Statistical information Timor-Leste 2017

Timor-Leste in the World

Timor-Leste - Introduction 2017

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 1400 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 1600 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.

Timor-Leste - Geography 2017

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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

Geographic coordinates: 8 50 S 125 55 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 14,874 km²
Land: 14,874 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 160
Comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 253 km
Border countries: (1) Indonesia 253 km

Coastline: 706 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain: mountainous

Elevation
Mean elevation: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea Savu Sea and Banda Sea 0 m: highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources: gold petroleum natural gas manganese marble

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 25.1%

arable land: 10.1%
permanent crops: 4.9%
permanent pasture: 10.1%

Forest: 49.1%
Other: 25.8%

Irrigated land: 350 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones

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

Timor-Leste - People 2017

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Population
Distribution: most of the population concentrated in the western third of the country particularly around Dili: 1,291,358 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 157
Growth rate: 2.36% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 28
Below poverty line: 41.8% (2014 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Timorese
Adjective: Timorese

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

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%
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

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 40.91%
15-24 years: 20.32%
25-54 years: 29.95%
55-64 years: 4.94%
65 years and over: 3.87% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 90.3
Youth dependency ratio: 83.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.6
Potential support ratio: 15.2

Median age
Total: 18.9 years
Male: 18.3 years
Female: 19.6 years
Rank: 205

Population growth rate: 2.36% (2017 est.)
Rank: 28

Birth rate: 33.4 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 27

Death rate: 5.9 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 171

Net migration rate: -3.9 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 182

Population distribution: most of the population concentrated in the western third of the country particularly around Dili

Urbanization
Urban population: 34% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3.63% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: DILI (capital) 228,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male/female
25-54 years: 0.93 male/female
55-64 years: 1.04 male/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 22.1 years
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 35.1 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 37.9 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 32.1 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 54

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.4 years
Male: 66.8 years
Female: 70.1 years
Rank: 166

Total fertility rate: 4.79 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 16

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 22.3% (2009/10)

Drinking water source:

urban: 95.2% of population
rural: 60.5% of population
total: 71.9% of population
urban: 4.8% of population
rural: 39.5% of population
total: 28.1% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.08 physicians/1000 population (2011)

Hospital bed density: 5.9 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

urban: 69% of population
rural: 26.8% of population
total: 40.6% of population
urban: 31% of population
rural: 73.2% of population
total: 59.4% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 3.8% (2016)
Rank: 190

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 37.7% (2013)
Rank: 1

Education expenditures: 7.9% of GDP (2014)
Rank: 7

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 67.5%
Male: 71.5%
Female: 63.4%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 13 years

Youth unemployment

Timor-Leste - Government 2017

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Country name
Conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
Conventional short form: Timor-Leste
Note: pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay
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: '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'

Government type: semi-presidential republic

Capital
Name: Dili
Geographic coordinates: 8 35 S 125 36 E
Time difference: UTC+9

Administrative divisions: 13 administrative districts; Aileu Ainaro Baucau Bobonaro (Maliana) Cova-Lima (Suai) Dili Ermera (Gleno) Lautem (Los Palos) Liquica Manatuto Manufahi (Same) Oecussi (Ambeno) Viqueque
Note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers

Dependent areas

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

National holiday: Restoration of Independence Day 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day 28 November (1975)

Constitution: drafted 2001 approved 22 March 2002 entered into force 20 May 2002 (2016)

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

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Francisco GUTERRES ; note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is the commander in chief of the military and is able to veto legislation dissolve parliament and call national elections
Head of government: Prime Minister Mari ALKATIRI
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year 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
Election results: Francisco GUTERRES elected president on 20 March 2017; percent of vote - Francisco GUTERRES 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%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Parliament
Elections: elections were held on 22 July 2017
Election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 29.7% CNRT 29.5% PLP 10.6% PD 9.8% KHUNTO 6.4% other 14%; seats by party - FRETILIN 23 CNRT 22 PLP 8 PD 7 KHUNTO 5

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of Justice
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other Supreme Court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary a body presided by the Supreme Court president and includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other Supreme Court judges appointed for life
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Administrative Tax and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military courts
Note: the UN Justice System Programme launched in 2003 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 reform

Political parties and leaders:

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]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Domingos Sarmento ALVES
In the us chancery: 4,201 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 504 Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 966-3,202
In the us FAX: [1] 966-3,205
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Karen STANTON
From the us embassy: Avenida de Portugal Praia dos Coqueiros Dili
From the us mailing address: US Department of State 8,250 Dili Place Washington DC 20,521-8,250
From the us telephone: 332-4,684
From the us FAX: 331-3,206

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

National symbols: Mount Ramelau; national colors: red yellow black white

National anthem
Name: 'Patria'
Lyrics and music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO
Note: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal in 1975; the lyricist Fransisco Borja DA COSTA was killed in the Indonesian invasion just days after independence was declared

National heritage

Timor-Leste - Economy 2017

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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 capacity.
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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

$6.597 billion (2016 est.)
$7.093 billion (2015 est.)
$5.805 billion (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 174

Real gdp growth rate:

5% (2016 est.)
4% (2015 est.)
4.3% (2014 est.)

Rank: 36

Real gdp per capita:

$5,400 (2016 est.)
$5,300 (2015 est.)
$5,200 (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 176

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 28.2%
Government consumption: 31%
Investment in fixed capital: 20.2%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 69.5%
Imports of goods and services: -49%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 9.2%
Industry: 57.8%
Services: 31.6%

Agriculture products: coffee rice corn cassava (manioc tapioca) sweet potatoes soybeans cabbage mangoes bananas vanilla

Industries: printing soap manufacturing handicrafts woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2016 est.)
Rank: 84

Labor force: 286,700 (2016 est.)
Rank: 165
By occupation agriculture: 64%
By occupation industry: 10%
By occupation services: 26%

Labor force

Unemployment rate:

4.4% (2014 est.)
3.9% (2010 est.)

Rank: 58

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 41.8% (2014 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4%
Highest 10: 27%

Distribution of family income gini index:

31.9 (2007 est.)
38 (2002 est.)

Rank: 117

Budget
Revenues: $300 million
Expenditures: $2.2 billion
Surplus or deficit: -76.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 221

Taxes and other revenues: 12% of GDP (2016 est.)
Rank: 207

Public debt:

0% of GDP (2016)
0% of GDP (2015)

Rank: 205

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

-1.3% (2016 est.)
0.6% (2015 est.)

Rank: 10

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.22% (31 December 2016 est.)
13.5% (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 50

Stock of narrow money:

$464.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$397.7 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 167

Stock of broad money:

$733.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$642.4 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 176

Stock of domestic credit:

$-200 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$-127 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 191

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance:

$-523 million (2016 est.)
$224.8 million (2015 est.)

Rank: 102

Exports: $20 million (2016 est.)
Rank: 211
Commodities: oil coffee sandalwood marble
Commodities note: potential for vanilla exports

Imports: $558.6 million (2016 est.)
Rank: 191
Commodities: food gasoline kerosene machinery

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external:

$311.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$687 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Rank: 185

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Timor-Leste - Energy 2017

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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 744,032
Access electrification total population: 42%
Access electrification urban areas: 78%
Access electrification rural areas: 27%
Production: 0 kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 221
Consumption: 0 kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 220
Exports: 0 kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 206
Imports: 0 kWh (2015 est.)
Imports rank: 210
Installed generating capacity: NA kW (2015 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 49,240 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 56
Crude oil exports: 74,230 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 39
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 199
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 203

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 204
Products consumption: 3,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 187
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 205
Products imports: 3,055 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 179

Natural gas
Production: 7.7 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Production rank: 46
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 139
Exports: 7.7 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 26
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 197
Proven reserves: 200 billion m³ (1 January 2006 es)
Proven reserves rank: 46

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 500,000 Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 183

Energy consumption per capita

Timor-Leste - Communication 2017

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,720
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1
Fixed lines rank: 212
Mobile cellular total: 1,492,124
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118
Mobile cellular rank: 163

Telephone system
General assessment: rudimentary service in urban and some rural areas which is expanding with the entrance of new competitors
Domestic: system suffered significant damage during the violence associated with independence; limited fixed-line services; mobile-cellular services have been expanding and are now available in urban and most rural areas
International: country code - 670; international service is available

Broadcast media: 7 TV stations (2 nationwide satellite coverage; 3 terrestrial coverage mostly in Dili; 2 cable) and 21 radio stations (3 nationwide coverage) (2017)

Internet
Country code: .tl
Users total: 318,373
Users percent of population: 25.2%
Users rank: 205

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Timor-Leste - Military 2017

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Military expenditures:

2.56% of GDP (2015)
2.12% of GDP (2014)
2.42% of GDP (2013)
2.58% of GDP (2012)
1.79% of GDP (2011)

Rank: 23

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-month service obligation; no conscription but as of May 2013 introduction of conscription was under discussion (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups

Timor-Leste - Transportation 2017

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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4W (2016)

Airports: 6 (2013)
Rank: 176
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2

Heliports: 8 (2013)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 6,040 km
Paved: 2,600 km
Unpaved: 3,440 km
Rank: 149

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1
By type: passenger/cargo 1
Rank: 152

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Dili

Timor-Leste - Transnational issues 2017

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Disputes international: three stretches of land borders with Timor-Leste 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; in 2007 Australia and Timor-Leste signed a 50-year development zone and revenue sharing agreement in lieu of a maritime boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: NA