Edition 2005 — Timor-Leste

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

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.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Airports

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.)

Area

land: NA
total: 15,007 sq km
water: NA

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Connecticut

Background

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

Birth rate

27.19 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $107.7 million

Capital

Dili

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Coastline

706 km

Constitution

22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Country name

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor
former: Portuguese 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]

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

none

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
FAX: (670) 331-3206
mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York) (2004)
FAX: 202 965-1517
telephone: 202 965-1515

Disputes - international

UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has maintained about a thousand peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the northern maritime boundaries; many of 28,000 East Timorese refugees still residing in Indonesia in 2003 have returned, but many continue to refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia continue to meet but disagree over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and share unexploited potential petroleum resources that fall outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Australia also hampers creation of a southern maritime boundary with Indonesia

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38 (2002 est.)

East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL)

Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)

Economic aid - recipient

$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

NA kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements

NA

Ethnic groups

Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Exchange rates

the US dollar is the legal tender

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers
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
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3%
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
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20 May 2002)

Exports

$8 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports

Exports - partners

Indonesia 100%

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June Communications East Timor

Flag description

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 Economy East Timor

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 25.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 57.4% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $400 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$370 million (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

8 50 S, 125 55 E

Geography - note

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 East Timor

Government type

Republic

Heliports

1 (2004 est.) Military East Timor

Highways

paved: 428 km
total: 3,800 km
unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Illicit drugs

NA This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$167 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Imports - partners

NA

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

8.5%

Industries

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Infant mortality rate

female: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
male: 53.71 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 47.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (2003 est.)

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

Internet country code

.tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Internet users

NA Transportation East Timor

Irrigated land

1,065 sq km (est.)

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

NA

Land boundaries

border countries: Indonesia 228 km
total: 228 km

Land use

arable land: 4.71%
other: 94.62% (2001)
permanent crops: 0.67%

Languages

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

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)

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
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
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.

Life expectancy at birth

female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)
male: 63.63 years
total population: 65.9 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6% (2002) Government East Timor

Location

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

Manpower available for military service

NA

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: NA

Manpower reaching military service age annually

NA

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

continental shelf: NA
exclusive economic zone: NA
exclusive fishing zone: NA
territorial sea: NA

Median age

female: 20.35 years (2005 est.)
male: 20.46 years
total: 20.41 years

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA Transnational Issues East Timor

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Nationality

adjective: Timorese
noun: Timorese

Natural hazards

floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones

Natural resources

gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

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

Population

1,040,880 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

42% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate

2.09% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors