Timor-Leste

Semi-Presidential RepublicPop1.4MGDP (PPP)$5.9BCI52Beta CP0.0→Beta

Timor-Leste

⌘K

Overview

Background: The island of Timor was actively involved in Southeast Asian trading networks for centuries, and by the 14th century, it exported sandalwood, slaves, honey, and wax. The sandalwood trade attracted the Portuguese, who arrived in the early 16th century; by mid-century, they had colonized the island, which was previously ruled by local chieftains. In 1859, Portugal ceded the western portion of the island to the Dutch. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. The eastern part of Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975, but Indonesian forces invaded and occupied the area nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in 1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor or Timor Leste). Indonesia conducted an unsuccessful pacification campaign in the province over the next two decades, during which as many as 250,000 people died.

In a UN-supervised referendum in 1999, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. However, anti-independence Timorese militias -- organized and supported by the Indonesian military -- began a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution, killing approximately 1,400 Timorese and displacing nearly 500,000. Most of the country's infrastructure was destroyed, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, schools, and most of the electrical grid. Australian-led peacekeeping troops eventually deployed to the country and ended the violence. In 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state.
In 2006, Australia and the UN had to step in again to stabilize the country, which allowed presidential and parliamentary elections to be conducted in 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In 2008, rebels staged an unsuccessful attack against the president and prime minister. Since that attack, Timor-Leste has made considerable progress in building stability and democratic institutions, holding a series of successful parliamentary and presidential elections since 2012. Nonetheless, weak and unstable political coalitions have led to periodic episodes of stalemate and crisis. The UN continues to provide assistance on economic development and strengthening governing institutions. Currently, Timor-Leste is one of the world's poorest nations, with an economy that relies heavily on energy resources in the Timor Sea.

Geography

Area

Land: 14,874 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
Total: 14,874 sq km

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

Land Use

Other: 6% (2023 est.)
Forest: 71% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 23% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7.5% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 10.1% (2023 est.)

Location: 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
Coastline: 706 km

Elevation

Lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
Highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Irrigated land: 350 sq km (2012)
Map references: Southeast Asia

Land Boundaries

Total: 253 km
Border countries: Indonesia 253 km

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards: floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones
Geography note: 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
Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
Area comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut; almost half the size of Maryland
Geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 125 55 E
Population distribution: most of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili

People & Society

Literacy

Male: 73.1% (2022 est.)
Female: 71.8% (2022 est.)
Total population: 72.5% (2022 est.)

Languages: 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%, other 4.5% (2015 est.)
Religions: Catholic 90.7%, other 7.1%, Protestant Evangelical 1.9%; less than 1%: Islam, Buddhist, Hindu (2022 est.)

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 23.39 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 19.8 years
Total: 23 years (2025 est.)
Female: 21.3 years

Population

Male: 693,940
Total: 1,404,785 (2025 est.)
Female: 710,845

Nationality

Noun: Timorese
Adjective: Timorese

Tobacco Use

Male: 62.6% (2025 est.)
Total: 36.1% (2025 est.)
Female: 8.9% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 38.7% (male 299,929/female 283,416)
15 64 years: 56.8% (male 418,493/female 437,727)
65 years and over: 4.5% (2024 est.) (male 32,243/female 35,101)

Ethnic groups: Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) (includes Tetun, Mambai, Tokodede, Galoli, Kemak, Baikeno), Melanesian-Papuan (includes Bunak, Fataluku, Bakasai), small Chinese minority
People note: one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being the Philippines

Child Marriage

Men married BY age 18: 1.2% (2016)
Women married BY age 15: 2.6% (2016)
Women married BY age 18: 14.9% (2016)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 62 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 54.3 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 12.9 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 0.75 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 11.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 8.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.79 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 81.6% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 87% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 18.4% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 13% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 4.3% national budget (2025 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 35.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 41.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 1.28% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.35 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: most of the population is concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 68.9 years
Female: 72.3 years
Total population: 70.5 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 192 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 64% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 73.7% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 36% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 26.3% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 281,000 DILI (capital) (2018)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 3.8% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 23 years (2016 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 56.4% (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 31.9% (2020 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

Flag: 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

Capital

Name: Dili
Time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Citizenship

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

Constitution

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

Country Name

Note: note: pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay
Former: East Timor, Portuguese Timor
Etymology: the name partly derives from the Indonesian and Malay word timur, meaning "east;" leste is the Portuguese word for "east," so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East"
Local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum)/ Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste (Portuguese)
Local short form: Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum)/ Timor-Leste (Portuguese)
Conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
Conventional short form: Timor-Leste

Independence: 28 November 1975 (from Portugal); 20 May 2002 (from Indonesia)
Legal system: civil law system based on the Portuguese model
Government type: semi-presidential republic

Judicial Branch

Highest court(s): Court of Appeals (consists of the court president and NA judges)
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military courts
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

Executive Branch

Note: note: the president is commander in chief of the military and can veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; ministers proposed to the prime minister by the coalition in the Parliament and sworn in by the president
Chief of state: President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 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%
Head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 1 July 2023)
Most recent election date: 19 March 2022, with a runoff on 19 April 2022
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
Expected date of next election: April 2027

National holiday: Restoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
National color(s): red, yellow, black, white
Political parties: 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

Legislative Branch

Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 65 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Legislature name: National Parliament
Scope of elections: full renewal
Legislative structure: unicameral
Most recent election date: 5/21/2023
Expected date of next election: May 2028
Percentage of women in chamber: 35.4%
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)

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Patria" (Fatherland)
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
Lyrics/music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO

National symbol(s): Mount Ramelau
Administrative divisions: 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

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 966-3205
Chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202
Chief of mission: Ambassador José Luis GUTERRES (since 17 June 2024)
Email address and website: info@timorlesteembassy.org

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: (670) 331-3206
Embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili
Telephone: (670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400
Mailing address: 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Bruce BEGNELL (since July 2025)
Email address and website: ConsDili@state.gov

https://tl.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN, 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, WMO
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Legislature

TIMOR-LESTE · LEGISLATURE

National Parliament

65 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor

Parties

All political parties9 parties · 65 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

JR
José Ramos-Horta
- Head of StateSince 2022
XG
Xanana Gusmão
- Head of GovernmentSince 2023

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $1.877 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $1.826 billion (2022 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $1.858 billion (2022 est.)

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022: $1.858 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $701.808 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $278.047 million (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $1.6B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022: $1.286 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.169 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $1.197 billion (2024 est.)

Industries: printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
Labor force: 615,900 (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2016: 3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022: 5.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 9.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024: 11.7% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Debt External

Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2023: $238.042 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview: 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

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 1.6%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 1.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 1.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 1.7% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: China 46%, Singapore 25%, Japan 15%, Indonesia 5%, USA 3% (2023)
Imports partners: Indonesia 34%, China 26%, Singapore 9%, Taiwan 5%, India 4% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $4,423

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $5,300 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $4,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $4,200 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): -9.1%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -20.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -18.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: -2.2% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: maize, rice, coconuts, root vegetables, vegetables, cassava, other meats, pork, beans, coffee (2023)
Exports commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, coffee, scrap iron, telephones (2023)
Imports commodities: refined petroleum, rice, cars, plastic products, trucks (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): -$587.5M

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022: $408.059 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$177.336 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024: -$529.738 million (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 21.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.881 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 70% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 52.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.4% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 22.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -66.4% (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.1%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 8.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.1% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: -57% (2023 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $5.863 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $7.322 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $5.995 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $5.863 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 3.2% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 3.4% (2024 est.)
Female: 3.7% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $830.81 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $781.995 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $736.967 million (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 23.9% (2023 est.)
Services: 61% (2023 est.)
Agriculture: 16.9% (2023 est.)

Energy

Coal

Imports: 122,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Total petroleum production: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Consumption: 411.519 million kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 277,000 kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 99.481 million kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Exports: 521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Production: 521.034 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification rural areas: 100%
Electrification urban areas: 100%
Electrification total population: 99.7% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 6.825 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 34% (2023 est.)

Broadcast media: 7 TV stations (3 nationwide satellite coverage; 2 terrestrial coverage, mostly in Dili; 2 cable) and 21 radio stations (3 nationwide coverage) (2019)
Internet country code: .tl

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 2,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 1.63 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 0 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 1
Medium: 0
Key ports: Dili
Very small: 0
Total ports: 1 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 0

Airports: 11 (2025)
Heliports: 2 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 1 (2023)
BY type: other 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4W

Environment

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

Land Use

Other: 6% (2023 est.)
Forest: 71% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 23% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7.5% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 10.1% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.31% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 63,900 tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.5% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: 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

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 99 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Industrial: 2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Agricultural: 1.071 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 660,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 660,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 20.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 8.215 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International Environmental Agreements

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

Military & Security

Military note: 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)

Military Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.7%

Military expenditures 2020: 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military expenditures 2021: 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military and security forces: Timor-Leste Defense Force (Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Land Component, Air Force Component, Naval Component

Ministry of Interior: National Police of Timor-Leste (Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste, PNTL) (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 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)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military is lightly armed with a limited inventory consisting mostly of donated equipment from countries such as Australia, China, Portugal, South Korea, and the US (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 2,000 Defense Forces  (2025)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index52.0 / 100as of 2024-Q481 / 1902024-Q4

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.55as of 2024-Q453 / 1702024-Q4

Freedom House StatusPartly Free (75/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Timor-Leste — vintage 2026-Q1: Timor-Leste factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/timor-leste

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Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Timor-Leste

Area

Land Use

Elevation

Land Boundaries

Maritime Claims

Literacy

Sex Ratio

Median Age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco Use

Urbanization

Age Structure

Child Marriage

Dependency Ratios

Health Expenditure

Drinking Water Source

Education Expenditure

Infant Mortality Rate

Life Expectancy at Birth

Sanitation Facility Access

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

How power is organised

Capital

Citizenship

Constitution

Country Name

Judicial Branch

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

National Anthem(s)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Diplomatic Representation from the US

National Parliament

Current

José Ramos-Horta

Xanana Gusmão

Budget

Exports

Imports

Public Debt

Remittances

Debt External

Unemployment Rate

Real GDP Per Capita

Real GDP Growth Rate

Current Account Balance

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural Gas

Electricity Access

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Electricity Generation Sources

Internet Users

Telephones Fixed Lines

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Ports

Merchant Marine

Land Use

Urbanization

Waste and Recycling

Total Water Withdrawal

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

International Environmental Agreements

Military Expenditures

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