Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Timor-Leste (East Timor) Facts Videos Maps
Photo: Timor-Leste
A towering statue of Jesus Christ overlooks Cape Fatucama in Timor-Leste—the 21st century's first new nation.
Photograph by Robert Garvey/CORBIS
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Timor-Leste (East Timor) Information and History

The first new nation of the 21st century is located in Southeast Asia, just north of Australia. A Portuguese colony from the 17th century until 1975, Timor-Leste (the Portuguese name for East Timor) shares the island of Timor with Indonesia. When the Portuguese left in 1975, Indonesia invaded and annexed East Timor. The United Nations condemned Indonesia's occupation, and in 1999 a UN-organized referendum showed that most East Timorese wanted independence. Militias caused damage after the vote, but the UN guided East Timor to independence on May 20, 2002. The new country is the poorest in Asia, but oil in the Timor Sea promises future revenue.

ECONOMY

Industry: printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth.
Agriculture: coffee, rice, maize, cassava.
Exports: coffee, sandalwood, marble.

Text source: National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition, 2004
Timor-Leste (East Timor) Flag and Fast Facts
Flag of Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Population
947,000
Capital
Dili; 49,000
Area
14,609 square kilometers
(5,640 square miles)
Language
Tetum, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia, English
Religion
Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Currency
U.S. dollar
Life Expectancy
49
GDP per Capita
U.S. $500
Literacy Percent
48
Timor-Leste (East Timor) Features
Photo: Timor-Leste
Travel to the pristine island of Timor-Leste, a new nation with a struggling economy and a bounty of unspoiled natural beauty.
Photo: Timor-Leste, sunset
From the cool blue waters of French Polynesia to the fiery sunset of Timor, journey to the best warm weather destinations in this photo gallery.
Map: Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Country: Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Continent: Asia
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