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.
East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste (Tetum: Timor Lorosae; officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor. The small country of 15,410 km²[5] (5,400 sq mi) is located about 640 km (400 mi) northwest of Darwin, Australia.

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 Location.
8 50 S, 125 55 E

AREA
total: 14,874 sq km
country comparison to the world: 159
land: 14,874 sq km
water: 0 sq km

CLIMATE
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

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

POPULATION
1,131,612
country comparison to the world: 156
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2009 est.)

AGE STRUCTURE
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 199,237/female 192,900)
15-64 years: 61.9% (male 356,772/female 344,103)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 18,403/female 20,197) (2009 est.)


Median age:

total: 21.8 years
male: 21.8 years
female: 21.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:

2.027% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Birth rate:

26.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Death rate:

5.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Net migration rate:

NA
Urbanization:

urban population: 27% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 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: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:

total: 40.65 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 67
male: 46.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 34.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.27 years
country comparison to the world: 155
male: 64.92 years
female: 69.75 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:

3.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62


Nationality:

noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese
Ethnic groups:

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

Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)
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%
male: NA
female: NA (2002)+

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay)
conventional short form: Timor-Leste
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
Government type:

republic
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:

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 (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence:

28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia
National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
Constitution:

22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)
Legal system:

On 29 March 2009 the president promulgated the Timor-Leste penal code; UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place for civil codes but is to be replaced by civil codes based on Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2007); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections
head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007), note - he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO; Vice Prime Minister Mario Viegas CARRASCALAO (since 5 March 2009); Vice Prime Minister Jose Luis GUTERRES (since 8 August 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election was last held on 9 April 2007 with run-off on 8 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012); following elections, president appoints leader of majority party or majority coalition as prime minister
election results: Jose RAMOS-HORTA elected president; percent of vote - Jose RAMOS-HORTA 69.2%, Francisco GUTTERES 30.8%
Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary from 52 to 65; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 30 June 2007 (next elections due by June 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 29%, CNRT 24.1%, ASDT-PSD 15.8%, PD 11.3%, PUN 4.5%, KOTA-PPT (Democratic Alliance) 3.2%, UNDERTIM 3.2%, others 8.9%; seats by party - FRETILIN 21, CNRT 18, ASDT-PSD 11, PD 8, PUN 3, KOTA-PPT 2, UNDERTIM 2
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:

Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Xanana GUSMAO]; National Democratic Union of Timorese Resistance or UNDERTIM [Cornelio DA Conceicao GAMA]; National Unity Party or PUN [Fernanda BORGES]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI]; Social Democratic Association of Timor or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Zacarias Albano da COSTA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors or KOTA [Manuel TILMAN] (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes)
Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA
International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN (observer), CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Constancio da Conceicao PINTO
chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504,Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205
Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hans G. KLEMM
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684
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; a white star is in the center of the black triangle


GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 32.2%
industry: 12.8%
services: 55% (2005)
Labor force:

414,200 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 158
Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:

20% (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
note: data are for rural areas, unemployment rises to more than 40% among urban youth
Population below poverty line:

42% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 31.3% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38 (2002 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Budget:

revenues: $733 million
expenditures: $309 million
note: the government in 2008 moved to a fiscal year calendar; it passed a supplementary spending package to cover the latter half of 2008 (FY06/07 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.8% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.11% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 45
15.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:

$102.8 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 121
$74.94 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:

$89.88 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 130
$68.78 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:

$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA
Agriculture - products:

coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla
Industries:

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
Industrial production growth rate:

8.5% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7


Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,400 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 221
Telephones - mobile cellular:

101,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 182
Telephone system:

general assessment: rudimentary service limited to urban areas
domestic: system suffered significant damage during the violence associated with independence; extremely limited fixed-line services; mobile-cellular services and coverage limited primarily to urban areas
international: country code - 670; international service is available in major urban centers
Radio broadcast stations:

at least 21 (Timor-Leste has one national public broadcaster and 20 community and church radio stations - station frequency types NA) (2007)
Television broadcast stations:

1 (Timor-Leste has one national public broadcaster)
Internet country code:

.tl
Internet hosts:

169 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 192
\Airports:

6 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 172
Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Heliports:

8 (2009)
Roadways:

total: 6,040 km
country comparison to the world: 149
paved: 2,600 km
unpaved: 3,440 km (2005)
Merchant marine:

total: 1
country comparison to the world: 156
by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:

Dili

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 100,000 (2007)