Belladère

About[]

Belladère is a town in the Central Department of Haiti. The population was 86,612 at the 2015 census and estimated 80,000 in 2010. Belladère forms part of the larger Las Cahobas Arrondissement, with a total population of 168,865 as of the 2015 Census. The city is the largest of Las Cahobas Arrondissement.

Belladère, Centre, Haiti borders the city of Comendador, Elías Piña, Dominican Republic, and is Haiti's largest international border community. The eastern terminus of Route Departmentale 301 is located in Belladère at the Haiti-Dominican border; the highway continues east into the Dominican Republic as D.R. National Highway 2.

The highways meeting in Belladère are a teritary border crossing on a corridor stretching from Mirebalais into the Dominican Republic. The west end of this stretch is a leg of the Boucle Centre-Artibonite, an economically important trade region stretching from Mirebalais to Saint-Raphaël, including the Saint-Marc, Gonaïves, and Hinche metropolitan areas.

Belladère is home to an international port of entry, the Carrizal Port of Entry.

Due to its location on the border and its major ports of entry, Belladère funnels an estimated US $96 million worth of international trade into Haiti and D.R. per year, in fresh produce, beverages, animals, oils, cereals, minerals, and materials.

This trade helps to support tens of thousands of jobs and the overall economies in Belladère and throughout the central plateau of Haiti and the Dominican province of Elias Piña

Inaugurated in 1948, Belladère was built on a very pleasant site located at almost 400m (1,312 ft) altitude, in the middle of the countryside. It stretches from east to west on the crest line of a hill overlooking the valley agricultural district of Grande-Plaine. A chronicler of the time decribes Belladère as "beautiful and immaculate".

History[]

The name "Belladère" is derived from the Spanish word for "to guard" or "to post." Its name, definitely of Spanish origin, refers to an outpost that stood in the mountain pass where Belladère is located.

In 1889, a decree from the provisional government of September 4, 1889 established Vella-Dera as a village of Las Cahobas. Following the civil war in 1889, Belladère almost became a part of the Dominican Republic, as the Dominicans tried to establish themselves there, until President Hippolyte restored order.

In 1910, according to historian Banan Sospwa, the government ordered foundation of a district, separating Belladère, Haiti from the city of Las Cahobas. The municipal charter of 1948 granted the settlement elevation to the rank of commune.

Geography[]

Belladère is located at 18° 52′ 0″ N, 71° 46′ 0″ W. According to the IHSI, the commune has a total land area of 296.65 square kilometers (114.54 square miles), of which 162.69 sq.km (55%) is rural, 130.74 sq.km (44%) is suburban, and 3.22 sq.km (1%) is urban. It is bordered by the Elías Piña Province municipalities of Comendador on the north and northeast and El Llano on the southeast, Savanette on the south, Las Cahobas on the west, and Thomonde on the northwest. Belladère, an inland town, is spread across a hilly terrain and divided into three communal sections. These are further divided into 60 habitations and 88 localities.

The city is at an elevation of 1,300 feet (400 m).

Neighborhoods

BEL	Belladère	86,612
VBD	Ville de Belladère	13,099
QBP	Quartier Baptiste	2,783
RMA	1ère Section Renthe Mathe	34,210	Aleandre, Baptiste, Baranque, Batier, Bofoncy, Bois Pin-Gommé, Boulaille-Voley, Bruny, Cachiman, Ca Laroche, Camaron, Canel, Carrizal, Croix Chatte, Croix Fer, Dame Jane Casse, Déjoie, Desmornes, Dos la Flor, Dos Paul, Fond-d'Enfer, Grande-Plaine, Joupatonil, La Bohan, La Cab, La Ganhit, La Hague, La Hoye, La Lone, La Roche, Liane-à-Citron, Liane-Alcide, Liane-Riche, Loba, Loma Cobra, Loquette-Loga, Los Poètes, Louisme, Maïs-Graisse, Mare-Jouasse, Mare-Rouge, Mare-Zephir, Matte Jouasse, Mireau, Monarc, Mtpou, Passe-Pomme, Rambal, Rentche-la-Muyer, Rente Mathe .
RYS	2ème Section Roy-Sec	17,739	Au Large, Bois Pin, Bois Pin Nègre, Bois Pin Pose, Bota-la-Pluie, Caranareng, Cirouelle, Comaïdois, Crapaud, Domate, Dos Chapelle, Garde-à-Souane, Haut-Roche-Grand, La Cuerbe, La Domare, La Goune, Lasieme, Les Abeilles, Lympes, Mikel, Nan Bounouque, Nan Janvier, Nan Pangue, Palmary, Pito, Roy Blank, Roy Canot, Roy Lopuerc, Roy Sec, Sampède, Tête Grand Ravine.
RIA	3ème Section Riarbes	18,781	Basse, Boise Dine, Bois Jaune, Bois Major, Boucan-Jean-Louis, Ca Pente, Cérécif, Cérécit, Colora, Dos Bois Rouge, Dos Manoir, Dos Parc, Dos Rutais, Figuier, Gaby, Garde Gendarme, Joassaint, Lagune-Figuier, L'Eau Gaillée, Liane-Despeigne, Lorandou, Lucas, Mare-Bois Pin, Mésidor, Moléon, Platonal, Poulie, Sagounait, Sal Bounda, Savane Plate.

Climate

Belladère has a tropical climate, which has much less rainfall in winter than in summer. This climate is considered to be Aw according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. In the winter months, Belladère averages in the mid to upper 60s (20°C), with January averaging daily highs of around 76°F or 23.1 °C. Lows typically settle just below 20°C on a majority of nights, but it is not uncommon to see temperatures tumble below 50°F or 10°C on some winter nights.

On the other hand, in the summer months, highs average around 79.7°F (26.5 °C), with the month of August being the hottest with an average daytime high of 80°F or 27°C. Nighttime lows for the summer months remain in the upper 60s (20°C) for the duration of the season. The rainy season generally runs through April and October, and these months typically see six inches 146mm or more of combined rainfall, which brings the average annual precipitation for Belladère to about 4.8 inches or 123 millimetres. Flooding is rare throughout the commune of Belladère, although it's 3rd section Riarbes is prone to landslides.

Demographics[]

The inhabitants are called Belladèrois and Belladèroises.
In 2015, the gender ratio was estimated at 94 women per 100 men. Nearly 15% of the population resided in the urban part of the commune. The distribution of the municipality's population by major age group is as follows:
43% of its population is under 15 years old
53% of its population is aged 15-64
4% of its population is aged 65 and over.

Year	Population	+/-
1998	50,349
2004	56,000	+11%
2005	70,079	+25%
2009	78,770	+12%
2015	86,612	+10%

Belladere 21122ar — Ville de Belladère; town hall in the center.

Economy[]

Belladere 21122au — Market at Belladère, Haiti

The economy of Belladère is heavily dependent on the cross-border trade through its Port of entry mainly by produce distributors and small retailers in Belladère, Haiti and throughout the rest of the Dominican state of Elias Piña. Most of Belladère's economy is based on agribusiness and commerce, but in terms of economic and financial infrastructures, it has five hotels, two restaurants, a marketing cooperative, 58 borlette banks, and two business houses. Additionally, the commune has 96 commercial establishments, including 48 small shops, 14 large shops and 20 depots. Despite its small population, Comendador actually receives much patronage from its bordering sister city Belladère. Most observers guess the population of Comendador at roughly 45,000. International commerce is a big part of Belladère's economy. More than 60 percent of Belladère's goods comes from the estimated 30,000 shoppers crossing the border daily. Within the informal framework of these markets, Haitians and Dominicans are able to move in both directions across the border, typically during two specified days each week, without passport or visa requirements, in order to sell goods in a specified area on the other side. In practice, movements predominantly consist of Haitians travelling across to the Dominican side of the border to buy and sell in Dominican markets, perhaps due to the superior infrastructure or the security concerns of Dominicans.

Although agriculture occupies the majority of the inhabitants of the commune, especially in rural areas, technical supervision in the agricultural field is largely lacking. Erosion, caused by mismanagement of resources and accelerated logging in the area, is the main scourge of this sector of activity. The main crops in the town of Belladère are: peas (beans), corn, peanuts (pistachios) and tobacco. These products are sold to communal markets and other municipalities such as: Lascahobas, Port-au-Prince and Savanette, as well as communities in the Dominican Republic. Farmers in Belladère raise coffee, beans, root nuts, and produce in rich and well-irrigated soil. The city has a healthy export market, which serves Elias Piña, who relies heavily on Belladère for its fresh products.

The city's market is actually popular among the residents, who are into Belladère's agricultural goods such as coffee, fruits and groundnuts. When it comes to fertile lands, Belladère has a lot to offer. Its fertile land allows its farmers to grow crops and harvest quality agriculture produce.

Infrastructure[]

Former Haiti President Dumarsais Estime established Belladère in 1948, its name is coined from a Spanish word meaning "to guard" or "to post". The city itself has Spanish roots. Considered the crème de la crème of the Central Plateau, its bewitching beauty and proximity to the Dominican-Republic make it an advantageous place for its export market. Elias Piñas, also known as Comendador, is the border-crossing city of the Dominican Republic, over which Haitian day-laborers travel to seek jobs. Transportation means used to cross over include jitney buses, donkey trains, and agriculture export trucks.

Transportation

Belladère's physical infrastructure is weak. Roads are in terrible condition, and restrict the flow of commerce within and around the commune. The section of road between Belladère and neighboring Las Cahobas is barely drivable. The tread on driver vehicles wears out quickly, provoking constant complaining over the deplorable condition of the roads.

Education

Nouveau Lycee National Charlemagne Peralte de Belladere, Centre Haiti — Nouveau Lycee National Charlemagne Peralte de Belladère, Centre, Haiti

The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports is represented in the municipality by a school zone office with a zone inspector as responsible. The education is provided by three preschools, 89 primary schools and 14 secondary schools. 92 of the schools are private, 13 are public. Belladère has a vocational training center and a technical and professional institution. It does not have a literacy center, university, nor other higher schools.

Health

This commune has an office representing the Ministry of Public Health and Population. A hospital, three dispensaries (two public and one community) and two clinics form the health institutions of the municipality. The staff of these establishments is composed of three doctors, two dentists, three nurses, ten auxiliaries (graduates and trainees), two laboratory technicians and health assistants.

Administration

At the level of the administrative and judicial infrastructures, the commune has a tax office, an custons office, a police station, two sub-police stations, two courts of peace and a two registry offices.

Communication

The municipality has 34 telephone lines of which only four operate in the form of cabins. The postal office exists only by name; belligerents are forced to go to Elias Pinas (Dominican Republic) to send their mail out and use the goodwill of some people or public drivers to send their mail in other municipalities (within the country).

At the time of the inventory, two radio stations and one television station were inventoried in the commune.

Culture[]

Organizations

In the field of politics and other organizations, the municipality has 34 socio-political organizations, 7 NGOs, and 10 non-commercial cooperatives. It does not have representatives of political parties, but has two grassroots organizations and awomen's group.

Religion

Belladère's population is predominately Catholic. The municipality has about 176 churches. The 30 Baptist and 21 Catholic churches represent the most numerous types. Its Christian adherents honor the city's patron saint, Virgin of Miracles, with a feast day held annually on July 16th.

Leisure

The town has a theater hall, a cinema hall, twelve spaces for playing football (soccer) and basketball, a night club, two public squares, and 27 gaguères. There is a place of pilgrimage in the first communal section which is very popular, especially on the celebration day of the municipality's patronal feast, which is July 16th.

The municipality of Belladère has three natural caves.