2015 Edition

Background

TThe 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 people died. In an August 1999 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 forced 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 all 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 attack, the government has enjoyed one of its longest periods of post-independence stability, including successful 2012 elections for both the parliament and president. In late 2012, the UN Security Council ended its peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste and both the ISF and UNMIT departed the country.

Area

land

14,874 sq km

total

14,874 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Connecticut

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Coastline

706 km

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

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

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

Irrigated land

346.5 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries (1)

Indonesia 253 km

total

253 km

Land use

arable land 10.1%; permanent crops 4.9%; permanent pasture 10.1%

agricultural land

25.1%

forest

49.1%

other

25.8% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Terrain

mountainous

Age structure

0-14 years

41.82% (male 264,636/female 250,184)

15-24 years

20.02% (male 124,937/female 121,508)

25-54 years

29.59% (male 175,569/female 188,726)

55-64 years

4.84% (male 30,584/female 29,010)

65 years and over

3.73% (male 21,948/female 24,014) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

34.16 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

4% (2002 est.)

total number

10,510

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

45.3% (2010)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

22.3% (2009/10)

Death rate

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.7%

potential support ratio

9.3% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

92.3%

youth dependency ratio

81.5%

Drinking water source

urban: 95.2% of population

rural: 60.5% of population

total: 71.9% of population

urban: 4.8% of population

rural: 39.5% of population

total: 28.1% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

9.4% of GDP (2011)

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

5.9 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

female

34.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

40.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

37.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.37 years (2015 est.)

male

66.17 years

total population

67.72 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

63.4% (2015 est.)

male

71.5%

total population

67.5%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria (2013)

Major urban areas - population

DILI (capital) 228,000 (2014)

Median age

female

19.2 years (2015 est.)

male

18 years

total

18.6 years

Nationality

adjective

Timorese

noun

Timorese

Net migration rate

-3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

1.8% (2014)

Physicians density

0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population

1,231,116

note

other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

2.42% (2015 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 96.9%, Protestant / Evangelical 2.2%, Muslim 0.3%, other 0.6% (2005)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 69% of population

rural: 26.8% of population

total: 40.6% of population

urban: 31% of population

rural: 73.2% of population

total: 59.4% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2010)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.93 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.91 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.01 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

22.7% (2010 est.)

male

10.4%

total

14.8%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.75% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

32.8% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

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)

Capital

geographic coordinates

8 35 S, 125 36 E

name

Dili

time difference

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002 (2013)

Country name

conventional long form

Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

conventional short form

Timor-Leste

former

East Timor, 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]

note

pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott TICKNOR (since end of 2013)

embassy

Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili

FAX

(670) 331-3206

mailing address

US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250

telephone

(670) 332-4684

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Domingos Sarmento ALVES (since 21 May 2014)

FAX

[1] (202) 966-3205

telephone

[1] (202) 966-3202

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed by the president

chief of state

President Taur Matan RUAK, aka Jose Maria de VASCONCELOS (since 20 May 2012); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is the commander in chief of the military and is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections

election results

Taur Matan RUAK elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Taur Matan RUAK (independent) 61.2%, Francisco GUTTERES (Frenti-Mudanca) 38.8%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 March 2012 with a runoff on 16 April 2012; following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO - formerly Jose Alexandre GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007); Vice Prime Minister Fernando "Lasama" de ARAUJO (since 8 August 2012)

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; 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

Government type

republic

Independence

28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN (observer), CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the court president and NA judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other Supreme Court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament, and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body presided by the Supreme Court president and includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other Supreme Court judge tenure NA

note

the UN Justice System Programme, launched in 2003 and in 2008, is helping strengthen the country's justice system

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal; district courts; magistrates' courts

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Parliament (65 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

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

elections

elections were held on 7 July 2012 (next to be held in July 2017)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO

name

"Patria" (Fatherland)

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 the Indonesian invasion just days after independence was declared

National holiday

Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

National symbol(s)

Mount Ramelau; national colors: red, yellow, black, white

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or PD [Fernando "Lasama" de ARAUJO]

Frenti-Mudanca [Jose Luis GUTERRES]

National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO]

Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI]

(only parties in Parliament are listed)

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

coffee, rice, corn, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Budget

expenditures

$1.8 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$400 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-31% of GDP (2014 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.8% (31 December 2014 est.)

12.41% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

$1.167 billion (2014 est.)

$2.74 billion (2012 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.9 (2007 est.)

38 (2002 est.)

Economy - overview

Since gaining its independence in 1999, 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 in part because there are no production facilities in Timor-Leste. Gas is currently piped to Australia for processing, but Timor-Leste has expressed interest in developing a domestic processing capacity. 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 $16.5 billion, as of December 2014. Oil accounts for 90% of government revenues, and the drop in the price of oil in 2014 has led to concerns about the long-term sustainability of government spending. The Ministry of Finance maintains that the Petroleum Fund is sufficient to sustain government operations for the foreseeable future. Annual government budget expenditures increased markedly between 2009 and 2012 but dropped significantly in 2013 and again in 2014. Historically, the government has failed to spend as much as its budget allowed. The government has focused significant resources 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.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$154 million (2012 est.)

Exports - commodities

oil, coffee, sandalwood, marble

note

potential for vanilla exports

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

81.9%

government consumption

21.3%

household consumption

21.9%

imports of goods and services

-46.8%

investment in fixed capital

21.8%

investment in inventories

0%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

5.2%

industry

72.8%

services

22.1% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,900 (2014 est.)

$4,600 (2013 est.)

$4,400 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.6% (2014 est.)

5.4% (2013 est.)

7.8% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.478 billion

note

non-oil GDP (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$6.066 billion (2014 est.)

$5.693 billion (2013 est.)

$5.401 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27% (2007)

lowest 10%

4%

Imports

$696.2 million (2013 est.)

$689 million (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Industrial production growth rate

-15% (2014 est.)

Industries

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2014 est.)

3.3% (2013 est.)

Labor force

247,500 (2012 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

64%

industry

10%

services

26% (2010)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

37% (2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$546.2 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$500.2 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$-500 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$-469 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$241.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$279.5 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

8.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

11% (2013 est.)

18.4% (2010 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

496,300 Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

77,280 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

79,260 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

125.3 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

349.4 million kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

200 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,980 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,264 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

1 public TV broadcast station broadcasting nationally and 1 public radio broadcaster with stations in each of the 13 administrative districts; 1 commercial TV broadcast station, 3 commercial radio stations, and roughly 20 community radio stations (2012)

Internet country code

.tl

Internet users

percent of population

1.0% (2014 est.)

total

12,000

Radio broadcast stations

at least 21 (Timor-Leste has one national public broadcaster and 20 community and church radio stations - station frequency types NA) (2007)

Telephone system

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

general assessment

rudimentary service in urban and some rural areas, which is expanding with the entrance of new competitors

international

country code - 670; international service is available (2012)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

3,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

56 (2014 est.)

total

676,900

Television broadcast stations

1 (Timor-Leste has one national public broadcaster)

Airports

6 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

2 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

2

total

4

Heliports

8 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

passenger/cargo 1 (2010)

total

1

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Dili

Roadways

paved

2,600 km

total

6,040 km

unpaved

3,440 km (2005)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

293,052 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

305,643

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

251,061 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

243,120

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

12,389 (2010 est.)

male

12,737

Military branches

Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Army, Navy (Armada) (2013)

Military expenditures

2.92% of GDP (2012)

2.6% of GDP (2011)

2.92% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-month service obligation; no conscription but, as of May 2013, introduction of conscription was under discussion (2013)

Disputes - international

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; in 2007, Australia and Timor-Leste signed a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing agreement in lieu of a maritime boundary

Illicit drugs

NA

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Timor Leste is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Timorese women and girls may be sent to India, Singapore, and Middle Eastern and other Southeast Asian countries for domestic servitude; women and girls from rural areas are also lured to the capital with promises of legitimate jobs and are then forced into prostitution or domestic servitude; Timorese family members are subject to bonded domestic or agricultural labor to repay debts; foreign migrant women are subject to sex trafficking in Timor Leste, while men and boys from Burma, Cambodia, and Thailand are forced to work on fishing boats in Timorese waters under inhumane conditions

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Timor Leste does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; legislation that would prohibit all forms of human trafficking remains pending approval, despite being submitted to the Council of Ministers in 2012; in 2013, authorities did not investigate or prosecute any trafficking cases and did not convict any offenders; the government’s efforts to protect trafficking victims were negligible; no victims were identified or referred to NGO-provided services, although funding was allocated to an NGO shelter for this purpose; increased patrolling of territorial waters in 2013 did not lead to increased identification of trafficking victims (2014)