| World Regions |
|
Africa Middle East Europe Asia North America Central America The Caribbean South America Oceania World Map Cities Maps Flags Embassies Consulates |
| |
| Introduction | East Timor |
| Background: | 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. 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. 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, anti-independence militias - supported by Indonesia - conducted indiscriminate violence. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state. |
| People | East Timor |
| Population: | 1,019,252 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 37.8% (male 196,007; female 189,584) 15-64 years: 59.2% (male 308,254; female 295,584) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 14,663; female 15,160) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 20 years male: 20.1 years female: 19.9 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.11% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 27.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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 (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 48.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 55.34 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 65.56 years male: 63.31 years female: 67.92 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.7 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Timorese adjective: Timorese |
| Ethnic groups: | Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority |
| Religions: | 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 |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% (2002) |
| Government | East Timor |
| 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] |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | Dili |
| 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: | 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 |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 28 November (1975) |
| Constitution: | 22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model) |
| Legal system: | UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law (2002) |
| Suffrage: | 17 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto some legislation; he formally used the name Jose Alexander 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: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3% |
| 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: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections for national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the national convention named themselves legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the national parliament. 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 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established, Court of Appeals is highest court |
| 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: | the Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL is the largest political pressure group; it rejects the current government and claims to be the rightful government; it is led by Cristiano DA COSTA, a.k.a. Aitahan MATAK; Kolimau 2000 is another opposition group; leader is Dr. BRUNO (NFI) according to Indonesian press |
| International organization participation: | AsDB, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Communications | East Timor |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | NA |
| Telephone system: | NA |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA |
| Radios: | NA |
| Television broadcast stations: | NA |
| Televisions: | NA |
| Internet country code: | .tp |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | NA |
| Internet users: | NA |
| Transportation | East Timor |
| Highways: | total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995) |
| Ports and harbors: | NA |
| Merchant marine: | none |
| Airports: | 8 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | East Timor |
| Military branches: | East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) |
| Military manpower - availability: | NA (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | NA (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | NA (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $4.4 million (FY03) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | NA |
| Transnational Issues | East Timor |
| Disputes - international: | East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which may delay decision on the northern maritime boundaries; numbers of East Timor refugees in Indonesia refuse repatriation; the 1999 maritime delimitation established partial maritime boundaries with Australia over part of the Timor Gap but temporary resource-sharing agreements over an unreconciled area grant Australia a 90% share of exploited gas reserves and hamper creation of a southern maritime boundary with Indonesia |
| Illicit drugs: | NA |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
| Categories | |
|