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Christopher Columbus lands and names the island Hispaniola, or Little Spain.
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Spain cedes western part of Hispaniola to France, and this becomes Haiti, or Land of Mountains.
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A former black slave who became a guerrilla leader, Toussaint Louverture, conquers Haiti, abolishing slavery and proclaiming himself governor-general of an autonomous government over all Hispaniola.
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Dessalines declared the nation independent and renamed it Haiti. France became the first nation to recognize its independence. Jean-Jacques declares himself emperor.
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US invades Haiti following black-mulatto friction, which it thought endangered its property and investments in the country.
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Leslie Manigat becomes president, but is ousted in a coup led by Brigadier-General Prosper Avril, who installs a civilian government under military control.
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Jean-Bertrand Aristide elected president in Haiti's first free and peaceful polls. His term lasted till he was overthrown in 2004.
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Celebrations marking 200 years of independence turn into uprising against President Aristide, who is forced into exile. An interim government takes over.
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Tropical Storm Fay, Hurricane Gustav, Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike strike within a month, leaving nearly 800 people dead and wiping out a quarter of the economy.
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World Bank and International Monetary Fund cancel $1.2bn of Haiti's debt - 80% of the total - after judging it to have fulfilled economic reform and poverty reduction conditions.
