Timor-Leste

• 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

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

• floods and landslides are common;
• earthquakes;
• tsunamis;
• tropical cyclones

• 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

noun:

Timorese

adjective:

Timorese

total:

23 years (2025 est.)

male:

19.8 years

female:

21.3 years

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.)

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

total population:

70.5 years (2024 est.)

male:

68.9 years

female:

72.3 years

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.)

total:

36.1% (2025 est.)

male:

62.6% (2025 est.)

female:

8.9% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

2.6% (2016)

women married by age 18:

14.9% (2016)

men married by age 18:

1.2% (2016)

• 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

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

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

urban population:

32.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

63,900 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

13.5% (2022 est.)

municipal:

99 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

1.071 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

name:

Dili

geographic coordinates:

8 35 S, 125 36 E

time difference:

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

• 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

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses

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

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

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

note: the president is commander in chief of the military and can veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections

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

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

• 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

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:

[email protected]

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:

[email protected]; https://tl.usembassy.gov/

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 triangle

meaning:

• 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

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

• 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

total:

3.4% (2024 est.)

male:

3.2% (2024 est.)

female:

3.7% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total petroleum production:

5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

production:

521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports:

521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

total subscriptions:

2,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2023 est.) less than 1

total:

0 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2023 est.) less than 1

total:

1 (2023)

by type:

other 1

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

1

very small:

0

ports with oil terminals:

0

key ports:

Dili

• 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)

• 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)