Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (East Timor)

Introduction

World Factbook: The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island.

Wealth and National Well-Being

Country Comparisons: chart

Economic growth rate
2011: 7.3%
2010: 6.1%
2009: 12.9%

Labor force in agriculture
2010: 64%

Unemployment rate
18.4%

Export commodities
oil, coffee, sandalwood, marble

Export/import ratio
2011: exports $18 million, imports $689 million

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. (May 2011)

Income Distribution – gini index
Ranks 109th among 140 countries (higher rank number is more equal, lower rank number is less equal). More equal than Britain, which ranks 94th, and the US, which ranks 45th.

Health expenditures
2009: 2.3% of GDP

People

Living in an urban area:
2010: 28%

Ethnic groups
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

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."