Occupying the western ⅓ of Hispaniola Island (shared with the Dominican Republic), Haiti’s population is nearly entirely of African or mixed European-African descent. The country is the poorest in the entire Americas and faces a number of development challenges. Perhaps the most widely known disruptive event is the 2010 earthquake, which devastated the capital and caused over 200,000 deaths (although the exact number is unknown). In addition to natural disasters (including hurricanes), Haiti faces challenges emanating mainly from its high poverty rate, which include high infant mortality rates, disproportionate levels of violence and an ever-worsening hunger crisis.