Timor-Leste

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Internet country code

.tp

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Telephone system

NA

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

NA

Agriculture - products

coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Budget

revenues: $36 million expenditures: $97 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 est.)

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

IDR

Debt - external

$NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38 (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Economy - overview

In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure and the strengthening of the infant civil administration. One promising long-term project is the planned development of oil resources in nearby waters.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

see US dollar

Exports

$8 million (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports

Exports - partners

NA

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 25.4% industry: 17.2% services: 57.4% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

18% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$237 million (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

mainly food (2001)

Imports - partners

NA

Industrial production growth rate

8.5%

Industries

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

NA

Population below poverty line

42% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate

50% (including underemployment)

Area

total: 15,007 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Connecticut

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Coastline

706 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Environment - current issues

widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements

NA

Geographic coordinates

8 50 S, 125 55 E

Geography - note

Timor comes from the Malay word for "Orient;" the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Irrigated land

1,065 sq km (est.)

Land boundaries

total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Land use

arable land: NA% other: NA% permanent crops: NA%

Location

Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - East Timor 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: NA NM extended fishing zone: NA NM territorial sea: NA NM exclusive fishing zone: NA NM continental shelf: NA NM exclusive economic zone: NA NM

Natural hazards

floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones

Natural resources

gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Terrain

mountainous

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

Capital

Dili

Constitution

22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Country name

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste conventional short form: East Timor local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese] former: Portuguese Timor local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES embassy: Vila 10, Avenida de Portugal, Farol, Dili mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 telephone: (670) 332-4684, 331-3205/3160/3472 FAX: (670) 331-3206

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York) (2003) FAX: 202 965-1517 telephone: 202 965-1515 chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jose Alexander GUSMAO (since 20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto some legislation; he often is referred to as Xanana GUSMAO head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20 May 2002) cabinet: Council of State elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a precedent for the future election results: Jose Alexander GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Jose Alexander GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3%

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; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle

Government type

republic

Independence

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

International organization participation

AsDB, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IMF, Interpol, UN, WHO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice, one judge appointed by the National Parliament and the rest appointed by the Superior Council for the Judiciary

Legal system

UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law (2002)

Legislative branch

unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis elections: last held 30 August 2001 (next to be held NA August 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Political parties and leaders

Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader NA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos DA COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Background

The Portuguese colony of 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. A 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, the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. During 1999-2001, pro-integrationist militias - supported by Indonesia - conducted indiscriminate violence. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's newest democracy.

Military branches

The East Timor Defense Force or FALINTIL-FDTL comprises a light-infantry Army and a small Naval component; note - plans are to develop a force of 1,500 active personnel and 1,500 reserve personnel over the next five years

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

NA

Military manpower - fit for military service

NA

Military manpower - military age

18-21 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

NA

Age structure

NA (2003 est.)

Birth rate

27.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 50.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 57.05 deaths/1,000 live births

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.2 years female: 67.55 years (2003 est.) male: 62.97 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48% (2001) male: NA% female: NA%

Median age

total: 19.7 years female: 19.6 years (2002) male: 19.8 years

Nationality

noun: Timorese adjective: Timorese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

997,853 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (2002 est.) (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

2.13% (2003 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets regularly to survey and delimit the land boundary; some East Timor refugees delay return from camps in Indonesia; maritime delimitation and resource-sharing agreements signed with Australia resolved dispute over "Timor Gap" hydrocarbon reserves, but maritime agreement with Indonesia awaits further discussions

Illicit drugs

NA

Airports

8 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,427 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Heliports

1 (2002)

Highways

total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Merchant marine

total: NA ships by type: NA

Pipelines

NA

Ports and harbors

NA

Railways

0 km

Waterways

NA