill skiing or scuba diving), nor did it include children's and teenager's activities like BMX or skateboarding. Extreme sports originally meant adult and non-mainstream. Later (from the late 1990s on) the meaning changed to become synonymous with non-dangerous kiddie sports and the definition has more to do with age (and with marketing energy drinks, Mountain Dew, baggy pants, and punk and thrash music), much to the chagrin of older folks involved in dangerous sports who now would rather the term would go away.
Skateboarding? That's not extreme. If you want a real extreme sport try hot air ballooning.
viết bởi 2182
02 Tháng bảy, 2009
An extreme sport is usually defined as one that requires extreme levels of endurance, balance, skill, co-ordination; also, ballistic reaction timings, spacial orientation abilities, and massive amounts of oxygen assimilation. Extreme sports are dominated by youth, age range 6 to mid 30's. The first recognized extreme sports, were officially documented by the Post Office commissioning of a stamp series highlighting the first three: Skateboarding, Snowboarding, and BMX bike riding. Since that time, several others have been added to include, Inline Rollerblading and Motocross.
Skateboarding is consided an extreme sport.
viết bởi Guido1
05 Tháng ba, 2008
the best kind of sports. the ones that impress like surfing paintballing and snowboarding. they are the sports all the jocks say are not actually sports. but they are a hell lot more fun then the normal sports. ride hard
football player- extreme sports are for fags, they dont take any skill
extremer- yeah right lets see you fly down a mountain, get shot at, and swim on a board with high tides. ur just jealous bitch!
extremer- yeah right lets see you fly down a mountain, get shot at, and swim on a board with high tides. ur just jealous bitch!
viết bởi Venue
21 Tháng sáu, 2007

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Round Mirage Rug
Overview & Details
- Colorful cotton round rugs.
- Mirage solid round rug hand-woven of 100% cotton.
- Our Mirage area rug is a perennial customer favorite.
- The relaxed casual look, fresh hues and durable construction make the Mirage round rug at home in virtually any room.
- Textured round rug reverses for double the wear; holds up well in high-trafficked areas.
- Rug grip recommended (sold separately).
- Professionally clean.
- Imported.
Add colorful interest and textural dimension to any room in your home with our exquisite Mirage round rug. Hand-woven of 100% cotton, our Mirage solid area rugs are a perennial customer favorite… and it's not hard to see why! Designed with a relaxed casual look and durable construction, the chic cotton rug looks at home in virtually any room. From the living room to the kitchen, the textured Mirage rug adds an inviting element underfoot.
Choose the versatile rug in a wide array of colors from neutral sand to vibrant peony pink and make our Mirage rug an integral part of your home's decor. The right details can help unite the whole space in an instant. Our durably crafted cotton rugs also reverse for double the wear and will hold up well in the most high-trafficked areas of your home.
Pair our Mirage round rugs with a rug grip (sold separately) to prevent movement on your floor and extend the life of your area rug.


text:
Rule Title: Preservation of Rights
Agency | Arizona Revised Statutes |
Affected Area | Agency-Wide Provisions |
Regulation | Title 36 - Public Health And Safety |
Rule # | 36-0791 |
Adoption Date | |
Submittal Date | 07/13/1981 |
Final Federal Register Date | 06/18/1982 |
Federal Register Citation # | 47 FR 26382 |
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.
Title 36 - Public Health And Safety (pdf, 45 KB)
This SIP Citation Was Last Modified on November 17, 2004. EPA has attempted to assure that the action logs accurately reflect the actions published in the Federal Register. If there are discrepancies, however, the Federal Register is the official record. Send State Implementation Plan comments and questions to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Save 10% on a Center Stage speaker shelf with home speaker purchase Front Side and grille off view Speakers - one shown with grille off View larger Polk Audio Blackstone TL350 Compact home theater speaker system Item #: 107TL350 In Stock 39 Reviews Your price: $749.99 Earn up to 750 Rewards points Add to Cart Free Shipping Lifetime Tech Support + Add to wishlist + Email me alerts for this product Save 10% on a Center Stage speaker shelf with home speaker purchase View all associated offers Need help? 1.888.955.6000 Email Chat Ask an expert advisor No pressure, no commission — just lots of good advice from our highly trained staff. x By buying this product you'll earn up to 750 Rewards points. When you sign up for a Crutchfield account, you'll be enrolled in Crutchfield Rewards. You'll earn one point for every dollar you spend on gear from us. You can turn your points into Rewards Cards that you can use toward future purchases. You can sign up for an account now, or after you complete your purchase (you'll get credit for the points either way). Sign up for a Crutchfield account
by Kristen Schaub High-performance sound from compact, elegant speakers Build the home theater system you always wanted without sacrificing valuable living space. Polk's Blackstone TL350 system delivers lifelike performance from handsome, compact speakers. The TL350 contains four perfectly matched Blackstone TL3 satellite speakers and a Blackstone TL3 center channel speaker. Built using the same tweeter design found in their flagship full-sized loudspeakers and packed with exclusive state-of-the-art technologies, the TL350 speakers overcome some of the usual limitations of compact speakers. You'll hear the kind of accuracy and detail you expect from much larger speakers, including a wide soundstage and realistic detail. Crisp, dynamic sound thanks to high-tech drivers A big part of the TL350's incredible sound is the 3/4" Ring Radiator tweeter in each of the five speakers. Found in Polk's flagship speakers, these sophisticated tweeters reproduce transparent, natural highs. The 3-1/4" aerated polypropylene woofers are lightweight, but also stiff and strong, allowing the cones to move more freely in the baffle. It means you can play your movies and music loud without hearing any distortion. Polk's Extended Linear Motion voice coils help make the cones' movement even more efficient to further cut down on distortion and extend the speakers' dynamic range. This increased efficiency is the key to the TL350's big sound. Immersive home theater performance The "TL" refers to Polk's "Time Lens" technology, which aligns the drivers in such a way that high- and low-frequency sounds all reach your ears at the same time. This improves the speakers' imaging and soundstaging, so that you'll feel less like you're watching a movie and more like you're part of it. An "acoustic lens" in the speaker grilles disperses sound waves in a way that makes your music and movie soundtracks sound larger and more open. The TL350 also features Polk's acclaimed PowerPort® technology to help reinforce bass output. Plus, its sturdy cabinets are reinforced with steel plates to help fight resonances that can muddy the sound. Easy placement and optional system customization The TL350 speakers have combination keyhole slots and threaded inserts in the back for easy mounting on your wall. Complete this system by adding the Polk powered subwoofer of your choice to get deep, room-shaking bass. You can even upgrade to a seven-channel home theater when you add an extra pair of satellite speakers to the mix. Got wire? Most speakers don't include any. Learn about choosing and installing speaker wire at the Crutchfield Learning Center. Shop our selection of speaker wire. System details:includes four compact satellite speakers and a center channel speakerTime Lens technology aligns the drivers for better soundstaging and imagingfrequency response: 115-28,000 Hz (-3 dB)sensitivity: 88 dB satellite speakers; 90 dB center channel speakerhandles up to 125 wattsimpedance: 8 ohmssatellites each contain a 3/4" Ring Radiator tweeter and a 3-1/4" aerated polypropylene Dynamic Balance® mid/woofercenter channel contains a 3/4" Ring Radiator tweeter and dual 3-1/4" aerated polypropylene Dynamic Balance® mid/woofersExtended Linear Motion (ELM) voice coil helps reduce distortion and extend dynamic rangePowerPort® technology for better bass responsesteel-plate reinforced cabinets fight internal resonancescurved enclosures with high-gloss finish5-way gold-plated binding postsincludes combination keyhole slot and threaded insert for easy wall-mountingsatellite speakers: 4-1/2"W x 7-3/4"H x 5-11/16"D (each)center channel speaker: 16-3/4"W x 4-1/4"H x 3-15/16"Dwarranty: 5 yearsOur 60-day money-back guarantee Why choose a pre-matched speaker system? Looking for speakers that'll deliver thrilling, edge-of-your-seat surround sound? Choosing a pre-matched speaker system is one way to ensure seamless home theater performance. These systems are made up of speakers that share the same tonal characteristics that means the sound will stay consistent as it moves from speaker to speaker around your room. Most pre-matched systems come with a subwoofer a must-have for high-impact bass.
Polk Audio Blackstone TL350 Written By Darrel, ohio on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Incredible sound quality for the money! !!!
Awsome speakers Written By Rob, Pennsylvania on Monday, March 30, 2015 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) These speakers sound amazing. Crisp clear sound weather listening to music or watching a movie. Paired them with the Onkyo 727 receiver. Pros: Great design and look good. Cons: None so far
Beautiful Sound Written By Neil, Denver, CO on Thursday, January 29, 2015 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) What a difference these made over my older Klipsch Quintet series surround setup. Everything is so clear, even at low levels. Pros: Super clear sound, crisp vocals for movies and live music. Cons: None
Blown Away! Written By Tim H., Cleveland, OH on Sunday, January 18, 2015 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I have to say that I am Amazed at how Crystal clear, loud and the depth of the sound these lil guys produce. I have them paired with a PSW-125 12" powered sub and a Pioneer VSX-522 in a 12'x14' room...Rattles the windows and Rocks the house! Pros: Size, clarity and ear piercing highs! Cons: Definitely need a powered sub!
Very Pleased Written By Matt, Washington on Saturday, December 27, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Very pleased with overall size and performance of these speakers. Paired them with a Polk DSW Pro 550Wi and they fill the room nicely. Was worried that due to their size, I would lose a lot of the midrange but so far I haven't noticed that being an issue. Pros: Smaller size speakers, less obtrusive in the room. Cons: Drivers are on the smaller side, but that's to be expected with compact/satellite speakers.
Polk Audio Blackstone TL350 Written By Anonymous, WIlliamstown, NJ on Saturday, October 25, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Awesome product..Great sounding speakers with a nice balance of bass and treble. Great looking too!!
Great sound Written By Anonymous, Sitka, AK on Wednesday, September 17, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I bought these speakers to replace my boston acoustics speakers. I am very happy with my purchase. Crutchfield is very easy to deal with and fast shipping even to Alaska. Great sounding speakers money well spent. Pros: Look great, big sound out of small speakers. Cons: Can't think of any
Polk Audio TL350 Written By RAK, St. Louis MO on Friday, June 20, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Bought the Polk Audio TL350's when my Bose Lifestyle system started giving me trouble. Been a Bose man for years. Hooked these up to the Denon I also purchased at Crutchfield and they blew my old Bose system away. Also included a DSW pro 440 subwoofer with them for my 5.1 setup. Easy setup great sound. They are perfect for my small livingroom 12x17 . Clean realistic high end low full Bass sound not boomy but you can feel it in your gut. So far I have used them mostly for music but they sound great with my Bluray movies also Highly recommended for serious music lovers. Pros: Crutchfield was great. Easy hookup. Cons: None yet
Polk Audio Blackstone TL350 Written By pwhit, Houston on Sunday, February 09, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Pared these with a Onkyo 727 and a Polk audio dsw 400wi sub. I have calibrated the setup twice and have been very pleased with the overall sound. As of yet haven't played a bd movie but movies played from the cable have been awesome. I'm not a sound expert but these put out a great surround sound in my home. Pros: good overall range. Cons: none so far
Impressive! Written By Rey, North Charleston, SC on Wednesday, February 05, 2014 Paired these bad boys with a Polk Audio PSW505 sub and am powering them with an NAD T757 AVR. Best sounding system I have owned! These speakers are very dynamic for their size. Movies take on a whole new dimension. Music seems to just fill the room. The speakers themselves seem to disappear. I have been going back through my blu-rays and even DVD's and watching them again. Each one offers something new, sound wise. Everything you feed these things turns into audio gold. The sound is very three-dimensional and life-like. I was debating between these and the Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 800's. I asked Chuck about the two and he said "To me, the Polk speakers have a slightly more dynamic sound, especially with music, but that's just me". That was all I needed. I love Crutchfield and this is one of the reasons why. Their customer-friendly staff is second to none. Thanks Chuck. Thanks Bill (for hiring Chuck). Pros: Very dynamic. Almost invisible. 3D sound field. Cons: I bought them in white, except the center channel. It's not available in white. Would have preferred white.
Polk Audio Blackstone TL350 Written By Anonymous, Chicago, IL on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great speakers, easy to install. Very satisfied with the sound quality and power. Pros: Size, design, sound Cons: None so far
Polk Audio Blackstone TL350 Written By Anonymous, Phoenix, AZ on Sunday, January 19, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Compactt, sleek design. Terrific sound.
Amazing Sound! Written By R, Glendora, CA on Thursday, December 26, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Not a whole lot to say. These speakers sound great! We purchased to use in a small home theater for watching movies and listening to music. Sound is crystal clear for both applications. The one thing I'd like to see is for the supplied mounting brackets to allow tilting the speakers down a bit. Pros: Crystal clear sound Nice looking Cons: Supplied mounting brackets do not allow tilting of the speakers up and down. Side to side alignment adjustment is provided.
Polk Audio BlackstoneT TL350 Written By Barney, Marlborough, MA on Friday, December 20, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Very good and clean speakers
Polk audio Written By Michael S, Fayetteville, AR on Saturday, June 22, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great sound no complaints excellent speakers
Small size, big & great sound! Written By AJ, Lawrence, KS on Friday, June 21, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Set-up with PolK DSW pro 660 - A/R Denon 2313 - SONOS connect Easy: system was all set-up & ready within 20mn. Great sound! Very versatile for both movies & music. Pros: Small size Build quality Sound Quality Cons: None so far
Polk TL350 Written By Awesome Sound, New Orleans, LA on Monday, April 29, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Awesome sound! Clear mid to high notes. Definitely needs the subwoofer for the lower frequencies. High quality materials and workmanship. Pros: High quality workmanship, great sound Cons: Needs the subwoofer
Awesome System Written By Tav, Baltimore Md on Saturday, March 09, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Awesome piece of equiptment....sound is crisp and clear Pros: Ease of use Sound Wall mount Bracket included
Great speakers Written By timmy2high, Des Moines, WA on Saturday, March 09, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) These aren't the cheapest set of surround speakers out there, but they sound great. I had to replace my old RT800i/CS400i/RT35 'vintage' Polk speakers (due to downsizing considerations only), and dare I say these sound even better. Obviously, a subwoofer is a must have when using satellite sized speakers, went with the DSW440 since I have a small condo and was trying to keep the overall size of the sub as small as possible. Extremely pleased with the setup and the sound. Build quality superb. You get what you pay for! Pros: Great balanced sound for a small speaker package. Quality construction. Cons: None - if these fit your budget.
Awesome Written By Steve, Mandan, ND on Friday, March 08, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I orderd these with two extra speakers and hooked up to an Anthem MRX 500 audio video receiver they are outstanding. Very crisp I also ordered the Polk PSW 660 subwoofer. This is an awesome setup! Pros: small, compact, heavy, crisp and very cool looking Cons: my calibration mic thinks these are big speakers, so i did set the cross over at 120 mhz. Not really the speakers' fault.
Great sound Written By LG, Ann Arbor, MI on Thursday, February 28, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Easy to set up and great crisp and clear sound. Pros: Look is shinny black, sound quality for TV and movies is great, easy to put on stand or wall Cons: Thinner would be nice
Great Looking & Sounding Speakers Written By Jim, Wallkill, NY on Thursday, February 28, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) These are fantastic "decor friendly" speakers. Spectacular sound on a 5.1 channel home theater system in a great looking package that blends in with any room decor. Have the front speakers sitting on each side of a 55" plasma on a credenza with the center channel speaker on a shelf under the TV. Rear speakers on wall mounts at the rear of the room (14' X 20'). Great crisp theater quality sound for that size room - great match with the PSW-111 that was part of a special deal at the time. Speakers are sonically well balanced and with the receiver set up properly the front and rear channel speakers work beautifully together. Also sound reasonably well with music due to the fact that the PSW-111 doesn't overpower the smaller speakers. All in all a beautiful package. Not the cheapest 5 pack around, but in my opinion worth the price. Pros: Great sound, great looking Cons: Wish the 5 pack had been available in white
O.K. at best Written By cmg1121, Oxford, CT on Friday, February 22, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) They sound O.K. Replaced my 2005 surround sattelite speakers Polk RM series which I liked. They had lived their life! Don't really recall what I paid at the time but this price doesn't ring a bell. The center channel on the tl350 is very small forcing me to put it on the wall under the t.v. Not what I wanted to do. The sound O.K. I have some tweeking to do. I haven't calibrated the Onkyo receiver that I purchased from Crutchfield yet. The only thing that makes it almost worth the price is that it came with the sub woffer, that I don't need. But I took it. I have two PSW10 from 2005 and they work great still so leaving them. Maybee sell the PSW111 on line cheap! Three stars for price vs. quality. Not worth the price. Sorry other reviewers. I got a set of Polk satellite speakers from 2006 for my master bed room and they are just as good as the tl350. Not overly impressed. Pros: Nice black color, matches tv and everything else but cable box! Cons: price vs. quality not worth more the price even with subwoffer.
Excellent product/ Outstanding Service Written By Mike, ALexandria, MN on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I love these speakers, they put to shame my old speakers. And the free Sub is great. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. Crutchfield really knows how to stand out as a #1 online retailer. Pros: Shipping and delivery times are 2nd to NONE! Cons: none
Great Small Home Theater Speakers Written By BrianP, Kentucky on Friday, January 11, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I used this speaker set to replace an all-in-one Samsung system. I partnered these with the upgrade Polk sub 660 and a new Pioneer SC-61 (purchased seperately). After two weeks with these speakers and other components, I am extremely pleased. The Polk TL350's provide great dynamic range in a small man-cave, 15X15. I would recommend these to anyone who is starting out, especially with the Polk sub upgrades. Pros: Easy setup. I already had stands for the front and rear speakers. You can use bare wire or banana plugs. Cons: None at this time.
Awesome little speakers Written By Lovin it, Rock Hill, SC on Friday, December 28, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I got these speakers to replace some Bose 5 speakers that I got from a friend a few years ago. These speakers blow the Bose speakers away. Couldn't be happier. Price comparison with the Bose speakers was close but the audio quality is far superior. Pros: Size, styling, sound Cons: Mounts difficult to find
Excellent sound and clarity Written By JasonB, San Diego, CA on Friday, November 23, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Sound is amazing from these speakers. I tried two other home theater systems before this one, and there is no comparison. Paired with Denon 1613 receiver and Klipsch SW-112 sub.
the best of its kind... Written By jun, CA on Tuesday, November 06, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) the clarity of sound from these little speakers is superb... money well spent. you won't go wrong with this one. highly recommended.
Excellent Written By JoeCT, CT, USA on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) This product is perfect for my needs. My apartment is 1000sq ft detached from the main house (key factor here is I don't share any walls with anyone). I paired this speaker setup with a Marantz A/V receiver (model NR1603) and the Polk Audio DSW Pro440 subwoofer. Excellent product producing great sound for both music and movies.
Impressive Home Theater Sound Written By Teng, Saipan, MP on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) We know we can't hear big sound out of small speakers, but the Polk's tag line "Big Speaker Sound Without The Big Speaker" really caught my husband's attention. And the TL350 did not fail to impress us because the sound quality is really amazing. But to unleash the beast, you need to have a good receiver. It matches well with DSW Pro 440 subwoofer. Thanks to Crutchfield for fast shipping.
Polk TL350 are awesome Written By CPK, San Jose, CA on Sunday, March 11, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I am amazed by the clarity of the speakers. My room is 12 by 18 ft and both the music and movies sound excellent. I am discovering notes in the music that I never knew they existed. The speakers are small and blend in well with the aesthetics of the room (I have black color speakers). Make sure you get a good receiver to complement these speakers. Net Net - excellent buy. My setup is 5.1 all TL350 and Polk sub-woofer. I paid $750 (center + 4 speakers) and got the woofer free as part of the deal from crutchfield. Now we enjoy movies at home with Blu Ray and show-off to our friends :) Neighbors are cool too.... thought I share as reviews from other folks have helped me as well - keep sharing and Pros: Excellent sound, blends in well with the room - I have the rears mounted on the ceiling Cons: It may be costly - but my experience is that it is worth every penny. I have had them for little over a month.
Amazing small speakers... lives up to reviews! Written By UFgolfer, North Palm Beach, FL on Saturday, February 11, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I've had the TL350 for almost three months now, and for an apartment system, these speakers are amazing! I matched the TL3 speakers with a DSW Pro 550wi sub-woofer and Pioneer VSX-1121 receiver and they have proven to be good purchases as well. Not being an audiophile, I was very anxious about buying a home theater system without hearing them first, but to my relief and pleasure, they have lived up to the reviews by others on this site and other websites. I highly recommend for someone looking to use these in a small setting. Pros: Great looks, excellent clear sound, fits nicely in my living room.
Polk Audio BlackstoneT TL350 Written By EJR, Friendsville, MD on Monday, January 23, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Very happy with the sound and looks of the Polk TL350. Would recommend for crisp sound, quality built, and system price. Matched with the Polk DSW550 subwoofer and a Yamaha RXA2000 Home Theater Receiver and am very pleased. Pros: Great sound and quality for the price. Cons: None
Nice sound Written By Ted, Tampa bay, FL on Thursday, January 19, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Center speaker fit prefect under the 61" plasma which is not wall mounted. Sound is clear with movie and sound on the Denon1912 and the Polk 550wi. Very pleased. Was cooncerned the local big box stores only had the intro models, but I think it is because this would eat into their higher profit speaker deals. Dunno. But I do know I am happy Pros: Small size with clear sound. Very happy with movies Cons: Cherry might have been nice as another option
Crisp and clean! Written By Spanky, N.Y. on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 An upgrade from my Bose Acousticmass 10. Much crisper sound. Great highs, lows and mid range. I got a free sub. I upgraded to the DSW440. Great match! Highly recommended! Great clear center channel that stands out. Pros: Clean, crisp sound. Cons: N/a
Amazing Sound quality Written By ArianM, Baltimore, MD on Thursday, November 24, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Just bought this product from Crutchfield about a week now, was looking at these way before they were released. When Crutchfield had a promotion to get a free sub I decided that I'm going to buy it. Anyway these speakers are just awesome, the sound quality is crazy good, you hear suff that you never knew exsited in music. movies, and even video games. The tweeters are not to harsh but reveal so much detail in what ever you listen to. I also bought a Pioneer VSX921-K reciever to go with these speakers and it just blew me away. Very excellent product from Polk audio no regrets and will recommend this product to anyone who wants an excellent sound system. Pros: Excellent product, detailed sound especially because of the ring radiator tweeters, nicely built enclosures, and just totally awesome.
Polk Audio TL350 5-Speaker Set Written By Volkster23, Upstate NY on Sunday, September 11, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Well I held out as long as possible to switch to Satellite speakers. I was so worried about giving up that deep roomy sound from full sized speakers. I had Paradigm 9se MKII fronts that I have had for 20 years which were amazing. Anyway, after a week with the new Polk's hooked up to my Denon AVR1912 along with my orginal Paradigm PS1000 10" sub, I am blown away! I do recommend that a sub is a must for the perfect "full" sound. I currently have the crossover frequency set at 100 htz which seems to be the sweet spot. I've listened to several Blu-ray movies including Transformers and several types of music including Metal and Pop (lots of digital sounds) at high volume levels. I can't believe these little speakers can produce such good sound especially at higher volume levels. I opted for the TL350's over the 250's because I was afraid of giving up too much quality sound. Not sure how the 250's would have sounded but you WON'T be disappointed with the 350's. The sound will only get better as they break in. One more note, I called Crutchfield and Polk Audio with questions prior to the purchase and both have top-of-the-line customer service. I hope this helps those holding out like I was.....Place your order for them at Crutchfied now!
Polk TL 350 Written By Jamkel4, Pensacola FL on Thursday, September 01, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) The TL 350 sounds great. I spent a significant amount of time researching home theatre sound systems. I'm very glad that I purchased the TL 350 instead of a competing Bose system displayed at the local big box electronics store. It's hard to purchase speakers that you've never heard but you won't be disapointed by the Polk TL 350 system. No local electronic stores sold the TL 350 so I was forced to make a buying decision based on both amature and professional reviews. This system delivers Crystal clear sound from the speakers at high volumes. Music sounds just as good as a Blue Ray movie. The relatively small and attractively styled speakers blend in well with the television and living room. The music fills my entire 2300 square foot house. I chose the Polk DSW 550 WI sub and it makes for a superb home theatre system. I hope you choose the Polk TL 350 and enjoy them as much as I have.
Mind-Blowing AMAZING Clarity Written By dhp, North Attleboro, MA on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Let me be the one of the initial proud rater of these mind blowing speakers. I was researching since last few months on what speaker set to buy under 1k budget. I read good review about Tl250, but almost no reviews for TL350. Though I read about it using nice driver and ring radiator tweeter.Couldnt resist deal from Crutchfield and bought it. I set TL350 set with Denon AVR-2112 and Polk DSW-pro550 wireless SW connected via 16-g speaker wire. I listened wireless AirPlay i-tunes from my laptop, and I heard things i never before ! AMAZING superb clarity of sound with very detailed, balanced and warm blend of sound ! Low and at very high volume, above quality remained as it is no change in clarity, detailed balancing, warm blend. Listened to rock, hiphop, classical, jazz, instrumental and still same result. Listened on Pandora / CD/ USB and all diffrent sources, still amazing same result ! Next turn was for movies, saw Avatar, Troy, Lionking, Transformer and WOW i felt myself in the movie, room was filled by rich, crisp, clear sound. very clear dialogues , all midrange clarity along with very crisp clear high range sound, and room shacking low range ! Speakers are heavy 3.75 lb and very solid built, it needs heavy duty good quality mounts or stand. Crutch-filed service is awesome , I got the delivery in 2 days ! Happy speaker hunting and listening.
Exceptional surround sound Written by Allen, Advisor, on 2/5/2014 6:18:00 PM What really helps the Polk Audio TL350 surround sound system stand out is the Ring Radiator tweeter which Polk also uses on their top of the line LSI speakers. The TL350's offer outstanding mid-range detail and the highs are extremely accurate. I was particularly impressed in the stellar voice quality and clarity that the center channel provides. For such a small speaker, sound dispersion is also impressive. This alone would be an excellent center channel choice for most surround sound systems as it has a very natural sound that would match up very well with most speaker brands. With these speakers you will need a subwoofer, or larger main speakers to compliment and give you full tonal balance. I've been using the Polk Audio's DSW Pro 660 and while that is a powerhouse of a subwoofer, it does not overwhelm the TL350's as they keep up amazingly well. Overall, I've been extremely happy with the setup in terms of surround sound. During music listening in 2-channel stereo I do miss the broadness and robustness of larger main speakers, however. So if you listen to a lot of music as well as watch movies, you may want to consider adding in some bigger mains to complement this system. If not concerned with that, then the Polk Audio TL350 system easily offers some of the best surround speakers for the money.


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- Publisher: CCP
- Release Date: May 14, 2013
User Score
Mixed or average reviews- based on 219 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 115 out of 219
Mixed: 39 out of 219
Negative: 65 out of 219
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May 14, 2013The game as a whole is great fun. Find a corp, run with a squad, this is where Dust 514 shines. Decisions and battles actually matter in this game.
Team Work Focused
Real consequences for actions
Controls -
May 14, 2013So much promise in this game. The large scope and massive immersion into the game is really rewarding. Looking forward to the game mechanics getting better. Great start to a FREE game! I also agree that if you enjoyed MAG, you will love this game.
May 18, 2013
Oct 25, 2013
May 24, 2013
Oct 15, 2014Just because you take a dump in a box and call it an FPS doesn't make it so.
So much hope and potential for this game... Epic fail.
Shooting mechanics are brutal
Unbalanced gameplay
Bad graphics
Complexity that boils down to time or money spent on your character. -
Sep 21, 2013After 15 minutes I still had no idea what a hell was I doing in this game. After 20 minutes I QUIT. In my opinion this game doesn't worth all gigabytes that was required.
Anything positive? Yes, the graphics were okay. The rest I didn't like it. -
May 15, 2013
May 31, 2013
Jul 7, 2013
Apr 26, 2014
Aug 17, 2013
May 16, 2013
Jul 12, 2013
May 26, 2013
Jun 2, 2013
Jun 2, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 14, 2013The game is awesome. After years of hard working, CCP give us (IMFO) a really good online shooter on PS3.
Long life to you- CCP!
Игра -
May 14, 2013So much promise for the future of this game. Cant wait to see what this game would be like in 10 years and with the community we have now, we have a chance to get there.
May 14, 2013A Free to play game, that links two games together in a huge universe, with Intense Corporation battles, Skill tress, and a dynamic First Person Shooter experience, makes this game one of the most innovative games in the past few years.
May 14, 2013This is the best shooter I've played in years. It's still a work in progress, but this game has more potential than any other game out there right now.
Take it from someone who was in the Planetside 2 Tech Test, and still plays it occasionaly today: THIS is the MMOFPS you want to be playing. -
May 14, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 24, 2013Maybe in 10 years CCP will have finally fixed the core mechanics of this game.
- Hit detection broken
- Unbalanced weapons, do yourself a favor and just spec into a TAC AR.
- SP Cap 0_0
- You get what you pay for, F2P. -
May 26, 2013
May 25, 2013Dust 514 is like a hardcore shooter, designed as an MMO. MMO players generally aren't the type to be hardcore shooter players, and hardcore shooter players generally aren't the type to be MMO players. That's just the type of the iceberg, but I'll leave it at that.
May 26, 2013
Jun 4, 2013Just a disappointed. Thats all I have to say.bad graphics horrible control. If sony chareged for this it will suck worse then hell.people has said that this game will beat halo, well for a bit I was afraid it will score better then halo 4, but I had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Jun 26, 2013I play EVE, but I just can't get hooked into any FPS, although I thought Dust514 might be the one. It's tough for me to go from sandbox to limited area, kill, die, kill, kill, die, repeat Some accurate reviews here, good & bad, so no need to duplicate. I'll just stay up in space.
Jul 29, 2013This is a pretty good game. The controls feel a bit awkward at times and it is not a 10/10 game, but it is a good way to kill some time and it is free so if you hate it, It's not like you lose anything.
Mar 13, 2014
Jun 25, 2014
May 14, 2013
May 15, 2013the postive of of this game deep customization and depth
the negatives very gear based, very poor aim mechanics, frame rate is horrible graphics takes forever to render, poor hit detection and core gameplay sucks -
May 14, 2013A fun fps, very in dept Skill system that appeals to the hardcore gamer, but with room for the casual. the only draw back that really need mentioning is the rather steep learning curve for a player new to the game. But once core elements are understood a very satisfying experience is to be had. well worth checking out.
May 15, 2013This game is average at best. It is a free to play but pay to win type of game. Avoid it unless you want to be paying $60-$200 in order to survive. It is free to download though so I say give it a try. Who knows, you may just love it.
May 15, 2013
May 14, 2013Awesome game. Loving the progression, complexity, longevity, graphics. Tip: Please join a corporation. You will love this game even more. Voice chat is always fun and dynamic with good people and you will always enjoy matches and planetary conquest then!
May 14, 2013
May 16, 2013
Jun 10, 2013Just two words. TRUE GAME
May 16, 2013I am a huge fan of PlanetSide 2. I can't see a way that Dust is better than PS2, but it is a great F2P game that will worth your time.
1.Team Work
2. sound
3. Not Pay2Win
4. Fun gameplay
1. Too complicated
2. Controls -
Jun 18, 2013
May 23, 2013You don't rate A game by it's "potential" You don't rate what is suppose to be a FPS game by it's potential.
And a FPS game it is. Not MMOFPS. 16Vs16 matches. you don't wonder anywhere.
And as FPS, Or I should say "PAY to ADVANCE" FPS. This game is a 7. but since so many here want to throw down 10 for "potential" .
I'll give it a 1 for FPS FAIL. -
May 18, 2013
May 26, 2013
Jun 2, 2013
Jul 8, 2013
May 14, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013this game flawed in some many ways the hit detection is so bad its just bad the textures takes 10 years to load paid to win concept not noob friendly and baddies look good in this game just because they get to wear op gear because this game is the most gear based game ive ever played.
May 15, 2013The main game-play of Dust is ruined by terrible, frustrating controls. The rest of the game becomes irrelevant because it is all based around the player's ability to enjoy the FPS aspect; which is made impossible by the sluggish, syrup-like aiming mechanic. It could have been great, but potential does not make a good game.
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013just horrible lack of core mechanics in shooting and just lags such a grind to win game
pros: nothing
cons: lack luster, poor hit mechanics, you get stuck on every thing. -
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 17, 2013
May 19, 2013
May 24, 2013
May 23, 2013
May 14, 2013
May 15, 2013this game is so bad reasons why poor gameplay hands down this game feels so broken even the worse fps made in history makes that game look 10 times better
Jun 6, 2013This is clear proof that CCP is a one trick pony. The controls are absolutely horrible, and even the worst FPS games seem to be easier and more natural to control your player. This seems to be a horribly implemented money grab where you're supposed to have effects on some larger world, but have zero insight into it.
Free is not worth it. -
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013Free. Deep. and a lot more than just running around in circles pulling the trigger at the first thing you see. Its incredibly addictive. While a few areas still need to be ironed out, you can be sure they will with constant free updates.
May 15, 2013
Jun 24, 2014
May 22, 2013
May 22, 2013
Jun 17, 2013
Jul 6, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013Good game, good mechanics, needs a little more work. Still some issues with matchmaking in some rounds that makes one team clearly better than the other, but this game really shines in the corp v corp battles, not the instant action. People shouldn't judge so quickly if they haven't experienced all that this game has to offer.
May 15, 2013Ground breaking concept merging console and pc fps & space mmo into one universe.
Takes the FPS model and adds meaning and value into the effort. You're fighting for something, with someone, leaving a lasting impact. -
May 24, 2013
May 26, 2013
Jun 7, 2013
Jun 8, 2013
May 15, 2013
Jun 17, 2013not familiar with the eve universe, but dust 514 is a good starting ground for even more potential, although I found the interface and customization a but messy and some maps very plain the gameplay and toned graphic's make dust 514 a playable fun fps free to play game, which has alot of potential to evolve
May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013
May 16, 2013
Jul 11, 2013
Sep 10, 2014Dust 514 pros: customization, social aspects, New Eden universe, passive and active skill point system, F2P without P2W.
Cons: Updates are infrequent, graphics do not push the limits of 2012 technology much less 2014. -
May 16, 2013
Jul 16, 2013
Jul 21, 2013
May 21, 2013It's a typical FPS that tries to be different but flaws in one major area... bullet damage it's uneven it takes one to two shots for a sniper, yet about a full clip with the assault rifle. The game would be fun if they would have only evened out the weapons a bit.
May 17, 2013
May 17, 2013
May 19, 2013A fresh new concept that's very interactive and very exciting and engaging. Not to mention the enormous customization. So many dropsies and weapons.
Aug 24, 2013
Apr 19, 2014
Oct 24, 2014
Oct 29, 2014It is a really good 1st person shooter game. I find it a very good game to play for everyone!!! You can either join a squad or create a squad so that you and your friends can play. I rally enjoy this game. And i think everyone else will enjoy this game
Nov 12, 2014I didn't play this game from the start. I actually downloaded it during beta and played it a few times. Didn't feel like it was worth my time. A year later I picked it back up and it's actually improved quite a bit. They are constantly doing updates and adding new content. I still play it on and off, but have since moved onto PS4. Hopefully they will bring this game over.
Jun 8, 2013
Sep 4, 2013Thankfully, navigating through the poorly designed menus is not the only thing Dust 514 has to offer. You can also shoot each other in a body region of choice on poorly designed multiplayer maps. Even with 31 other player joining the fray, you will have a hard time finding even a single adversary. [June 2013, p.86]
Aug 12, 2013Dust 514 is ropier than a Japanese adult movie marathon. Movement is clunky, combat feels archaic, and this war takes place on worlds so drab they look like a rip off of Futurama's Neutral Planet. This is yet another paid DLC bear trap. [September 2013, p80]
Jul 28, 2013Feels like it is in desperate need of a decade of evolution, to move out of the shadow of its peers. [Issue#137, p.114]


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Bar on Commonwealth avenue in Boston, near Boston University. Characterized by bizzare beer prices ($2.63 for Bud, $4.67 for Guinness) and horribly out-dated decor (signed photo of Reagan). Crappy bar in a decent location.
Dude 1: Hey are their any bars near your work?
Dude 2: Just T's Pub
Dude 3: That fucking sucks man
Dude 2: Just T's Pub
od uživatele Treebone
08. Září 2006


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