Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
a former Portuguese colony that was annexed by Indonesia in 1976;
voted for independence from Indonesia in 1999 and in May 2002 became an independent nation;
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
East Timor
n 1: a former Portuguese colony that was annexed by Indonesia in
1976; voted for independence from Indonesia in 1999 and in
May 2002 became an independent nation
CIA World Factbook 2002:
East Timor
Introduction East Timor
-----------------------
Background: The Portuguese colony of Timor
declared itself independent from
Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was
invaded and occupied by Indonesian
forces nine days later. It was
subsequently incorporated into
Indonesia in July 1976 as the
province of Timor Timur. A so-called
campaign of pacification followed,
during which time an estimated
100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost
their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a
UN-supervised popular referendum,
the people of Timor Timur voted for
independence from Indonesia. On 20
May 2002, East Timor was
internationally recognized as an
independent state and the world's
newest democracy.
Geography East Timor
--------------------
Location: Southeastern Asia, northwest of
Australia in the Lesser Sunda
Islands at the eastern end of the
Indonesian archipelago; note - East
Timor 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: 15,007 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km
Coastline: 706 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: NA NM
extended fishing zone: NA NM
territorial sea: NA NM
exclusive fishing zone: NA NM
continental shelf: NA NM
exclusive economic zone: NA NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy
and dry seasons
Terrain: mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea,
and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963
m
Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas,
manganese, marble
Land use: arable land: NA%
other: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
Irrigated land: 1,065 sq km (est.)
Natural hazards: floods and landslides are common;
earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical
cyclones
Environment - current issues: widespread use of slash and burn
agriculture has led to deforestation
and soil erosion
Environment - international NA
agreements:
Geography - note: Timor is the Malay word for
"Orient"; the island of Timor is
part of the Malay Archipelago and is
the largest and easternmost of the
Lesser Sunda Islands
People East Timor
-----------------
Population: 952,618 (July 2002 est.)
note: other estimates range as low
as 800,000 (2002 est.)
Age structure: NA
Population growth rate: 7.26% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 28.07 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 51.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: NA
Infant mortality rate: 51.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.85 years
male: 62.64 years
female: 67.17 years (2002 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.88 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese
Ethnic groups: Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian),
Papuan, small Chinese minority
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%,
Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,
Animist (1992 est.)
Languages: Tetum (official), Portuguese
(official), Indonesian, English
note: there are a total of about 16
indigenous languages, of which
Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are
spoken by significant numbers of
people
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 48% (2001)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government East Timor
---------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Democratic
Republic of East Timor
conventional short form: East Timor
local short form: Timor Lorosa'e
[Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
former: Portuguese Timor
local long form: Republika
Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste
[Portuguese]
Government type: republic
Capital: Dili
Administrative divisions: 13 administrative districts; Aileu,
Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana),
Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera,
Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica,
Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi
(Ambeno), Viqueque
Independence: 28 November 1975 (date of
proclamation of independence from
Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the
official date of international
recognition of East Timor's
independence from Indonesia
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
Constitution: 22 March 2002 (based on the
Portuguese model)
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jose
Alexander GUSMAO (since 20 May
2002); note - the president plays a
largely symbolic role but is able to
veto some legislation
head of government: Prime Minister
Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
May 2002)
cabinet: Council of State
elections: president elected by
popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 April 2002
(next to be held NA April 2007);
following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or
majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the
president
election results: Jose Alexander
GUSMAO elected president; percent of
vote - Jose Alexander GUSMAO 82.7%,
Francisco Xavier do Amaral 17.3%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament
(number of seats can vary, minimum
requirement of 52 and a maximum of
65 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms); note
- for its first term of office, the
National Parliament is comprised of
88 members on an exceptional basis
elections: last held 30 August 2001
(next to be held NA August 2006)
election results: percent of vote by
party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD 8.72%,
PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%,
PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%,
PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/
other 5.42%; seats by party -
FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6,
PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2,
UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent
1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, one judge
appointed by the National Parliament
and the rest appointed by the
Superior Council for the Judiciary
Political parties and leaders: Associacao Social-Democrata
Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier
do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic
Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio
XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union
of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva
GUTERRES]; Democratic Pary or PD
[Fernando de ARAUJO]; Maubere
Democratic Party or PDM [leader NA];
People's Party of Timor or PPT
[Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front
of Independent East Timor or
FRETILIN [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat
Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario
CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of
Timor or PST [leader NA]; Sons of
the Mountain Warriors (also known as
Association of Timorese Heroes) or
KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL];
Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao
CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or
TRABALHISTA [Paulo Freitas DA
SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party
or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese
Popular Democratic Association or
APODETI [Frederico Almeida Santos
COSTA]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization IBRD, IMF
participation: note: UN membership is expected in
September
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Constancio PINTO
chancery: NA
consulate(s) general: NA
FAX: NA
telephone: NA
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: (vacant)
embassy: Farol district, Dili
mailing address: NA
telephone: (670) 390 324 684
FAX: (670) 390 313 206
Flag description: red, with a black isosceles triangle
(based on the hoist side)
superimposed on a slightly longer
yellow arrowhead that extends to the
center of the flag; there is a white
star in the center of the black
triangle
Economy East Timor
------------------
Economy - overview: In late 1999, about 70% of the
economic infrastructure of East
Timor was laid waste by Indonesian
troops and anti-independence
militias, and 260,000 people fled
westward. Over the next three years,
however, a massive international
program, manned by 5,000
peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and
1,300 police officers, led to
substantial reconstruction in both
urban and rural areas. By mid-2002,
all but about 50,000 of the refugees
had returned. The country faces
great challenges in continuing the
rebuilding of infrastructure and the
strengthening of the infant civil
administration. One promising long-
term project would be development of
oil resources in nearby waters.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $415
million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 18% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (2001
est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 57.4% (2001)
Population below poverty line: 42% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini 38
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 50% (including underemployment)
Budget: revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA
Industries: printing, soap manufacturing,
handicrafts, woven cloth
Industrial production growth rate: 8.5%
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0%
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh
Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet
potatoes, soybeans, cabbage,
mangoes, bananas, vanilla
Exports: $8 million (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee, sandalwood, marble; note -
the potential for oil and vanilla
exports
Exports - partners: NA
Imports: $237 million (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: NA
Imports - partners: NA
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications East Timor
-------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: NA
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .tp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Internet users: NA
Transportation East Timor
-------------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 3,800 km
paved: 428 km
unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)
Waterways: NA
Pipelines: NA
Ports and harbors: NA
Merchant marine: total: NA
ships by type: NA
Airports: 8 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,427 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military East Timor
-------------------
Military branches: the East Timor Defense Force or
FALINTIL-FDTL comprises a light-
infantry Army and a small Naval
component; note - plans are to
develop a force of 1,500 active
personnel and 1,500 reserve
personnel over the next five years
Military manpower - military age: 18-21 years of age
Military manpower - availability: NA
Military manpower - fit for military NA
service:
Military manpower - reaching NA
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $4.4 million (FY03)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of NA%
GDP:
Transnational Issues East Timor
-------------------------------
Disputes - international: East Timor-Indonesia Boundary
Committee meets to survey and
delimit land boundary; Indonesia
seeks resolution of East Timor
refugees in Indonesia; Australia-
East Timor-Indonesia are working to
resolve maritime boundary and
sharing of seabed resources in
"Timor Gap"
Illicit drugs: NA