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 East Timor 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, East Timor 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, East Timor 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, East Timor is one of the world's poorest nations, with an economy that relies heavily on energy resources in the Timor Sea.

Area
Total: 14,874 km²
Land: 14,874 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut; almost half the size of Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 253 km
Border countries (1): (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
Highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
Lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 23% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 7.5% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 10.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 71% (2023 est.)
Other: 6% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 350 km² (2012)

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

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 East Timor proper by Indonesia; East Timor is the only Asian country located completely in the Southern Hemisphere

Population
Total: 1,506,909 (2024 est.)
Male: 750,665
Female: 756,244
Distribution: most of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili
Growth rate: 2.04% (2024 est.)

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: 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.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.7% (male 299,929/female 283,416)
15-64 years: 56.8% (male 418,493/female 437,727)
65 years and over: 4.5% (2024 est.) (male 32,243/female 35,101)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 63.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 56.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 13 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 20.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 19.8 years
Female: 21.3 years

Population growth rate: 2.04% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 29.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 281,000 DILI (capital) (2018)

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 192 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 32.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 68.9 years
Female: 72.3 years

Total fertility rate: 3.98 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 18.4% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 13% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 36% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 26.3% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 31.9% (2020 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 1.7% (2024 est.); 1.6% (2023 est.); 1.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Dili
Geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E
Time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Legal system: civil law system based on the Portuguese model

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2022)
Head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 1 July 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; ministers proposed to the prime minister by the coalition in the Parliament and sworn in by the president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister
Most recent election date: 19 March 2022, with a runoff on 19 April 2022
2022: José RAMOS-HORTA elected president in second round - RAMOS-HORTA (CNRT) 62.1%, Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 37.9%
2017: Francisco GUTERRES elected president; Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, António da CONCEICAO (PD) 32.5%, other 10.4%
Expected date of next election: April 2,027
Note: the president is commander in chief of the military and can veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Parliament
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 65 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 5/21/2023
Parties elected and seats per party: National Congress for the Reconstruction of East Timor (CNRT) (31); Revolutionary Front for an independent East Timor (FRETILIN) (19); Democratic Party (PD) (6); Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO) (5); People's Liberation Party (PLP) (4)
Percentage of women in chamber: 35.4%
Expected date of next election: May 2,028

Flag description: 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

National anthem
Title: 'Patria' (Fatherland)
Lyrics/music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO
History: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when East Timor 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

Real gdp growth rate: -2.2% (2024 est.); -18.1% (2023 est.); -20.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: -2.2% (2024 est.); -18.1% (2023 est.); -20.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 70% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 52.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 22.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -66.4% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.9% (2023 est.)
Industry: 23.9% (2023 est.)
Services: 61% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate: -57% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 615,900 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 1.7% (2024 est.); 1.6% (2023 est.); 1.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 1.7% (2024 est.); 1.6% (2023 est.); 1.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $1.877 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $1.826 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 21.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $278.047 million (2024 est.); $701.808 million (2023 est.); $1.858 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, coffee, scrap iron, telephones (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $1.197 billion (2024 est.); $1.169 billion (2023 est.); $1.286 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, rice, cars, plastic products, trucks (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 277,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 411.519 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 99.481 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 99.7% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 100%
Access electrification - rural areas: 100%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 122,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 660,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 660,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 6.825 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1.56 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 34% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 0 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 11 (2025)

Heliports: 2 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 1 (2023)
By type: other 1