Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (East Timor)

Wealth and National Well-Being

May 2011: East Timor receives financial assistance from Australia. According to the Australian government, 46 per cent of children to 5 years of age are underweight, and 44% of the entire People is malnourished. Overall, 41 per cent live on below 0.88 U.S. dollars (88 cents) per day.

Country Comparisons:
2010: see chart (bottom)

People

Living in an urban area:
2010: 28%

Density:
2011: 76.2 square kilometers

Religions
2005: Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1%

Literacy
2002: 58.6%

Geography

Half of an island in Southeast Asia on the eastern fringe of Indonesia in Southeastern Asia.

Recent History

Violence from Indonesians (mostly Muslim) resisting the independence sought by East Timorese (mostly Christian) was brought to an end by the intervention of Australia, in September 1999. On May 20, 2002 East Timor was recognized as an independent state.

World Factbook: "In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 300,000 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."

March 17, 2006. According to a report in the BBC, East Timor suffers "an acute shortage of skilled people."