Gonaives

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Gonaïves (Gonayiv in Kréyòl) is a city in northern Haïti, the capital of the Artibonite Department. It has a population of about 104,825 people (2003 census).

It is sometimes known as Haïti's "independence city" because it was there that Gen. Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haïti's independence on January 1, 1804.

More recently, Gonaïves was the scene of substantial rioting and violence primarily motivated by opposition to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and on February 5, 2004, a group calling itself the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Front seized control of the city, starting the 2004 Haïti rebellion.

In September 2004, Hurricane Jeanne caused major flooding and mudslides in the city. 3,006 people were confirmed dead in Haïti, and the death toll in Gonaïves was believed to have topped 2,000. Every building in the city was damaged by the storm, and 250,000 people were left homeless.

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