Petite-Anse is the 6th communal section of Anse-à-Galets, located on La Gonâve Island in Haiti. Covering coastal and inland terrain, it includes scattered hillside homesteads and small-scale farms, with fishing serving as the mainstay of the local economy. Limited infrastructure and a maritime orientation shape daily life, with the village of Petite Anse acting as the section’s primary population center and hub.
Neighboring sections[]
| Northwest 1re Palma |
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| West 5e Picmy |
Anse-à-Galets |
|
|---|---|---|
| 〰️South〰️ Canal de La Gonâve |
Southeast Petite Gonave Island |
Aerial view of the village of Petite-Anse, La Gonâve, Haiti
About[]
The Village[]
Petite Anse is a small coastal fishing village located on the southeastern shore of Gonâve Island in Haiti's Gulf of Gonâve. The settlement exhibits the characteristic morphology of isolated Haitian coastal communities, with approximately 150-200 structures clustered tightly along a small protected cove that provides shelter for fishing boats. The village's compact, organic layout contrasts sharply with the dispersed settlement patterns typical of Haiti's interior agricultural areas, reflecting the maritime orientation of the local economy and the premium placed on proximity to the shore and beach access.
Housing density is relatively high within the built-up area, with structures pressed closely together following the natural contours of the bay, while the surrounding hills remain largely undeveloped except for scattered cleared patches suggesting small-scale subsistence agriculture. The presence of infrastructure like the Complexe Christ Capable and basic commercial establishments such as TaGue multi-services indicates a degree of community organization despite the village's isolation, though the settlement lacks visible paved roads, instead relying on packed earth lanes between buildings and footpaths connecting to the interior.
Port Petite Anse serves as the maritime gateway for the community, with small wooden boats visible along the shoreline providing both fishing livelihoods and the primary means of connection to other coastal settlements and potentially to the Haitian mainland, as Gonâve's limited and poor-quality road network makes maritime transport more reliable than overland travel for many journeys. The village's isolation is compounded by its position on Gonâve, itself one of Haiti's most marginalized regions, creating what might be termed "double isolation"—separated from the mainland by water and then further isolated within an island that lacks adequate infrastructure and economic opportunities.
The turquoise waters suggest the area's potential for small-scale tourism development, though the extreme poverty, lack of infrastructure, and limited accessibility that characterize Gonâve have prevented significant tourist activity beyond occasional visits by aid workers or missionaries. The settlement pattern, economy, and infrastructure all reflect adaptation to profound resource constraints, where residents have created a functional community based on fishing, subsistence agriculture, remittances, and mutual support networks despite minimal government services or investment.
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