Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
| |
|---|---|
| Motto: Unidade, Acção, Progresso (Portuguese) "Unity, Action, Progress" | |
| Anthem: Pátria (Portuguese) "Fatherland" | |
.svg) | |
| Capital and largest city | Dili 8°33′S 125°34′E / 8.55°S 125.56°E |
| Official languages | |
| National languages | |
| Working languages | |
| Religion (2015 census)[1] |
|
| Demonym(s) | |
| Government | Unitary semi-presidential republic[4] |
| José Ramos-Horta | |
| Xanana Gusmão | |
| Legislature | National Parliament |
| Independence | |
| Early 18th century | |
| 28 November 1975 | |
| 17 July 1976 | |
• Administered by UNTAET | 25 October 1999 |
| 20 May 2002 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 14,950 km2 (5,770 sq mi) (154th) |
• Water (%) | Negligible |
| Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 1,354,662 (153rd) |
• 2022 census | 1,341,737[5] |
• Density | 89.7/km2 (232.3/sq mi) (137th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total |  $5 billion[6] (173rd) |
• Per capita | $3,747[6] (157th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $2 billion[6] (183rd) |
• Per capita | $1,497[6] (151st) |
| Gini (2014) | 28.7[7] low inequality |
| HDI (2022) | 0.566[8] medium (155th) |
| Currency | United States dollarb East Timor Centavo (USD) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Timor-Leste Time) |
| Drives on | left |
| Calling code | +670 |
| ISO 3166 code | TL |
| Internet TLD | .tlc |
| |
East Timor,[a] also known as Timor-Leste,[b] officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-western half, and the minor islands of Atauro and Jaco. The western half of the island of Timor is administered by Indonesia. Australia is the country's southern neighbour, separated by the Timor Sea. The country's size is 14,950 square kilometres (5,770 sq mi). Dili, on the north coast of Timor, is its capital and largest city.
Timor was settled by Papuan and Austronesian peoples, which are reflected in the country's diverse mix of cultures and languages, displaying links to Southeast Asia and Melanesia. East Timor came under Portuguese influence in the sixteenth century, remaining a Portuguese colony until 1975. Internal conflict preceded a unilateral declaration of independence and an Indonesian invasion and annexation. Resistance continued throughout Indonesian rule and in 1999, a United Nations–sponsored act of self-determination led to Indonesia relinquishing control of the territory. On 20 May 2002, as Timor-Leste, it became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. That same year, relations with Indonesia were established and normalized, with Indonesia also supporting East Timor's accession into ASEAN.
The national government runs on a semi-presidential system, with the popularly elected president sharing power with a prime minister appointed by the National Parliament. Power is centralised under the national government, although many local leaders have informal influence. The country maintains a policy of international cooperation, and is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, an observer of the Pacific Islands Forum, and an applicant for ASEAN membership. The country remains relatively poor, with an economy that relies heavily on natural resources, especially oil, and foreign aid.
The total population is over 1.34 million at the 2022 census, and is heavily skewed towards young people due to a high fertility rate. Education has led to increasing literacy over the past half-century, especially in the two official languages of Portuguese and Tetum. High ethnic and linguistic diversity is reflected by the 30 indigenous languages spoken in the country. The majority of the population is Catholic, which coexists alongside strong local traditions and beliefs, especially in rural areas.
- ^ "Nationality, Citizenship, and Religion". Government of Timor-Leste. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ Hicks, David (15 September 2014). Rhetoric and the Decolonization and Recolonization of East Timor. Routledge. ISBN 9781317695356. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2020 – via Google Books.
- ^ Adelman, Howard (28 June 2011). No Return, No Refuge: Rites and Rights in Minority Repatriation. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231526906. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2020 – via Google Books.
- ^ Shoesmith, Dennis (2003). "Timor-Leste: Divided Leadership in a Semi-Presidential System". Asian Survey. 43 (2): 231–252. doi:10.1525/as.2003.43.2.231. ISSN 0004-4687. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
The semi-presidential system in the new state of Timor-Leste has institutionalized a political struggle between the president, Xanana Gusmão, and the prime minister, Mari Alkatiri. This has polarized political alliances and threatens the viability of the new state. This paper explains the ideological divisions and the history of rivalry between these two key political actors. The adoption of Marxism by Fretilin in 1977 led to Gusmão's repudiation of the party in the 1980s and his decision to remove Falintil, the guerrilla movement, from Fretilin control. The power struggle between the two leaders is then examined in the transition to independence. This includes an account of the politicization of the defense and police forces and attempts by Minister of Internal Administration Rogério Lobato to use disaffected Falintil veterans as a counterforce to the Gusmão loyalists in the army. The December 4, 2002, Dili riots are explained in the context of this political struggle.
- ^ "Population by Age & Sex". Government of Timor-Leste. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. October 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ^ "Gini Index coefficient". CIA World Factbook. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2023-24" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. United Nations Development Programme. 13 March 2024. pp. 274–277.
- ^ "Timor-Leste". Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Timor-Leste". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
TEE-mor LESS-tay
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