Port-au-Prince satellite image

Port-au-Prince, population 846,200 (1995), is the capital and largest city of Haiti. It is located on a bay of the Gulf of La Gonave . The city exports coffee and sugar. Port-au-Prince has food-processing plants and soap, textile, and cement factories. The city used to export shoes, baseballs, etc.

It was founded in 1749 by French sugar planters. In 1770, it replaced Cap-Haïtien as capital of the colony of Saint-Domingue, and in 1804 it became the capital of newly-independent Haiti. Before independence it was captured by British troops on June 4, 1794.

Landmarks include the quay, the University of Haiti , the National Palace, the National Museum, and the Basilica of Notre Dame.