| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Southeast Asia |
| Geographical Location |
8° 50' South Latitude
125° 55' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
15,007 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons |
| Natural Resources |
Gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble |
|
| Political Information |
 |
|
| Country Name |
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste |
| Capital City |
Dili |
| Government Type |
Republic |
| Administrative Divisions |
13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque |
| Independence Day |
28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal);
note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia |
|
| Demographical Information |
|
|
| Population |
1,040,880 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Timorese |
| Ethnic Groups |
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.) |
| Languages |
Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people |
| Population Growth Rate |
2.09% (2005 est.) |
|
| Economical Information |
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|
| Currency |
US dollar (USD) |
| Industries |
Printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth |
| Labor Force |
NA |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
NA |
| Agriculture Products |
Coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla |
| Export Commodities |
Coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports |
| Export Partners |
Portugal, Taiwan, Germany, US, Indonesia, Australia |
| Import Commodities |
Food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery |
| Import Partners |
Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Portugal, Malaysia, China |
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| Transportation |
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|
| Railways |
- |
| Highways |
3,800 km |
| Pipelines |
- |
| Airports |
8 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Dili |
|
| Communication |
|
|
| Phone Code |
+670 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.tl |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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 East 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 East Timor.
An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives.
On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia.
Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported
by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed
300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools,
and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET)
deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state. |
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