Which two nations occupy the island of Hispaniola?

Hispaniola is occupied by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The two countries share one Caribbean island, making Hispaniola one of the world’s most prominent examples of a single island divided between sovereign states.

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern portion, while Haiti occupies the western portion. The island lies in the Greater Antilles between Cuba and Puerto Rico. Its Indigenous Taíno name was Ayiti or Quisqueya, while Hispaniola was the name popularized by Christopher Columbus and Spanish colonists.

The boundary reflects a long history of Spanish and French colonial rule. Spain controlled the east, while France established Saint-Domingue in the west; Saint-Domingue became Haiti after the Haitian Revolution and independence in 1804. The Dominican Republic later declared independence from Haiti in 1844.

A common mix-up is confusing Hispaniola with the island of Saint Martin, which is also divided between two countries. Hispaniola is much larger and contains both nations’ capitals: Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince.