| Introduction | 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. (Source: United Nations at http://www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/sid/SIDS-states/profiles/timor_leste.htm) |
| Population | Population: 1,098,000 (2008) Population growth rate: 3.3% Life expectancy: 61 years |
| Geography | Timor Leste is in Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago. It 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. |
| Religion | Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005) |
| Government | Government type: Republic Chief of State: President Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2007). Head of Government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007) Assembly: Timor-Leste has a unicameral National Parliament with 65 seats. The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term The next Presidential election to be held in May 2012. (For more information visit the World Leaders website.) Elections: The Prime Minister is appointed by the president. In the National Parliament 65 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms. Election last held on August 2010. |
| Economics | GDP (purchasing power parity) US$569 Million The economy of Timor Leste is highly dependent on commercially produced crops (coffee, coconuts, cloves and cacao) and commercial forestry. |
| Health | Access to health care and development of infrastructure are hindered by geographic conditions and low population density in some districts. Access to reproductive health services is poor (less than 24% of deliveries were attended by skilled health personnel in 2002, less than 12% in highland areas); increasing incidence of teenage pregnancies and short inter-pregnancy gaps contribute to high maternal mortality rates. Maternal and child malnutrition are prevalent due to poor knowledge and bad rearing methods. The infant mortality rate is estimated at 70-95 per 1000 live births; the most common causes include infections, prematurity and birth-trauma. The under-5 mortality rate is also high, mainly due to acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, dengue and malaria. Communicable diseases account for nearly 60% of deaths; the main causes are malaria, acute respiratory infections and diarrhoea, particularly in children. Tuberculosis, yaws, leprosy, filariasis and Japanese encephalitis are also public health problems. Noncommunicable disorders including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and traffic accidents are increasing. More than 40% of the population still live below the poverty line. Millennium Development Goals indicators. Life expectancy at birth for males is 60 and females 61.7 years (2010). Total expenditure on health per capita $169 USD. Total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP is 16.4% (2006) Source: World Health Organisation. Data on HIV rates in Timor-Leste is not available. |
| Legislation | http://www.worldlii.org/tp/ |
| Related Websites | The World Factbook - Timor-Leste UNICEF - Timor-Leste World Health Organization - Timor-Leste |