Timor-Leste
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
The island of Timor was actively involved in Southeast Asian trading networks for centuries, and by the 14th century, it exported sandalwood, slaves, honey, and wax. The sandalwood trade attracted the Portuguese, who arrived in the early 16th century; by mid-century, they had colonized the island, which was previously ruled by local chieftains. In 1859, Portugal ceded the western portion of the island to the Dutch. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. The eastern part of Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975, but Indonesian forces invaded and occupied the area nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in 1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor or Timor Leste). Indonesia conducted an unsuccessful pacification campaign in the province over the next two decades, during which as many as 250,000 people died. In a UN-supervised referendum in 1999, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. However, anti-independence Timorese militias -- organized and supported by the Indonesian military -- began a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution, killing approximately 1,400 Timorese and displacing nearly 500,000. Most of the country's infrastructure was destroyed, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, schools, and most of the electrical grid. Australian-led peacekeeping troops eventually deployed to the country and ended the violence. In 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. In 2006, Australia and the UN had to step in again to stabilize the country, which allowed presidential and parliamentary elections to be conducted in 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In 2008, rebels staged an unsuccessful attack against the president and prime minister. Since that attack, Timor-Leste has made considerable progress in building stability and democratic institutions, holding a series of successful parliamentary and presidential elections since 2012. Nonetheless, weak and unstable political coalitions have led to periodic episodes of stalemate and crisis. The UN continues to provide assistance on economic development and strengthening governing institutions. Currently, Timor-Leste is one of the world's poorest nations, with an economy that relies heavily on energy resources in the Timor Sea.
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
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
706 km
Geography - note
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 is the only Asian country located completely in the Southern Hemisphere
Irrigated land
350 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones
Natural resources
Terrain
mountainous
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
31.9% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56.4% (2022 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 62 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 54.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.9 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
5.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.3% national budget (2025 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
1.35 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
11.4% of GDP (2021) 8.9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 41.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 72.5% (2022 est.) male: 73.1% (2022 est.) female: 71.8% (2022 est.)
Major urban areas - population
281,000 DILI (capital) (2018)
Maternal mortality ratio
192 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
23 years (2016 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Nationality
noun: Timorese adjective: Timorese
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
3.8% (2016)
People - note
one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being the Philippines
Physician density
0.75 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Population distribution
most of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili
Religions
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 36.1% (2025 est.) male: 62.6% (2025 est.) female: 8.9% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 63,900 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.5% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
red with a black isosceles triangle (based on the left side) on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; a white star is in the center of the black triangle
Detailed Government Information
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: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses
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
history: drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002 amendment process: 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
Country name
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste conventional short form: Timor-Leste 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) former: East Timor, Portuguese Timor etymology: the name partly derives from the Indonesian and Malay word timur, meaning "east;" leste is the Portuguese word for "east," so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East" note: pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
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 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
Political parties
Democratic Party or PD National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT National Unity of the Sons of Timor (Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO) People's Liberation Party or PLP Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN
Suffrage
17 years of age; universal
Economic Overview
lower middle-income Southeast Asian economy; government expenditures funded via oil fund drawdowns; endemic corruption undermines growth; foreign aid-dependent; wide-scale poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
-$529.738 million (2024 est.) -$177.336 million (2023 est.) $408.059 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
$238.042 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
-57% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.1% (2024 est.) 8.4% (2023 est.) 7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Remittances
11.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 9.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$736.967 million (2024 est.) $781.995 million (2023 est.) $830.81 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
21.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
approximately 2,000 Defense Forces (2025)
Service & Defense Details
Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Land Component, Air Force Component, Naval Component Ministry of Interior: National Police of Timor-Leste (Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste, PNTL) (2025)
the military is lightly armed with a limited inventory consisting mostly of donated equipment from countries such as Australia, China, Portugal, South Korea, and the US (2025)
the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) has both external defense and internal security roles; it also engages in national development missions, international peacekeeping, and regional security cooperation; the F-FDTL has ties with a variety of partners, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, the UN, and the US (2025)
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; according to Timorese law on military service, all citizens 18-30 must contribute to the defense of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country and render their contribution through defense and security institutions (2025)