THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

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

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 references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 14,874 sq km
land: 14,874 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut; almost half the size of Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 253 km
border countries: 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
Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
Land use: agricultural land: 23% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 10.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 71% (2023 est.)
other: 6% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 350 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: most of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili
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 Timor-Leste proper by Indonesia; Timor-Leste is the only Asian country located completely in the Southern Hemisphere

Population: total: 1,404,785 (2025 est.)
male: 693,940
female: 710,845
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% (2015 est.)
Religions: Catholic 90.7%, other 7.1%, Protestant Evangelical 1.9%; less than 1%: Islam, Buddhist, Hindu (2022 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: 62 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 54.3 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 12.9 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 23 years (2025 est.)
male: 19.8 years
female: 21.3 years
Population growth rate: 1.28% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 23.39 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 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.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 23 years (2016 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 192 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 41.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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: 2.79 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.35 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 81.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 87% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 18.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 13% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 11.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 8.9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.75 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 64% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 73.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 36% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 26.3% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 3.8% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 36.1% (2025 est.)
male: 62.6% (2025 est.)
female: 8.9% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 31.9% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 56.4% (2022 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 2.6% (2016)
women married by age 18: 14.9% (2016)
men married by age 18: 1.2% (2016)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 4.3% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 72.5% (2022 est.)
male: 73.1% (2022 est.)
female: 71.8% (2022 est.)
People - note: one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being the Philippines

Environmental issues: air pollution and deterioration of air quality; water quality, scarcity, and access; land and soil degradation; forest depletion; deforestation and soil erosion from slash-and-burn agriculture; loss of biodiversity
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
Land use: agricultural land: 23% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 10.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 71% (2023 est.)
other: 6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 660,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 660,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 20.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 63,900 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.5% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 99 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 1.071 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 8.215 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
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
etymology: the name partly derives from the Indonesian and Malay word timur, meaning "east;" leste is the Portuguese word for "east," so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East"
Government type: semi-presidential 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: 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
Legal system: civil law system based on the Portuguese model
Constitution: history: drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002
amendment process: proposed by Parliament and parliamentary groups; consideration of amendments requires at least four-fifths majority approval by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by Parliament and promulgation by the president of the republic; passage of amendments to the republican form of government and the flag requires approval in a referendum
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 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
election results: 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 2027
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 Timor-Leste (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 2028
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Court of Appeals (consists of the court president and NA judges)
judge selection and term of office: court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body chaired by the court president and that includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other judges serve for life
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military courts
Political parties: Democratic Party or PD National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT National Unity of the Sons of Timor (Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO) People's Liberation Party or PLP Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador José Luis GUTERRES (since 17 June 2024)
chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205
email address and website: info@timorlesteembassy.org
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Bruce BEGNELL (since July 2025)
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili
mailing address: 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400
FAX: (670) 331-3206
email address and website: ConsDili@state.govhttps://tl.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN, 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
Independence: 28 November 1975 (from Portugal); 20 May 2002 (from Indonesia)
National holiday: Restoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
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 trianglemeaning: yellow stands for past colonialism, black for obscurantism that needs to be overcome, and red for the struggle for freedom; the white star represents peace and a guiding light
National symbol(s): Mount Ramelau
National color(s): red, yellow, black, white
National anthem(s): title: "Patria" (Fatherland)
lyrics/music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO
history: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when Timor-Leste 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

Economic overview: lower middle-income Southeast Asian economy; government expenditures funded via oil fund drawdowns; endemic corruption undermines growth; foreign aid-dependent; wide-scale poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $5.863 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $5.995 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $7.322 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: -2.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -18.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -20.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $4,200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $4,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $5,300 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.881 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.1% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 8.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 7% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 16.9% (2023 est.)
industry: 23.9% (2023 est.)
services: 61% (2023 est.)
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.)
Agricultural products: maize, rice, coconuts, root vegetables, vegetables, cassava, other meats, pork, beans, coffee (2023)
Industries: printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
Industrial production growth rate: -57% (2023 est.)
Labor force: 615,900 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 1.7% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 1.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 1.6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 3.4% (2024 est.)
male: 3.2% (2024 est.)
female: 3.7% (2024 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 11.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 9.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 5.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.877 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $1.826 billion (2022 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 21.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$529.738 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$177.336 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $408.059 million (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $278.047 million (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $701.808 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.858 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: China 46%, Singapore 25%, Japan 15%, Indonesia 5%, USA 3% (2023)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, coffee, scrap iron, telephones (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $1.197 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.169 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.286 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Indonesia 34%, China 26%, Singapore 9%, Taiwan 5%, India 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, rice, cars, plastic products, trucks (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $736.967 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $781.995 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $830.81 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $238.042 million (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 99.7% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 100%
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.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
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.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 6.825 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 2,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 1.63 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: 7 TV stations (3 nationwide satellite coverage; 2 terrestrial coverage, mostly in Dili; 2 cable) and 21 radio stations (3 nationwide coverage) (2019)
Internet country code: .tl
Internet users: percent of population: 34% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 0 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4W
Airports: 11 (2025)
Heliports: 2 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 1 (2023)
by type: other 1
Ports: total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 0
key ports: Dili

Military and security forces: Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Land Component, Air Force Component, Naval ComponentMinistry of Interior: National Police of Timor-Leste (Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste, PNTL) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 2,000 Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military is lightly armed with a limited inventory consisting mostly of donated equipment from countries such as Australia, China, Portugal, South Korea, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; according to Timorese law on military service, all citizens 18-30 must contribute to the defense of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country and render their contribution through defense and security institutions (2025)
Military - note: the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) has both external defense and internal security roles; it also engages in national development missions, international peacekeeping, and regional security cooperation; the F-FDTL has ties with a variety of partners, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, the UN, and the US (2025)

Timor-Leste