Miragoâne
18°27′N 73°06′W / 18.450°N 73.100°W
Miragoâne (Kréyòl): Miragwàn | |
|---|---|
| Country | Haiti |
| Département | Nippes |
| Arrondisement | Miragoâne |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2003)[1] | |
| • Total | 89,202 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
Miragoâne (Kréyòl: Miragwàn) is a port city in southwestern Haiti. It is the capital city of the Nippes Département.
The city is on the coast of the Miragoâne Bay, in the Gonâve Channel of the Gulf of Gonâve, about 100 km south of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. It is also the chief town of an arrondissement (a part of a department) with the same name. The arrondissement has four communes (a commune is like a municipality): Miragoâne, Fonds-des-Nègres, Paillant and Petite-Rivière-de-Nippes.
History
The town was founded by English during the 17th century on the coast of a well-protected bay.
The name Miragoâne comes from Miraguano,[2] the name given by the Taíno people to the Étang de Miragoâne, the second largest lake of Haiti; the town is near the lake.
During a civil war in 1883, the town was destroyed.
Economy
Miragoâne is an important port; coffee, fruits and wood are sent to other countries and other parts of Haiti from here. Used products (like clothes and cars) come to this port from Miami.
References
Other websites
- Alliance Haiti: Balade à Miragoâne Archived 2007-03-01 at the Wayback Machine - Information on Miragoâne (French text).
| Department capitals of Haiti |  |
|---|---|
| Cap-Haïtien • Fort-Liberté • Gonaïves • Hinche • Jacmel • Jérémie • Les Cayes • Miragoâne • Port-au-Prince • Port-de-Paix | |
