Gonaïves facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gonaïves Gonayiv
Commune
Centennial Palace in Gonaives, 1904
Nickname(s):  La Cité de l'Indépendance The City of Independence
Gonaïves Location in Haiti
Country	Haiti
Department	Artibonite
Arrondissement	Gonaïves
Elevation	6 m (20 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Commune	300,000
• Metro	104,825
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)

Gonaïves (pronounced "Go-nah-eev") is a city in northern Haiti. It is the capital of the Artibonite region. The city is home to about 300,000 people. It is a very important place in Haiti's history.

History

Gonaïves was founded around the year 1422. It was started by a group of Taíno people. They called the area Gonaibo. The nearby Gulf of Gonâve is named after the city.

A very important battle happened near Gonaïves in 1802. This was the Battle of Ravine-à-Couleuvres. It was part of the Haitian Revolution. This revolution led to Haiti becoming an independent country.

Gonaïves is often called Haiti's "City of Independence." This is because Haiti declared its freedom from France here. On January 1, 1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines read the Act of Independence in Gonaïves. This document was written by Boisrond Tonnerre. Dessalines' wife, Marie-Claire Heureuse Félicité, also passed away in Gonaïves in 1858.

In the early 2000s, Gonaïves saw some unrest. On February 5, 2004, a group took control of the city. This event started the 2004 Haïti rebellion. However, in recent years, the city has become peaceful again.

Gonaïves is located in a flood plain. This means it is very open to flooding. The mountains around it have lost many trees. This makes the city even more vulnerable to heavy rains. In September 2004, Hurricane Jeanne caused huge floods and mudslides.

Four years later, Hurricane Hanna hit the city hard. It caused a lot of damage and flooding. Many people had to go to shelters. The city is still working to recover from these storms.

Education

Gonaïves has several places for learning. Students can attend the Université Publique de l'Artibonite aux Gonaïves (UPAG). There is also a Law and Economics School in the city.

Sports

The city of Gonaïves has some major sports teams. These include Eclair AC and Racing FC (Gonaives).

Media

Gonaïves is home to many radio stations. They help keep the community informed and entertained. Some popular stations include Radio SuperXtraL'unique, Radio Motivation Fm, and Radio Independence.

Notable People

• Ralph Chapoteau
• Frantz Jean-Charles (born 1968), a retired football player
• Marie-Denise Fabien Jean-Louis (born 1944), a doctor and politician
• Ti Manno
• Maurice Sixto

Images for kids

• 

  Gonaïves before 1892

See also

In Spanish: Les Gonaïves para niños