2021 Edition

Background

Timor was actively involved in Southeast Asian trading networks for centuries and by the 14th century exported aromatic sandalwood, slaves, honey, and wax. A number of local chiefdoms ruled the island in the early 16th century when Portuguese traders arrived, chiefly attracted by the relative abundance of sandalwood on Timor; by mid century, the Portuguese had colonized the island. 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 displaced nearly 500,000. 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. 

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

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; Timor-Leste has the unique distinction of being the only Asian country located completely in the Southern Hemisphere

Irrigated land

350 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Indonesia 253 km

total

253 km

Land use

agricultural land

25.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 10.1% (2018 est.)

forest

49.1% (2018 est.)

other

25.8% (2018 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

39.96% (male 284,353/female 268,562)

15-24 years

20.32% (male 142,693/female 138,508)

25-54 years

30.44% (male 202,331/female 218,914)

55-64 years

5.22% (male 34,956/female 37,229)

65 years and over

4.06% (male 27,153/female 29,024) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

31.45 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

37.5% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

26.1% (2016)

Current Health Expenditure

4.3% (2018)

Death rate

5.67 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Timor-Leste’s high fertility and population growth rates sustain its very youthful age structure – approximately 40% of the population is below the age of 15 and the country’s median age is 20.  While Timor-Leste’s total fertility rate (TFR) – the average number of births per woman – decreased significantly from over 7 in the early 2000s, it remains high at 4.3 in 2021 and will probably continue to decline slowly.  The low use of contraceptives and the traditional preference for large families is keeping fertility elevated.  The high TFR and falling mortality rates continue to fuel a high population growth rate of nearly 2.2%, which is the highest in Southeast Asia.  The country’s high total dependency ratio – a measure of the ratio of dependents to the working-age population – could divert more government spending toward social programs. Timor-Leste’s growing, poorly educated working-age population and insufficient job creation are ongoing problems.  Some 70% of the population lives in rural areas, where most of people are dependent on the agricultural sector.  Malnutrition and poverty are prevalent, with 42% of the population living under the poverty line as of 2014. During the Indonesian occupation (1975-1999) and Timor-Leste’s fight for independence, approximately 250,000 Timorese fled to western Timor and, in lesser numbers, Australia, Portugal, and other countries. Many of these emigrants later returned.  Since Timor-Leste’s 1999 independence referendum, economic motives and periods of conflict have been the main drivers of emigration.  Bilateral labor agreements with Australia, Malaysia, and South Korea and the presence of Timorese populations abroad, are pull factors, but the high cost prevents many young Timorese from emigrating.  Timorese communities are found in its former colonizers, Indonesia and Portugal, as well as the Philippines and the UK.  The country has also become a destination for migrants in the surrounding region, mainly men seeking work in construction, commerce, and services in Dili.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.6

potential support ratio

15.2 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

90.3

youth dependency ratio

83.7

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 72.3% of population

improved: total

total: 80.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 27.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 19.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

6.8% of GDP (2018)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2020)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,200 (2020)

Infant mortality rate

female

30.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

37.85 deaths/1,000 live births

total

34.47 deaths/1,000 live births

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% (2015 est.)

note

note: data represent population by mother tongue; Tetun and Portuguese are official languages; Indonesian and English are working languages; there are about 32 indigenous languages

Life expectancy at birth

female

71.41 years (2021 est.)

male

67.94 years

total population

69.62 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

64.2% (2018)

male

71.9%

total population

68.1%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Major urban areas - population

281,000 DILI (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

20.2 years (2020 est.)

male

18.9 years

total

19.6 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

23 years (2016 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Timorese

noun

Timorese

Net migration rate

-3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.8% (2016)

People - note

one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being the Philippines

Physicians density

0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

1,413,958 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

2.19% (2021 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 50.3% of population

improved: total

total: 62.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 90.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 49.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 57.4% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 9.1% of population

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

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.94 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.32 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

15.9% (2016 est.)

male

10.9%

total

13.2%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31.7% of total population (2021)

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

note

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)

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

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]

note

note: pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant), Charge d'Affaires Thomas DALEY (since August 2021)

email address and website

ConsDili@state.govhttps://tl.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili

FAX

(670) 331-3206

mailing address

8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250

telephone

(670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Isilio Antonio De Fatima COELHO DA SILVA (since 6 January 2020)

email address and website

info@timorlesteembassy.orghttp://www.timorlesteembassy.org/

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)

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

note

note: the UN Justice System Programme, launched in 2003 and being rolled out in 4 phases through 2018, is helping strengthen the country's justice system; the Programme is aligned with the country's long-range Justice Sector Strategic Plan, which includes legal reforms

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)

note

note: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal in 1975; the lyricist, Francisco Borja DA COSTA, was killed in the Indonesian invasion just days after independence was declared

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] (collapsed in 2020; alliance included CNRT, KHUNTO, PLP)Democratic Development Forum or DDFDemocratic Party or PD [Mariano Assanami SABINO]Frenti-Mudanca [Jose Luis GUTERRES]Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO [Jose do Santos NAIMORI Bucar]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

Agricultural products

rice, maize, vegetables, coffee, roots/tubers nes, other meats, cassava, pork, beans, mangoes/guavas

Budget

expenditures

2.4 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

300 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$544 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$284 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2013

$687 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2014

$311.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Economic 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

Exports 2018

$120 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$120 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$60 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, natural gas, coffee, various vegetables, scrap iron (2019)

Exports - partners

Singapore 51%, China 20%, Japan 9%, Indonesia 6% (2019)

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.)

note

note: non-oil GDP

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2002

38 (2002 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

28.7 (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27% (2007)

lowest 10%

4%

Imports

Imports 2018

$1.06 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$1.04 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$850 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, cement, delivery trucks, motorcycles (2019)

Imports - partners

Indonesia 39%, China 27%, Singapore 10%, Malaysia 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2017 est.)

Industries

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-1.3% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.6% (2017 est.)

Labor force

286,700 (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

41%

industry

13%

services

45.1% (2013)

Population below poverty line

41.8% (2014 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

3.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$3.87 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$4.59 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$4.19 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

4% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

5.3% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-4.6% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$3,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: excludes assets of approximately $9.7 billion in the Petroleum Fund (31 December 2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2015

$437.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$544.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2010

3.9% (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate 2014

4.4% (2014 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

15.9% (2016 est.)

male

10.9%

total

13.2%

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 - consumption

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2017 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2018 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

0% of total installed capacity (2018 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

600 kW NA (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

0 kWh NA (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

79.2% (2018)

electrification - total population

85.6% (2018)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2018)

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 (2020 est.)

total

75 (2020)

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

27.49% (2019 est.)

total

599,700 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

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 110 per 100 (2019)

general assessment

following years of civil unrest, the government and operators are working toward rebuilding key infrastructure, including telecommunications networks; service in urban and some rural areas expanding with competition; most of the population has access to 4G LTE service; increase in mobile-broadband penetration; government aims to boost e-government services with new national terrestrial fiber-optic network; launch of satellite and approval for submarine cable link to Australia will boost sector growth; importer of broadcasting equipment from Indonesia and China (2020)

international

country code - 670;  international service is available; partnership with Australia telecom companies for potential deployment of a submarine fiber-optic link (NWCS); geostationary earth orbit satellite

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

2,012 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

104.5 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

1,377,915 (2020)

Airports

total

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

914 to 1,523 m

2

total

4

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

4W

Heliports

8 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

other 1 (2021)

total

1

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

2

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Dili

Roadways

paved

2,600 km (2008)

total

6,040 km (2008)

unpaved

3,440 km (2008)

Military - note

since achieving independence, Timor-Leste has received security assistance from or has made defense cooperation arrangements with Australia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, the UN, and the US; some F-FDTL personnel train with the Indonesian military and the two countries maintain a joint Border Security Task Force to jointly monitor and patrol the border, particularly the Oecussi exclave area where smuggling and trafficking are prevalent the F-FDTL is a small force comprised of 2 infantry battalions and operates fewer than 10 patrol boats; it does not have any combat aircraft

Military and security forces

Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Joint Headquarters with Land, Air, Naval, Service Support, and Education/Training components; National Police (Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste, PNTL) (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Timor-Leste Defense Force is comprised of approximately 2,000 personnel (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

Timor-Leste Defense Force's limited inventory consists of equipment donated by other countries; the only recorded deliveries of major arms to Timor-Leste since 2010 are naval patrol craft from China and South Korea (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

0.9% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

0.7% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-month service obligation (2021)

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

Illicit drugs

NA

Trafficking in persons

current situation

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Timor-Leste, and traffickers exploit victims from Timor-Leste abroad; traffickers exploit Timorese women, girls, and occasionally young men and boys from rural areas in sex trafficking or domestic servitude; Timorese men are exploited in forced labor in agriculture, construction, and mining; families place children in bonded domestic and agricultural labor to pay debts; traffickers deceive young men and women with promises of a scholarship or employment opportunities in Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries in the region only taking them to a different county, taking their passports, and forcing them into labor, including domestic servitude; sex traffickers in Timor-Leste prey on foreign women from East and Southeast Asia; traffickers also recruit Timorese women to send them to China, Indonesia, or Malaysia for commercial sex

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Timor-Leste does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; efforts include re-establishing funding to NGOs for victim services and integrating an anti-trafficking curriculum for officials; however, authorities decreased investigations and convictions; victim protection services were inadequate, and no government-wide standard operating procedures for victim identification were implemented; understanding of trafficking remains low among officials (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.5 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.74 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

17.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Land use

agricultural land

25.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 10.1% (2018 est.)

forest

49.1% (2018 est.)

other

25.8% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.13% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8.215 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.071 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

99 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31.7% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

63,875 tons (2016 est.)