January 12, 2010, the beautiful country of Haiti was hit by a horrible earthquake, destroying the already poor country. The Caribbean sun was shining on what seemed like a normal day, but people didn't know what was going to happen moments later. This devastating natural disaster lasted only 40 seconds, killed 316,000 people and left 1.3 million homeless (“Earthquake Information for 2010”). This horrific earthquake was important because it opened the door for improvements to be made in this needy country. The damage caused was unimaginable. The Haitian people were traumatized not only physically, but also emotionally. Although this natural disaster was horrific, from this tragedy came economic progress and growth, which greatly motivated the country. Haiti is a country located in the Antilles between Puerto Rico and Cuba, sharing the island of Hispanola with the Dominican Republic. Two-thirds of the country is made up of large, rolling mountain ranges, with the remainder made up of lush, vibrant valleys and small plains (“Haiti USSDN”). It is a beautiful oasis but unfortunately, it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. According to the Human Development Index, which is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education and income used to rank countries, Haiti is ranked 149th out of 182 countries. Haiti also has the highest rates of AIDS, malnutrition and infant mortality in the region. Clearly, Haiti is a country that desperately needs meaningful change, not a life-altering earthquake. More than 316,000 people died that day and the following days. There was rubble everywhere. Due to the heat and humidity, the bodies quickly began to decompose and smell bad. The government had to send...... middle of paper ......ZQgodYAkAAg>."Haiti." U.S. Department of State County Notes. Internet. January 26, 2014. .Simon, Mallory. "7.0 earthquake hits Haiti. Serious loss of life expected." CNN World. Internet. January 26, 2014. .Que, Ker. "Earthquake in Haiti 'strange', strongest in 200 years." National Geographic January 13, 2010: Web. January 26, 2014. .Padgett, Tim and Susana Ferreira. "World." World Haiti Three years after the earthquake There is also good news Comments. World Time, January 12, 2013. Web. March 17.2014.