Gonaïves

Gonaïves
Country	Haiti
Department	Artibonite
Government
• Mayor	Stephen Moise
Population  (2003)
• Metro	104,825
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)

Gonaïves (Gonayiv in Kréyòl) is a city in northern Haïti, the capital of the Artibonite Department. It has a population of about 104,825 people (2003 census). The city's name derives from the original Amerindian name of Gonaibo.

It is also known as Haïti's "independence city" because it was there that Gen. Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haïti's independence on January 1, 1804.

More recently, Gonaïves was the scene of substantial rioting and violence primarily motivated by opposition to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and on February 5, 2004, a group calling itself the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front seized control of the city, starting the 2004 Haïti rebellion. But in recent months the city has seen a complete return on calm. Some resident are even getting back to sleeping out on their porch at night (08/2007).

In September 2004, Hurricane Jeanne caused major flooding and mudslides in the city. 3,006 people were confirmed dead in Haïti, and the death toll in Gonaïves was believed to have topped 2,000. Every building in the city was damaged by the storm, and 250,000 people were left homeless.

The Battle of Ravine-à-Couleuvres

In 1802 an important battle of the Haitian Revolution, the Battle of Ravine-à-Couleuvres was fought near Gonaïves.

Haitian independence

Gonaïves is also known as Haiti's City of Independence because it was there that Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti, the former Saint-Domingue, independent from France on January 1, 1804 by reading the Act of Independence, drafted by Boisrond Tonnerre, on the Place d'Armes of the town.

Marie-Claire Heureuse Félicité, the wife of Jean-Jacques Dessalines died here in August of 1858.

The Gulf of Gonaïves is named after the town.

Media

Radio

• Radio Explosion FM

• Radio Continentale FM

• Radio Independence

• Radio Kiss Fm

• Radio Provinciale

• Radio Pyramide FM

• Radio Trans-Artibonite

19°27′N 72°41′W