2022 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 National 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.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

30.94 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.2% (2016 est.)

women married by age 15

2.6%

women married by age 18

14.9%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

37.5% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

26.1% (2016)

Current health expenditure

7.2% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2022 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

8.9

potential support ratio

11.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

90.3

youth dependency ratio

59.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 82.5% of population

improved: total

total: 87.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 17.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 12.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2% of population

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

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% (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

30.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

36.96 deaths/1,000 live births

total

33.69 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

71.7 years (2022 est.)

male

68.25 years

total population

69.92 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: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Timorese

noun

Timorese

Net migration rate

-3.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 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

0.76 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

1,445,006 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

2.15% (2022 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 56.1% of population

improved: total

total: 66.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 88.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 43.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 33.7% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 11.3% of population

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

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

female

10.8% (2020 est.)

male

67.6% (2020 est.)

total

39.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.21 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

32.5% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

15.9% (2016 est.)

male

10.9%

total

13.2%

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 José RAMOS-HORTA (since May 2022); note - the president is commander in chief of the military and is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections

election results

2022: José RAMOS-HORTA elected president in a run-off election -  RAMOS-HORTA (CNRT) 62.1%, Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 37.9%2017: Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, António da CONCEICAO (PD) 32.46%

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); last election held in April 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 court(s)

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 closed, party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method 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

Democratic Party or PD [Mariano Assanami SABINO Lopes]Frenti-Mudanca (Front for National Reconstruction of Timor-Leste - Change) or FM [Jose Luis GUTERRES]Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO [Armanda BERTA DOS SANTOS]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]Timorese Democratic Union or UDT [Gilman SANTOS]

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

Exports 2019

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

Exports 2020

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

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

Imports 2019

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

Imports 2020

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

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 (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$4.59 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$4.19 billion (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 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,600 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,200 (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.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

15.9% (2016 est.)

male

10.9%

total

13.2%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

538,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

538,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

-103 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

284,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

103 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

79.2% (2018)

electrification - total population

85.6% (2018)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2018)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

5.74 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

5,104,670,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

5,104,670,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

32,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

3,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

14,000 bbl/day (2021 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

0.01 (2020 est.)

total

75 (2020 est.)

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

29% (2020 est.)

total

382,348 (2020 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 are now available in urban and most rural areas with teledensity of over 104 per 100 (2020)

general assessment

Timor-Leste has been moving forward with the regeneration of its economy and rebuilding key infrastructure, including telecommunications networks, that were destroyed during the years of civil unrest; fixed-line and fixed broadband penetration in Timor-Leste remains extremely low, mainly due to the limited fixed-line infrastructure and the proliferation of mobile connectivity; in an effort to boost e-government services; the number of subscribers through to 2026 is expected to develop steadily, though from a low base; by August 2020, Timor-Leste had three telecom service providers who jointly achieved a 98% network coverage nationally; the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development, strong growth is predicted over the next five years; at the end of 2020, the government issued new policy guidelines to maximize the use of spectrum in Timor-Leste; it invited mobile operators to submit applications for the allocation of spectrum in the 1800MHz, 2300MHz and 2600MHz bands; in November 2020, the government approved the deployment of a submarine fiber link connecting the south of the country to Australia via the North Western Cable System (NWCS) (2021)

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 a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2020 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

2,012 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

110.22 (2019)

total subscriptions

1,425,260 (2019)

Airports

total

6 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2021)

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 (2021)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

4W

Heliports

8 (2021)

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 (2022)

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; Ministry of Interior: National Police (Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste, PNTL) (2022)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military is lightly armed and has a limited inventory consisting of equipment donated by other countries; since 2010 it has received small amounts of material from China, South Korea, and the US (2022)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2017

1.6% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $35 million)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.3% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $30 million)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.7% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $45 million)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory service was  authorized in 2020 for men and women aged 18-30 for 18 months of service, but the level of implementation is unclear  (2021)

Disputes - international

Timor-Leste-Australia: Timor-Leste and Australia reached agreement on a treaty delimiting a permanent maritime boundary in March 2018; both countries ratified the treaty in August 2019 Timor-Leste-Indonesia: 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; between 2005 and 2015, 500 border landmarks were placed and another 200 were proposed

Illicit drugs

NA

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

32.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

63,875 tons (2016 est.)