Centre (department)


Centre is one of the ten departments of Haiti, located in the center of the country along the border with the Dominican Republic. As of 2015, its estimated population was 746,236. Its capital is Hinche. It borders the Dominican Republic to the east and is the only landlocked department in Haiti.

Geography

Centre is the only department without access to the sea, but is nevertheless affected by soil erosion as a result of deforestation. In 2004, the floods caused by Hurricane Jeanne resulted in hundreds of deaths, focused in Centre and Artibonite Departments.
It contains the second largest lake in Haiti Lake Péligre, which was created as a result of the construction of the Péligre Dam on the Artibonite River during the 1950s. It is the largest hydroelectric dam in the Caribbean.

Historical places

The Department of Centre is subdivided into four arrondissements, which are further subdivided into twelve communes.