Les Cayes
Encyclopedia
Les Cayes is a town and seaport in southwestern Haiti
, with a population of approximately 45,904 people (1995 estimate). Estimates from 2008 place the population at close to 70,000 people. Due to its isolation from the political turmoil of the capital, Port-au-Prince
, it is one of Haiti's major ports, with export
trade concentrating on mostly coffee
and sugarcane
and being the world's largest supplier of vetiver
at 250 tons annually, a necessary ingredient of perfume and fragrance manufacturing. Minor exports include bananas and timber.
was the town of Salvatierra de la Sabana, founded by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
in 1504. This settlement was abandoned in 1540, and the area was uninhabited until the French colonial administration founded the town of Aux Cayes ("On the cayes"), so named due to its proximity to Île à Vache
. The town was destroyed twice by hurricanes in 1781 and 1788.
On 24 December 1818, Simón Bolívar
came to Les Cayes in search of support for his movement against the Spanish colonial government in South America
.
In the wake of the 12 January 2010 quake
, the Cuban military set up a field hospital
in the region.
The American University of the Caribbean, American University of the Caribbean, Haiti.
Les Cayes Hospital is a small hospital in the commune.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, with a population of approximately 45,904 people (1995 estimate). Estimates from 2008 place the population at close to 70,000 people. Due to its isolation from the political turmoil of the capital, Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, it is one of Haiti's major ports, with export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
trade concentrating on mostly coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
and being the world's largest supplier of vetiver
Vetiver
Chrysopogon zizanioides, commonly known as vetiver , is a perennial grass of the Poaceae family, native to India. In western and northern India, it is popularly known as khus. Vetiver can grow up to 1.5 metres high and form clumps as wide. The stems are tall and the leaves are long, thin, and...
at 250 tons annually, a necessary ingredient of perfume and fragrance manufacturing. Minor exports include bananas and timber.
History
The first European settlement in southwestern HispaniolaHispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
was the town of Salvatierra de la Sabana, founded by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar was a Spanish conquistador. He conquered and governed Cuba on behalf of Spain.-Early life:...
in 1504. This settlement was abandoned in 1540, and the area was uninhabited until the French colonial administration founded the town of Aux Cayes ("On the cayes"), so named due to its proximity to Île à Vache
Île à Vache
Île à Vache is a small island lying off the south-west peninsula of Haiti near the town of Les Cayes. Administratively it is part of the Sud Department. It is about long, wide, with an area of...
. The town was destroyed twice by hurricanes in 1781 and 1788.
On 24 December 1818, Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
came to Les Cayes in search of support for his movement against the Spanish colonial government in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
In the wake of the 12 January 2010 quake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
, the Cuban military set up a field hospital
Field hospital
A field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities...
in the region.
Notable natives and residents
- John James AudubonJohn James AudubonJohn James Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his expansive studies to document all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats...
, French-American naturalist - André CorvingtonAndré CorvingtonAndré Corvington was a Haitian Olympic fencer. He competed in the individual foil event at the 1900 Summer Olympics.-References:...
, Olympic fencer - André RigaudAndré RigaudBenoit Joseph André Rigaud was the leading mulatto military leader during the Haïtian Revolution. Among his protégés were Alexandre Pétion and Jean-Pierre Boyer, both future presidents of Haïti.-The revolutionary:...
, Haitian military leader
Facilities
Les Cayes has an airport, Antoine-Simon Airport.The American University of the Caribbean, American University of the Caribbean, Haiti.
Les Cayes Hospital is a small hospital in the commune.