Religion

Haiti, like the rest of Latin America, is a largely Christian country, with 80% Roman Catholics and around 16% Protestants. There is a small Muslim and Hindu population in the country, primarily in Port-au-Prince. This can be seen as one of the Unique Cultural Characteristics In Haiti you should know.

Despite the terrible connotation that it has both inside and outside the country, Vodou, which includes of a blend of Central and Western African, European, and Native American (Tano) religions, is widely practiced. Vodou is a widespread syncretic religion that combines the Yoruba religion of enslaved Africans with Catholicism and some Native American strands; it shares several deity-saints with Cuban Santera and Brazilian Candomblé.

The actual number of Vodou practitioners is unknown; nevertheless, it is assumed that a sizable portion of the population practices it, frequently in conjunction with their Christian beliefs. Some secular Christians have been known to participate in some rituals, albeit in an indirect manner. The Haitian constitution guarantees religious freedom but does not constitute a national religion, while the Catholic Church is given preferential treatment.