1492 - Christopher Columbus lands on and names island Hispaniola

1697 - Spain cedes western part to France; this becomes Haiti

1804 - Haiti becomes independent

1915 - U.S. invades following black-mulatto friction, which it thought endangered its property and investments in Haiti

1934 - U.S. withdraws its troops but maintains fiscal control until 1947

1956 - Voodoo physician Francios "Papa Doc" Duvalier seizes power in military coup and is elected president a year later

1964 - Duvalier declares himself president for life

1971 - Duvalier dies and is replaced by son Jean-Claude Duvalier (Baby Doc)

1986 - Duvalier forced into exile by uprising. Army chief Lt. Gen. Henri Namphy named to oversee two-year transition to democracy

1987 - Gunmen linked to Duvalier government and army halt elections, killing at least 34

1988

Jan - Political scientist Leslie Manigat elected president in army-run elections, but overthrown by Namphy shortly afterwards

Sep - Namphy overthrown. Replaced by former Duvalier aide Lt. Gen. Prosper Avril

1990

Mar - Avril resigns. Supreme Court Justice Ertha Trouillot sworn in as acting president

Dec - Populist priest Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide is landslide winner in presidential elections, Haiti's first democratic poll

1991

Feb - Aristide inaugurated. Rene Preval becomes prime minister, promising to uproot corruption

Sep - Military ousts Aristide in bloody coup

1993

Jun - U.N. imposes oil and arms embargo

Jul - Aristide and coup leader, Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras, sign U.N.-brokered pact that calls for Aristide's return. But Cedras later refuses to step down and U.N. tightens sanctions

1994

Sep - A multinational force arrives to restore democracy

Oct - Aristide returns as president

1995

Mar - U.N. peacekeeping force replaces multinational troops

Dec - Preval, from Aristide's Lavalas party, elected president to succeed Aristide

1997

Nov - U.N. peacekeeping force ends armed mission

2000

May - Parliamentary and local elections held after numerous postponements

Nov - Aristide wins presidential election, which is boycotted by main opposition parties because of dispute over parliamentary polls. Opposition proclaims provisional government with a "parallel president"

2001

Feb - Aristide succeeds Preval

Dec - Gunmen storm Haiti's National Palace in apparent coup attempt

2004

Jan/Feb - Thousands march against Aristide. Gunmen seize the city of Gonaives. Armed revolt spreads across Haiti. U.S. sends Marines to protect its facilities. Dozens killed in escalating violence. Foreigners flee the country. Rebels warn of imminent attack on capital

Feb 29 - U.S. flies Aristide out of country. Aristide later says he was kidnapped. Washington says he resigned

Mar - An interim government is appointed with former U.N. official Gerard Latortue as prime minister

Jun - U.N. stabilisation force replaces U.S.-led multinational force that moved in when Aristide left

Jul - Donors pledge over $1 billion in aid. Interim government later complains less than half was disbursed

Sep - Tropical Storm Jeanne hits northern Haiti, killing about 3,000 people

2005

Jun - U.N. force's mandate extended as gang violence continues to escalate

2006

Jan - U.N. force commander commits suicide and two U.N. peacekeepers killed in gang violence.

Feb 7 - Elections to replace interim government

Feb 16 - Preval declared winner of presidential poll

May 14 - Preval takes office

Jul - Donors pledge $750 million to help fund economic recovery

Aug - U.N. peacekeeping mission's mandate extended for another six months. Prime Minister Alexis says gang leaders who do not disarm under a U.N. scheme will be arrested or killed, after a July upsurge in violence

Sep - Alexis asks the U.S. to end its weapons embargo to allow the government to rearm police force

Oct - U.S. agrees to partially lift its 15-year arms embargo

Nov - Two U.N. peacekeepers killed in ambush attack near Cite Soleil. Police report a sharp spike in child kidnappings. Haiti is declared eligible for HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) debt relief

Dec - U.N. launches government-approved anti-gang raid and anti-kidnapping operations. Alexis links recent violence with criminals deported from the U.S. The U.N. launches appeal for $98 million

2007

Jan - President Rene Preval cites drug trafficking as primary cause of instability, accusing U.S. and other "drug-consuming" states of failing to tackle drug trade

Feb - U.N. Security Council extends U.N. peacekeeping mandate until 15 October. Peacekeepers launch major operations to strengthen grip on Cite Soleil slum.

Oct - Flooding triggered by torrential rains kills more than 30

2008

Apr - Haitians riot over rising food prices, clashing with U.N. security forces. Government falls when lawmakers fire PM

Aug/Sep - Four storms smash into the country in one of Haiti's worst catastrophes. Hundreds killed and about 1 million badly affected

Haiti gets new government headed by Michele Pierre-Louis as PM, ending long impasse between Preval and lawmakers