2019 Edition

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 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 and a successful transition of power in February 2015. In late 2012, the UN Security Council ended its peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste and both the ISF and UNMIT departed the country. Early parliamentary elections in the spring of 2017 finally produced a majority goovernment after months of impasse. Currently, the government is a coalition of three parties and the president is a member of the opposition party. In 2018 and 2019, this configuration stymied nominations for key ministerial positions and slowed progress on certain policy issues.

Area

Land

14,874 sq km

Total

14,874 sq km

Water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly larger than Connecticut; almost half the size of Maryland

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Coastline

706 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Lowest Point

Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m

Environment Current Issues

air pollution and deterioration of air quality; greenhouse gas emissions; water quality, scarcity, and access; land and soil degradation; forest depletion; widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion; loss of biodiversity

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; the district of Oecussi is an exclave separated from Timor-Leste proper by Indonesia

Irrigated Land

350 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Indonesia 253 km

Total

253 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

25.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

10.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

4.9% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

10.1% (2011 est.)

Forest

49.1% (2011 est.)

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

Population Distribution

most of the population concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili

Terrain

mountainous

Age Structure

0 14 Years

40.44% (male 274,881 /female 259,736)

15 24 Years

20.46% (male 137,363 /female 133,128)

25 54 Years

30.13% (male 191,290 /female 206,973)

55 64 Years

5.02% (male 33,047 /female 33,325)

65 Years And Over

3.95% (male 25,086 /female 27,100) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

32.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

37.5% (2013)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

26.1% (2016)

Current Health Expenditure

4% (2016)

Death Rate

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

6.6 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

15.2 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

90.3 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

83.7 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

60.5% of population

Improved Total

71.9% of population

Improved Urban

95.2% of population

Unimproved Rural

39.5% of population

Unimproved Total

28.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

4.8% of population

Education Expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic Groups

Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) (includes Tetun, Mambai, Tokodede, Galoli, Kemak, Baikeno), Melanesian-Papuan (includes Bunak, Fataluku, Bakasai), small Chinese minority

Hospital Bed Density

5.9 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

31 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

36.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

33.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Tetun Prasa 30.6%, Mambai 16.6%, Makasai 10.5%, Tetun Terik 6.1%, Baikenu 5.9%, Kemak 5.8%, Bunak 5.5%, Tokodede 4%, Fataluku 3.5%, Waima'a 1.8%, Galoli 1.4%, Naueti 1.4%, Idate 1.2%, Midiki 1.2%, other 4.5%

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

70.4 years

Male

67.1 years

Total Population

68.7 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

63.4% (2015)

Male

71.5%

Total Population

67.5%

Major Infectious Diseases

Degree Of Risk

very high (2016)

Food Or Waterborne Diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

Vectorborne Diseases

dengue fever and malaria (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

281,000 DILI (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

142 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

19.7 years

Male

18.5 years

Total

19.1 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

22.1 years (2009/10 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Timorese

Noun

Timorese

Net Migration Rate

-3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

3.8% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

1,321,929 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.32% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 97.6%, Protestant/Evangelical 2%, Muslim 0.2%, other 0.2% (2015 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

26.8% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

40.6% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

69% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

73.2% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

59.4% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

31% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

13 years (2010)

Male

14 years

Total

13 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.06 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.03 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.92 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.93 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.07 male(s)/female

Total Population

1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

4.67 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

15.9% (2016 est.)

Male

10.9%

Total

13.2%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

3.35% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

30.9% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

12 municipalities (municipios, singular municipio) and 1 special adminstrative region* (regiao administrativa especial); Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Covalima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Lospalos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oe-Cusse Ambeno* (Pante Macassar), Viqueque

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

8 35 S, 125 36 E

Name

Dili

Time Difference

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

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Timor-Leste

Dual Citizenship Recognized

no

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

10 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by Parliament and parliamentary groups; consideration of amendments requires at least four-fifths majority approval by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by Parliament and promulgation by the president of the republic; passage of amendments to the republican form of government and the flag requires approval in a referendum (2018)

History

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

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

Conventional Short Form

Timor-Leste

Etymology

timor" derives from the Indonesian and Malay word "timur" meaning "east"; "leste" is the Portuguese word for "east", so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East"; the local [Tetum] name "Timor Lorosa'e" translates as "East Rising Sun"

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]

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Kathleen FITZPATRICK (since 19 January 2018)

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

the governing coalition in the Parliament proposes cabinet member candidates to the Prime Minister, who presents these recommendations to the President of the Republic for swearing in

Chief Of State

President Francisco GUTERRES (since 20 May 2017); note - the president is commander in chief of the military and is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections

Election Results

Francisco GUTERRES elected president; percent of vote - Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, Antonio DA CONCEICAO (PD) 32.5%, Jose Luis GUTERRES (Frenti-Mudanca) 2.6%, Jose NEVES (independent) 2.3%, Luis Alves TILMAN (independent) 2.2%, other 3.4%

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 20 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Taur Matan RUAK (since 22 June 2018); note - President GUTERRES dissolved parliament because of an impasse over passing the country's budget on 26 January 2018, with then Prime Minister Mari ALKATIRI assuming the role of caretaker prime minister until a new prime minister was appointed

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

semi-presidential republic

Independence

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

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 Courts

Court of Appeals (consists of the court president and NA judges)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

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

Subordinate Courts

Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military 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 - AMP - 49.6%, FRETILIN 34.2%, PD 8.1%, DDF 5.5%, other 2.6%; seats by party - AMP 34, FRETILIN 23, PD 5, DDF 3; composition - men 39, women 26, percent of women 40%

Elections

last held on 12 May 2018 (next to be held in July 2023)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO

Name

"Patria" (Fatherland)

National Holiday

Restoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

National Symbol S

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

Political Parties And Leaders

Alliance for Change and Progress or AMP [Xanana GUSMAO] (alliance includes CNRT, KHUNTO, PLP) Democratic Development Forum or DDF Democratic Party or PD Frenti-Mudanca [Jose Luis GUTERRES] Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO] People's Liberation Party or PLP [Taur Matan RUAK] Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI]

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

2.4 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

300 million (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-75.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

14.05%

31 December 2017

13.29%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$544 million

2017

-$284 million

Debt External

31 December 2013

$687 million

31 December 2014

$311.5 million

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2002

38

2007

31.9

Economy Overview

Since 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 offshore oil and gas resources 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 capability.In June 2005, the National Parliament unanimously approved the creation of the Timor-Leste 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 billion, as of mid-2016. Oil accounts for over 90% of government revenues, and the drop in the price of oil in 2014-16 has led to concerns about the long-term sustainability of government spending. Timor-Leste compensated for the decline in price by exporting more oil. 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 through 2016. Historically, the government failed to spend as much as its budget allowed. The government has focused significant resources on basic infrastructure, including electricity and roads, but 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

2015

$18 million

2017

$16.7 million

Exports Commodities

oil, coffee, sandalwood, marble

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

78.4% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

30% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

33% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-52% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

10.6% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

9.1% (2017 est.)

Industry

56.7% (2017 est.)

Services

34.4% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$2.775 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$6,200

2016

$6,400

2017

$6,000

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$7.391 billion

2016

$7.784 billion

2017

$7.426 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

4%

2016

5.3%

2017

-4.6%

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

27% (2007)

Lowest 10

4%

Imports

2016

$558.6 million

2017

$681.2 million

Imports Commodities

food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Industrial Production Growth Rate

2% (2017 est.)

Industries

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

-1.3%

2017

0.6%

Labor Force

286,700 (2016 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

41%

Industry

13%

Services

45.1% (2013)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

41.8% (2014 est.)

Public Debt

2016

3.1% of GDP

2017

3.8% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2015

$437.8 million

31 December 2017

$544.4 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$464.1 million

31 December 2017

$563.3 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

-$212 million

31 December 2017

-$213 million

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$464.1 million

31 December 2017

$563.3 million

Taxes And Other Revenues

10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2010

3.9%

2014

4.4%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

533,400 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

62,060 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

33,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

49.2% (2016)

Electrification Total Population

63.4% (2016)

Electrification Urban Areas

91.7% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2017 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

100% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

600 kW NA (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

0 kWh NA (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

5.776 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

5.776 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

200 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

3,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

3,481 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

Total

3,346

Broadcast Media

7 TV stations (3 nationwide satellite coverage; 2 terrestrial coverage, mostly in Dili; 2 cable) and 21 radio stations (3 nationwide coverage) (2019)

Internet Country Code

.tl

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

25.2% (July 2016 est.)

Total

318,373

Telephone System

Domestic

system suffered significant damage during the violence associated with independence; limited fixed-line services; less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular services have been expanding and are now available in urban and most rural areas with teledensity of 120 per 100 (2018)

General Assessment

rudimentary service in urban and some rural areas, which is expanding with the entrance of new competitors; 3G LTE service, with about 97% of population having access, among 3 mobile operators; increase in mobile broadband penetration (2018)

International

country code - 670; international service is available; geostationary earth orbit satellite agreement in the works

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

2,364

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

120 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

1,546,624

Airports

6 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2013)

2 438 To 3 047 M

1 (2013)

Total

2 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 To 1 523 M

2 (2013)

Total

4 (2013)

Under 914 M

2 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

4W (2016)

Heliports

8 (2013)

Ports And Terminals

Dili

Roadways

Paved

2,600 km (2008)

Total

6,040 km (2008)

Unpaved

3,440 km (2008)

Military And Security Forces

Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Headquarters with Land and Naval components (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

0.73% of GDP

2015

1.19% of GDP

2016

0.97% of GDP

2017

0.86% of GDP

2018

0.61% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-month service obligation (2019)

Disputes International

three stretches of land borders with Indonesia 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; Timor-Leste and Australia reached agreement on a treaty delimiting a permanent maritime boundary in March 2018; the treaty will enter into force once ratified by the two countries' parliaments

Trafficking In Persons

Current Situation

Timor-Leste is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Timorese women and girls from rural areas are lured to the capital with promises of legitimate jobs or education prospects and are then forced into prostitution or domestic servitude, and other women and girls may be sent to Indonesia for domestic servitude; Timorese family members force children into bonded domestic or agricultural labor to repay debts; foreign migrant women are vulnerable 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; in 2014, legislation was drafted but not finalized or implemented that outlines procedures for screening potential trafficking victims; law enforcement made modest progress, including one conviction for sex trafficking, but efforts are hindered by prosecutors’ and judges’ lack of expertise in applying anti-trafficking laws effectively; the government rescued two child victims with support from an NGO but did not provide protective services (2015)