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Timor-Leste’s country conventional long form name is Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Locally, it is called Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa’e (Tetum)/Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste (Portuguese) or Timor Lorosa’e (Tetum)/Timor-Leste (Portuguese) for short. Formerly, its name was East Timor/Portuguese Timor.

Timor-Leste’s national symbol is Mount Ramelau, while its national colors are red, yellow, black, white. Its national anthem is “Patria” or Fatherland in English. Its capital is Dili, with geographic coordinates of 8 35 S, 125 36 E.

Sources: The World Factbook, UNDP, World Bank Open Data

Unemployment rate: 4.4% in 2014, 3.9% in 2010

Population below poverty line: 41.8% in 2014

Household income or consumption by percentage share: 4% for the lowest 10% and 27% for the highest 10% in 2007

Economics

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or PD, Frenti-Mudanca [Jose Luis GUTERRES], Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO, National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO], People’s Liberation Party or PLP [Taur Matan RUAK], and Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI].

International organizations: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN (observer), CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, and WMO.

Politics

President: Aniceto Longuinhos Guterres Lopes

Secretary General: Mateus Ximenes Belo

Female representation in parliament: 38.5%

Government type: semi-presidential republic

Administrative districts: Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), and Viqueque.

Independence: 20 May 2002 (from Indonesia). On 28 November 1975 its independence was proclaimed from Portugal, while 20 May 2002 was the date of international recognition of Timor-Leste’s independence from Indonesia

National holidays: Restoration of Independence Day (20 May); Proclamation of Independence Day (28 November)

Military expenditure: 2.56% of GDP in 2015

Military branches: Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L’este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Army, Navy (Armada) in 2013

Government

Nationality: Timorese

Population: 1,291,358 in July 2017

Ethnic groups: Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) (includes Tetun, Mambai, Tokodede, Galoli, Kemak, Baikeno), Melanesian-Papuan (includes Bunak, Fataluku, Bakasai), and Chinese minority. The languages are Tetun Prasa (30.6%), Mambai (16.6%), Makasai (10.5%), Tetun Terik (6.1%), Baikenu (5.9%), Kemak (5.8%), Bunak (5.5%), Tokodede (4%), Fataluku (3.5%), Waima’a (1.8%), Galoli (1.4%), Naueti (1.4%), Idate (1.2%), Midiki (1.2%), and other (4.5%).

Religions: Roman Catholic (97.6%), Protestant/Evangelical (2%), Muslim (0.2%), and other (0.2%) in 2015.

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.91% (male 271,623/female 256,733); 15-24 years: 20.32% (male 133,254/female 129,166); 25-54 years: 29.95% (male 185,911/female 200,903); 55-64 years: 4.94% (male 32,168/female 31,680); and 65 years and over: 3.87% (male 23,924/female 25,996) in 2017

Dependency ratio: total dependency ratio: 90.3; youth dependency ratio: 83.7; elderly dependency ratio: 6.6; and potential support ratio: 15.2 in 2015 .

Population growth rate: 2.36% in 2017

Birth rate: 33.4 births/1,000 population in 2017

Death rate: 5.9 deaths/1,000 population in 2017

Urban population: 34% of total population in 2017

Rate of urbanization: 3.63% annual rate of change in 2015-20

Demographics

Education expenditures: 7.9% of GDP in 2014

Literacy rate (age 15 and over can read and write): 67.5% of total population with ratio male: female 71.5%: 63.4% in 2015

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 13 years total in 2010

Unemployment: 11.1% in total with ratio male: female 11.1%: 20% in 2010

Female labour force participation rate: 24.6.

Education

Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, and marble

Agriculture products: coffee, rice, corn, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, and vanilla

Industries: printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, and woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate: 2% in 2017

Labor force: 286,700 in 2016

Labor force by occupation: agriculture (64%), industry (10%), and services (26%) in 2010

Exports: $20 million in 2016

Commodities: oil, coffee, sandalwood, and marble

Imports: $558.6 million in 2016

Commodities: food, gasoline, kerosene, and machinery

Natural Resources

World Press Freedom Index: 32.82

Total subscriptions of fixed lines: 2,720 and the subscriptions per 100 inhabitants was less than 1 in July 2016

Total subscriptions of mobile cellular: 1,492,124 and the subscriptions per 100 inhabitants was 118 in July 2016

International country code: 670 (international service is available)

Broadcast media: 7 TV stations (2 nationwide satellite coverage, 3 terrestrial coverage, mostly in Dili, and 2 cable) and 21 radio stations (3 nationwide coverage) in 2017

Internet country code: .tl

Internet users: 318,373 in total that is 25.2% of population in July 2016

Culture

Flora and Fauna

Area: 14,874 sq km in total with 14,874 sq km of land and 0 sq km of water

Land boundaries: 253 km in total

Border country: Indonesia (253 km)

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Land use: 25.1% for agricultural land (10.1% arable land; 4.9% permanent crops; and 10.1% permanent pasture); 49.1% for forest; and 25.8% for other in 2011

Irrigated land: 350 sq km in 2012

Borderline

Maternal mortality ratio: 215 deaths/100,000 live births in 2015

Infant mortality rate: 35.1 deaths/1,000 live births in total in 2017

Life expectancy at birth: 68.4 years in total population in 2017

Total fertility rate: 4.79 children born/woman in 2017

Contraceptive prevalence: 22.3% in 2010.

Health expenditures: 1.5% of GDP in 2014.

Physicians density: 0.08 physicians/1,000 population in 2011

Hospital bed density: 5.9 beds/1,000 population in 2010.