East & Southeast Asia :: Timor-Leste
page last updated on January 28, 2013
Flag of Timor-Leste
Location of Timor-Leste
 
Map of Timor-Leste
Introduction ::Timor-Leste
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 Portuguese 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 Timor Timur (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 Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. However, in the next three weeks, 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 western Timor as refugees. Most 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, Australian-led peacekeeping troops deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. In 2006, internal tensions threatened the new nation's security when a military strike led to violence and a breakdown of law and order. At Dili's request, an Australian-led International Stabilization Force (ISF) deployed to Timor-Leste, and the UN Security Council established the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which included an authorized police presence of over 1,600 personnel. The ISF and UNMIT restored stability, allowing for presidential and parliamentary elections in 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In February 2008, a rebel group staged an unsuccessful attack against the president and prime minister. The ringleader was killed in the attack and most of the rebels surrendered in April 2008. Since the unsuccessful attacks the government has enjoyed one of its longest periods of post-independence stability.
Geography ::Timor-Leste
Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - Timor-Leste 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
8 50 S, 125 55 E
total: 14,874 sq km
country comparison to the world: 160
land: 14,874 sq km
water: 0 sq km
slightly larger than Connecticut
total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km
706 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
mountainous
lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
arable land: 8.2%
permanent crops: 4.57%
other: 87.23% (2005)
140 sq km
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones
widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
People and Society ::Timor-Leste
noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority
Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by a significant portion of the population
Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)
1,143,667
country comparison to the world: 159
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2012 est.)
0-14 years: 43% (male 252,874/ female 238,865)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 302,572/ female 308,991)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 19,719/ female 20,646) (2012 est.)
population pyramid:
total: 22.8 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 22.9 years (2012 est.)
2.49% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
35.2 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
urban population: 28% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
DILI (capital) 166,000 (2009)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
300 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 37
total: 41.4 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 56
male: 44.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
total population: 68.27 years
country comparison to the world: 157
male: 65.85 years
female: 70.81 years (2012 est.)
5.32 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
12.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 8
0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
improved:
urban: 76% of population
rural: 40% of population
total: 50% of population
unimproved:
urban: 24% of population
rural: 60% of population
total: 50% of population
NA
NA
NA
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever and malaria (2009)
40.6% (2002)
country comparison to the world: 4
16.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 1
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6%
male: NA
female: NA (2002)
total: 11 years (2004)
Government ::Timor-Leste
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay)
conventional short form: Timor-Leste
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: East Timor, Portuguese Timor
republic
name: Dili
geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia
Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
20 May 2002 (effective date)
civil law system based on the Portuguese model; note - penal and civil law codes to replace the Indonesian codes were passed by Parliament and promulgated in 2009 and 2011, respectively
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
17 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Taur Matan RUAK (Jose Maria de VASCONCELOS) (since 20 May 2012); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections
head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007); note - he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO; Vice Prime Minister Fernando "Lasama" de ARAUJO (since 8 August 2012)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
(For more information visit the World Leaders website Opens in New Window)
elections: the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); an election was held on 17 March 2012 with a run-off on 16 April 2012); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister
election results: Taur Matan RUAK elected president in 2012; percent of vote - Taur Matan RUAK 61.23%, Francisco GUTTERES 38.7%
unicameral National Parliament (the number of seats can vary from 52 to 65; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms in a modified proportional representation system)
elections: elections were held on 7 July 2012 (next to be held in July 2017)
election results: percent of vote by party - CNRT 36%, FRETILIN 30%, PD 10%, Frenti-Mudanca 3%, others 21%; seats by party - CNRT 30, FRETILIN 25, PD 8, Frenti-Mudanca 2
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
Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Xanana GUSMAO]; National Democratic Union of Timorese Resistance or UNDERTIM [Cornelio DA Conceicao GAMA]; National Unity Party or PUN [Fernanda BORGES]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI]; Social Democratic Association of Timor or ASDT; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Zacarias Albano da COSTA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors or KOTA [Manuel TILMAN] (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes); (only parties in Parliament are listed)
NA
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN (observer), CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO
chief of mission: Ambassador Constancio da Conceicao PINTO
chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504,Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205
chief of mission: Ambassador Judith R. FERGIN
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili
mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684
FAX: (670) 331-3206
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; a white star - pointing to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag - is in the center of the black triangle; yellow denotes the colonialism in Timor-Leste's past; black represents the obscurantism that needs to be overcome; red stands for the national liberation struggle; the white star symbolizes peace and serves as a guiding light
name: "Patria" (Fatherland)
lyrics/music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO
note: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal in 1975; the lyricist, Fransisco Borja DA COSTA, was killed in an Indonesian invasion just days after independence was declared
Economy ::Timor-Leste
Since its 1999 independence, Timor-Leste has faced great challenges in rebuilding its infrastructure, strengthening the civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of oil and gas resources in offshore waters has greatly supplemented government revenues. This technology-intensive industry, however, has done little to create jobs for the unemployed in part because there are no production facilities in Timor-Leste. Gas is piped to Australia. In June 2005, the National Parliament unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and to preserve the value of Timor-Leste's petroleum wealth for future generations. The Fund held assets of US$9.3 billion as of December 2011. The economy continues to recover from the mid-2006 outbreak of violence and civil unrest, which disrupted both private and public sector economic activity. Government spending increased markedly from 2009 through 2012, primarily on basic infrastructure, including electricity and roads. Limited experience in procurement and infrastructure building has hampered these projects. 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 to reduce poverty. Timor-Leste had a balanced budget in 2012 with government expenditures of $1.7 billion focusing on development of public infrastructure. On the strength of its oil-wealth, the economy has achieved real growth of approximately 10% per year for the last several years, among the highest sustained growth rates in the world.
$10.63 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$9.662 billion (2011 est.)
$8.736 billion (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$4.214 billion
note: non-oil GDP (2012 est.)
10% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
10.6% (2011 est.)
9.5% (2010 est.)
$9,500 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
$8,800 (2011 est.)
$8,200 (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
agriculture: 25.6%
industry: 18.1%
services: 56.3% (2012 est.)
418,200 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 158
agriculture: 64%
industry: 10%
services: 26% (2010)
18.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
20% (2006 est.)
41% (2009 est.)
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 27% (2007)
31.9 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
38 (2002 est.)
revenues: $1.7 billion
expenditures: $1.7 billion (2012 est.)
40.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
0% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
13.5% (2011 est.)
12.1% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
11.04% (31 December 2011 est.)
$196 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
$162.7 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$386.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
$322.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$300 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
$280 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$NA
coffee, rice, corn, cassava (manioc), sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla
8.5% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
$2.375 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
$1.161 billion (2007 est.)
$18 million (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
$17.8 million (2010 est.)
note: excludes oil
oil, coffee, sandalwood, marble
note: potential for vanilla exports
$689 million (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
$439.1 million (2010 est.)
food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery
the US dollar is used, 1 (2012 est.)
calendar year
Energy ::Timor-Leste
131.7 million kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
67.59 million kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
0 kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
0 kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
83,740 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
96,270 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
553.8 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
2,755 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
2,205 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
200 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
395,300 Mt (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Communications ::Timor-Leste
3,100 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 214
614,200 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 162
general assessment: rudimentary service in urban and some rural areas
domestic: system suffered significant damage during the violence associated with independence; limited fixed-line services; mobile-cellular services have been expanding and are now available in urban and most rural areas
international: country code - 670; international service is available in major urban centers
1 public TV broadcast station broadcasting nationally and 1 public radio broadcaster with stations in each of the 13 administrative districts; one commercial TV broadcast station broadcasting, a few commercial radio stations, and roughly a dozen community radio stations (2009)
.tl
252 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 195
2,100 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 211
Transportation ::Timor-Leste
6 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 173
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2012)
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2012)
8 (2012)
total: 6,040 km
country comparison to the world: 149
paved: 2,600 km
unpaved: 3,440 km (2005)
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 151
by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2010)
Dili
Military ::Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Army, Navy (Armada) (2010)
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 18-month service obligation (2008)
males age 16-49: 305,643
females age 16-49: 293,052 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 243,120
females age 16-49: 251,061 (2010 est.)
male: 12,737
female: 12,389 (2010 est.)
NA
Transnational Issues ::Timor-Leste
three stretches of land borders with Timor-Leste have yet to be delimited, two of which are in the Oecussi exclave area, and no maritime or Economic Exclusion Zone boundaries have been established between the countries; maritime boundaries with Indonesia remain unresolved; many refugees who left Timor-Leste in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; in 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste signed a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing agreement in lieu of a maritime boundary
NA