Port-au-Prince, Haiti, satellite image. Port-au- Prince, located in central Haiti on a bay of the Gulf of La Gonave, is the country's capital and largest city. It was founded by French sugar planters in 1749 in what was then the French colony of Saint-Domingue. It became the capital of the newly independent Haiti in 1804. The city's business and commercial properties are arranged along the water with most of its residences on the hills. There are many slums (grey) in the city. Port-au-Prince is the country's chief seaport, mainly exporting sugar and coffee. The stone French-built quay is at top. Taken by the Ikonos satellite on 9 October 2003.