The Geography Site



All you ever needed to know about...

Sponsored Links

map of the country

Welcome To East Timor





Introduction East Timor
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 1,300 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.
Geography East Timor
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
Geographic coordinates:
8 50 S, 125 55 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
total: 15,007 sq km
land: NA
water: NA
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km
706 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: NA
exclusive economic zone: NA
continental shelf: NA
exclusive fishing zone: NA
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
Elevation extremes:
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
Natural resources:
gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
Land use:
arable land: 4.71%
permanent crops: 0.67%
other: 94.62% (2001)
Irrigated land:
1,065 sq km (est.)
Natural hazards:
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
People East Timor
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.1% (male 196,108/female 189,753)
15-64 years: 59.9% (male 318,173/female 305,479)
65 years and over: 3% (male 15,353/female 16,014) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.41 years
male: 20.46 years
female: 20.35 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.09% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
27.19 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
Sex ratio:
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: 0.96 male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate:
total: 47.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 53.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.9 years
male: 63.63 years
female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese
Ethnic groups:
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6% (2002)
Government East Timor
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor
former: Portuguese Timor
Government type:
Administrative divisions:
13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque
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
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)
Legal system:
UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law (2004)
17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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 some legislation; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in April 2007); after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a precedent for the future
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3%
Legislative branch:
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 August 2006); direct elections for national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the national convention 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
Judicial branch:
Political parties and leaders:
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]; Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; 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]; Timorese Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos DA COSTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest political pressure group; it rejects current government and claims to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno MAGALHAES] is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in pressuring government
International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: 202 965-1515
FAX: 202 965-1517
consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York) (2004)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684
FAX: (670) 331-3206
Flag description:
Economy East Timor
Economy - overview:
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 2003, all but about 30,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth was held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of the international presence. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the workforce. One promising long-term project is the planned development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters, which have begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$370 million (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $400 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 25.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 57.4% (2001)
Labor force:
Labor force - by occupation:
Unemployment rate:
50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)
Population below poverty line:
42% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38 (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2003 est.)
revenues: $107.7 million
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
NA kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)
$8 million (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports
Exports - partners:
Indonesia 100%
$167 million (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery
Imports - partners:
Debt - external:
Economic aid - recipient:
$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is the legal tender
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Communications East Timor
Telephones - main lines in use:
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Telephone system:
Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Television broadcast stations:
Internet country code:
.tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Internet users:
Transportation East Timor
total: 3,800 km
paved: 428 km
unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)
Ports and harbors:
8 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
1 (2004 est.)
Military East Timor
Military branches:
East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: NA
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.4 million (FY03)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Transnational Issues East Timor
Disputes - international:
Illicit drugs:



