Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state. In March of 2006, a military strike led to violence and a near breakdown of law and order. Over 2,000 Australian, New Zealand, and Portuguese police and peacekeepers deployed to East Timor in late May. Although many of the peacekeepers were replaced by UN police officers, 850 Australian soldiers remained as of 1 January 2007.
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Location:
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Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco
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Geographic coordinates:
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8 50 S, 125 55 E
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Map references:
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Southeast Asia
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Area:
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total: 15,007 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Connecticut
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Land boundaries:
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total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km
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Coastline:
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706 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
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Terrain:
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mountainous
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
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Natural resources:
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gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
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Land use:
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arable land: 8.2%
permanent crops: 4.57%
other: 87.23% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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1,065 sq km (est.)
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Natural hazards:
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floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones
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Environment - current issues:
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widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Climate Change, Desertification
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Geography - note:
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Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands
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Population:
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1,062,777
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 36.3% (male 196,293/female 189,956)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 328,111/female 315,401)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 16,072/female 16,944) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 20.8 years
male: 20.8 years
female: 20.7 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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2.08% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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26.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 45.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 39.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 66.26 years
male: 63.96 years
female: 68.67 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese
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Ethnic groups:
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Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)
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Languages:
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Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6%
male: NA%
female: NA% (2002)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor
local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
former: Portuguese Timor
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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name: Dili
geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque
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Independence:
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28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
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Constitution:
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22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)
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Legal system:
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UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but are to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated
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Suffrage:
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17 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO
head of government: Prime Minister Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 10 July 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Estanlislau Maria Alexio da SILVA (since 10 July 2006); Second Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria do ARAUJO (since 10 July 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held on 9 April 2007)
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3%
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis
elections: (next to be held in May 2007); direct elections for national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the national convention adopted a constitution and named themselves legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the national parliament
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established, Court of Appeals is highest court
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Political parties and leaders:
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Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]
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International organization participation:
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ACP, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Constancio PINTO
chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: 202 966-3202
FAX: 202 966-3205
consulate(s) general: New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William Gary GRAY
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684
FAX: (670) 331-3206
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Flag description:
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red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle
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Economy - overview:
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In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the end of 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters has begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule and above expectations - the result of high petroleum prices - but the technology-intensive industry does little to create jobs for the unemployed, because there are no production facilities in Timor and the gas is piped to Australia. The parliament in June 2005 unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value of East Timor's petroleum wealth for future generations. The mid-2006 outbreak of violence and civil unrest disrupted both private and public sector economic activity. Real non-oil GDP growth in 2006 is estimated to have been negative. The underlying economic policy challenge the country faces remains how best to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non-oil economy onto a higher growth path and reduce poverty.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$370 million (2004 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$349 million (2005)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.8% (2005 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$800 (2005 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 23.1%
services: 68.4% (2004)
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Labor force:
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NA
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
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Unemployment rate:
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50% estimated; note - unemployment in urban areas reached 20%; data do not include underemployed (2001 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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42% (2003 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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38 (2002 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.4% (2005)
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Budget:
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revenues: $107.7 million
expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla
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Industries:
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printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
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Industrial production growth rate:
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8.5%
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh (2004)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2004)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2004)
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Exports:
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$10 million; note - excludes oil (2005 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and vanilla exports
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Exports - partners:
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Indonesia 100% (2005)
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Imports:
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$202 million (2004 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery
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Debt - external:
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$0
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$153 million (2004 est.)
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Currency (code):
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US dollar (USD)
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Exchange rates:
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the US dollar is used
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June
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This page was last updated on 8 March, 2007
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