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99-663: Ainaro is a town in East Timor , the capital of the Ainaro suco , the Ainaro administrative post and the Ainaro Municipality , and is located in the southwest part of the country. The town of Ainaro is located 78 km south of Dili , the national capital. During the Indonesian occupation from 1975 to 1999, Ainaro was home to a large contingent of Indonesian military (TNI) -backed pro-Indonesia militias in
198-589: A Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) coup attempt in August 1975, and unilaterally declared independence on 28 November 1975. Fearing a communist state within the Indonesian Archipelago, the Indonesian military launched an invasion of East Timor on 7 December 1975. Indonesia declared East Timor its 27th province on 17 July 1976. The United Nations Security Council opposed the invasion, and
297-423: A United Nations–sponsored act of self-determination led to Indonesia relinquishing control of the territory. On 20 May 2002, as Timor-Leste , it became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. That same year, relations with Indonesia were established and normalized, with Indonesia also supporting East Timor's accession into ASEAN . The national government runs on a semi-presidential system , with
396-426: A rai nain , who was generally associated with the primary sacred house of the kingdom. These polities were numerous and saw shifting alliances and relations, but many were stable enough that they survived from initial European documentation in the 16th century until the end of Portuguese rule. From perhaps the thirteenth century, the island exported sandalwood , which was valued both for its use in crafting and as
495-591: A Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA), and awarded 90% of revenues from existing projects in that area to East Timor and 10% to Australia. The first significant new development in the JPDA since East Timorese independence is the largest petroleum resource in the Timor Sea, the Greater Sunrise gas field . Its exploitation was the subject of separate agreements in 2003 and 2005. Only 20% of the field lies within
594-467: A controversial agreement with Australia, which gave Australia half of the income from oil and gas from 2006. From 2005 to 2021, $ 23 billion earned from oil sales has entered the fund. $ 8 billion has been generated from investments, while $ 12 billion has been spent. A decrease in oil and gas reserves led to decreasing HDI beginning in 2010. 80% of government spending comes from this fund, which as of 2021 had $ 19 billion, 10 times greater than
693-526: A day. About half of the population is illiterate . At 27%, East Timor 's urbanisation rate is one of the lowest in the world. In 2007, a bad harvest caused a "major food crisis" in East Timor. By November, eleven sub-districts still needed food supplied by international aid. According to data gathered in the 2010 census, 87.7% of urban and 18.9% of rural households have electricity, for an overall average of 36.7%. Prior to and during colonisation,
792-463: A five-year term. The number of seats can vary from a minimum of fifty-two to a maximum of sixty-five. Parties must achieve 3% of the vote to enter parliament, with seats for qualifying parties allocated using the D'Hondt method . Elections occur within the framework of a competitive multi-party system. Upon independence, power was held by the Fretilin political party, which was formed shortly before
891-672: A gas treaty that it had signed with Australia, accusing the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) of bugging the East Timorese cabinet room in Dili in 2004. At the time of independence East Timor had per capita natural wealth equivalent to the wealth of an upper-middle income country. Over half of this was in oil, and over a quarter natural gas. The Timor-Leste Petroleum Fund was established in 2005 to turn these non-renewable resources into
990-462: A government priority. In addition to climate change, local ecosystems are threatened by deforestation, land degradation, overfishing, and pollution. East Timor's fauna is diverse and contains a number of endemic and threatened species. The Timor and Wetar deciduous forests region, which covers the entire island, has 38 mammal species. East Timor's two endemic mammal species are the Timor shrew and
1089-415: A large proportion of those households being poor. Currently, the gross margins are about $ 120 per hectare, with returns per labour-day of about $ 3.70. There were 11,000 households growing mung beans as of 2009, most of them by subsistence farming. 94% of domestic fish catch comes from the ocean, especially coastal fisheries. 66% of families are in part supported by these subsistence activities, however
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#17327839609591188-524: A minimum of 102,800 conflict-related deaths in the period between 1974 and 1999, including approximately 18,600 killings and 84,200 excess deaths from hunger and illness. The total number of conflict-related deaths during this period is difficult to determine due to a lack of data. One estimate based on Portuguese, Indonesian, and Catholic Church data suggests it may have been as high as 200,000. Repression and restrictions counteracted improvements in health and education infrastructure and services, meaning there
1287-599: A more sustainable form of wealth. By 2009 it had a value of US$ 4.8 billion, and by 2011 it had reached a worth of US$ 8.7 billion. East Timor is labelled by the International Monetary Fund as the "most oil-dependent economy in the world". The Petroleum Fund pays for nearly all of the government's annual budget, which increased from $ 70 million in 2004 to $ 1.3 billion in 2011, with a $ 1.8 billion proposal for 2012. East-Timor's income from oil and gas stands to increase significantly after its cancellation of
1386-885: A role it shares with the National Police of East Timor . These forces remain small: 2,200 soldiers in the regular army and 80 in a naval component. A single aircraft and seven patrol boats are operated, and there are plans to expand the naval component. There is some military cooperation with Australia, Portugal, and the United States. East Timor is divided into fourteen municipalities, which in turn are subdivided into 64 administrative posts, 442 sucos (villages), and 2,225 aldeias (hamlets). The municipalities are: Aileu , Ainaro , Atauro , Baucau , Bobonaro , Cova Lima , Dili , Ermera , Lautém , Liquiçá , Manatuto , Manufahi , Oecusse , and Viqueque . The existing system of municipalities and administrative posts
1485-630: A second general election in May 2018. In June 2018, former president and independence fighter, Taur Matan Ruak , became the new prime minister. José Ramos-Horta again became president on 20 May 2022 after winning the April 2022 presidential election runoff against Francisco Guterres. The political system of East Timor is semi-presidential , based upon the Portuguese system . The constitution establishes both this separation of executive powers between
1584-537: A single national district in a party-list system. One in three of all candidates presented by political parties must be women. This system promotes a diversity of political parties, but gives voters little influence over the individual candidates selected by each party. Women hold more than a third of parliamentary seats, with parties required by law to run female candidates, but they are less prominent at other levels and within party leadership. Political divisions exist along class lines and along geographical lines. There
1683-526: A single site in East Timor was 642 different fish species, ranking second out of surveyed sites after Indonesia's Raja Ampat Islands . Additionally, the reefs appeared to have suffered limited damage from coral bleaching and rising ocean temperatures compared to other sites in the Coral Triangle. However, despite being in relatively pristine condition, the reefs remain threatened by climate change and habitat destruction, especially blast fishing. It
1782-561: A source of perfume. Timor was included in Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Indian trading networks by the fourteenth century, exporting sandalwood, honey, and wax. The island was recorded by the Majapahit Empire as a source of tribute. It was sandalwood that attracted European explorers to the island in the early sixteenth century. Early European presence was limited to trade, with the first Portuguese settlement being on
1881-605: A year. 9,000 tonnes of coffee, 108 tonnes of cinnamon , and 161 tonnes of cocoa were harvested in 2012 making the country the 40th ranked producer of coffee, the 6th ranked producer of cinnamon and the 50th ranked producer of cocoa worldwide. In 2019, 186 Metric Tons of cocoa beans were produced and the country was number 48. The Portuguese colonial administration granted concessions to the Australia-bound Oceanic Exploration Corporation to develop petroleum and natural gas deposits in
1980-666: Is Timór Lorosa'e ( Lorosa'e can be literally translated as ' where the sun rises ' ). The official names under its constitution are "Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste" in English, " República Democrática de Timor-Leste " in Portuguese, and " Repúblika Demokrátika Timór-Leste " in Tetum. The official short form of the name is "Timor-Leste", and it uses the ISO codes TLS & TL. Cultural remains at Jerimalai on
2079-425: Is a special administrative region with some autonomy. The National Police of East Timor and Timor Leste Defence Force have held a monopoly on violence since 2008 and very few guns are present outside of these organisations. While there are allegations of abuse of power, there is some judicial oversight of police and public trust in the institution has grown. An active civil society functions independently of
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#17327839609592178-512: Is also a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries . Continuing bilateral donors include Australia, Portugal, Germany, and Japan, and East Timor has a reputation for effectively and transparently using donor funds. Good relations with Australia and with Indonesia are a policy goal for the government, despite historical and more-recent tensions. These countries are important economic partners and provide most transport links to
2277-493: Is believed that this has most affected large marine species such as sharks; despite the diversity of the reefs, there were a significant lack of sharks recorded in the surveys of 2016. East Timor's isolation and lack of tourism are believed to have helped preserve the reefs, as opposed to tourist-heavy locales such as Bali, where the abundance of tourism has negatively affected the health of the reefs. The Timorese government and local residents of Atauro have made attempts to preserve
2376-527: Is broadly a divide between eastern and western areas of the country, stemming from differences that arose under Indonesian rule. Fretilin in particular is strongly linked to the Eastern areas. Political parties are more closely associated with prominent personalities more than with ideology. The National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction became the main opposition to Fretilin, following its establishment to allow Xanana Gusmão to run for Prime Minister in
2475-452: Is characterised by a number of coral reef systems that have been determined to be at risk. There are around 41,000 terrestrial plant species in the country. Forests covered 35% of East Timor's land in the mid-2010s. The forests of the northern coast, central uplands, and southern coast are distinct. East Timor is home to the Timor and Wetar deciduous forests ecoregion. There is some environmental protection in law, but it has not been
2574-436: Is common, with over half of children showing stunted growth . While 91% of married working age (15–49) men were employed as of 2016, only 43% of married working age women were. There are small disparities in favour of men in terms of home and land ownership and owning a bank account. The eastern three municipalities, which contain around a quarter of the population, has less poverty than the western areas, which contain 50% of
2673-464: Is derived from timur , meaning ' east ' in Malay , thus resulting in a tautological place name meaning ' East East ' . In Indonesian , this results in the name Timor Timur (the name of the former de facto Indonesian province ; Timor Leste is used instead to refer to the country). In Portuguese, the country is called Timor-Leste ( Leste meaning ' east ' ). In Tetum , it
2772-425: Is high, ranging from around 70% to 85%. The political system has wide public acceptance. The head of state of East Timor is the president of the republic , who is elected by popular vote for a five-year term, and can serve a maximum of two terms. Formally, the directly elected president holds relatively limited powers compared to those in similar systems, with no power over the appointment and dismissal of
2871-585: Is mostly cash-based, with little commercial credit available from banks. Remittances from overseas workers add up to around $ 100 million annually. Economy of East Timor The economy of Timor-Leste is a low-income economy as ranked by the World Bank . It is placed 140th on the Human Development Index , indicating a medium level of human development. 20% of the population is unemployed , and 52.9% live on less than $ 1.25
2970-503: Is over 1.34 million at the 2022 census, and is heavily skewed towards young people due to a high fertility rate. Education has led to increasing literacy over the past half-century, especially in the two official languages of Portuguese and Tetum . High ethnic and linguistic diversity is reflected by the 30 indigenous languages spoken in the country. The majority of the population is Catholic , which coexists alongside strong local traditions and beliefs, especially in rural areas. "Timor"
3069-454: Is poor. The capital and largest city is Dili. The second-largest city is the eastern town of Baucau . The climate is tropical with relatively stable temperatures throughout the year. A wet season lasts from December to May throughout the country, and lasts slightly longer in the south and the interior due to the effect of a monsoon from Australia. During this period, rainfall can reach 222–252 millimetres (8.7–9.9 in) per month. In
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3168-610: Is specified by Articles 5 and 71 of the 2002 constitution to be governed by a special administrative policy and economic regime. Law 3/2014 of 18 June 2014 implemented this constitutional provision, which went into effect in January 2015, turning Oecusse into a Special Administrative Region. The region began operating its own civil service in June 2015. In January 2022 the island of Atauro , formerly an Administrative Post of Dili, became its own municipality. Due to its small population, which
3267-462: Is strongly affected by government spending. Growth has been slow, averaging just 2.5% per year from 2011 to 2021. Most of the country is very poor, with just more than 40% living under the national poverty line. This poverty is especially prevalent in rural areas, where many are subsistence farmers or fishermen. Even in urban areas, the majority are poor. Overall, women are poorer than men, often being employed in lower-paying careers. Malnutrition
3366-699: Is the second to last ranked Asian country in the World Economic Forum's Network Readiness Index (NRI), with only Myanmar falling behind it in Southeast Asia. In the 2014 NRI ranking, East Timor ranked number 141 overall, down from 134 in 2013. East Timor is part of the Timor Leste–Indonesia–Australia Growth Triangle (TIA-GT). The agriculture sector employs 80% of East Timor's active population. In 2009, about 67,000 households grew coffee in East Timor, with
3465-697: The Coral Triangle biodiversity hotspot. The easternmost area of East Timor consists of the Paitchau Range and the Lake Ira Lalaro area, which contains the country's first conservation area, the Nino Konis Santana National Park . It contains the last remaining tropical dry forested area within the country. It hosts a number of unique plant and animal species and is sparsely populated. The northern coast
3564-709: The Iris lorikeet , S. i. rubripileum . Along with the Solomon Islands , Papua New Guinea , the Philippines , Indonesia , Malaysia and Australia , East Timor is one of the countries located in the Coral Triangle , the site of the most biodiverse coral reefs in the world. In particular, Atauro Island 's coral reefs have been recognized as having the highest average fish biodiversity of any site surveyed, with reef sites off Atauro carrying an average of 253 different species. The highest number of species recorded from
3663-703: The Timorese horseshoe bat . The country's and region's largest mammal, the Javan rusa , and its only native marsupial, the Northern common cuscus , are both believed to have been introduced to the island in prehistoric times by settlers from the Lesser Sunda Islands and New Guinea , respectively. Other mammals found in East Timor include the Crab-eating macaque , a large number of species of bats, and
3762-556: The United Nations , manned by civilian advisers, 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, substantially reconstructed the infrastructure. By mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. The economy grew by about 10% in 2011 and at a similar rate in 2012. While East Timor gained revenue from offshore oil and gas reserves, little of it has been spent on the development of villages, which still rely on subsistence farming. As of 2012 , nearly half
3861-521: The United States dollar , producing its own coins to facilitate smaller transactions. The economy is generally open to foreign investment, although a prohibition on foreigners owning land means many require a local partner in the country. Competition is limited by the small size of the economy, rather than any government barriers. There are far more imports than exports, and prices for goods are often higher than in nearby countries. Inflation
3960-466: The exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-western half, and the minor islands of Atauro and Jaco . The western half of the island of Timor is administered by Indonesia . Australia is the country's southern neighbour, separated by the Timor Sea . The country's size is 14,950 square kilometres (5,770 sq mi). Dili , on the north coast of Timor, is its capital and largest city. Timor
4059-464: The resignation of Indonesian President Suharto , the new President BJ Habibie , prompted by a letter from Australian Prime Minister John Howard , decided to hold a referendum on independence. A UN-sponsored agreement between Indonesia and Portugal allowed for a UN-supervised popular referendum in August 1999. A clear vote for independence was met with a punitive campaign of violence by East Timorese pro-integration militias supported by elements of
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4158-436: The sucos are the level of government that is linked to community identities, rather than any high level of administration. Such relationships, however, are associated specifically with the kinship groups within that land, rather than the land itself. Relationships between sucos also reflect customary practices, for example through the reciprocal exchanging of support for local initiatives. Laws passed in 2004 provided for
4257-417: The 2007 parliamentary elections . While both major parties have been relatively stable, they remain led by an "old guard" of individuals who came to prominence during the resistance against Indonesia. Politics and administration is centred in the capital Dili , with the national government responsible for most civil services. Oecusse , separated from the rest of the country by Indonesian territory,
4356-605: The Australian government offered instead a last-minute concession solely on royalties from the Greater Sunrise gas field. An agreement was signed in 2005 under which both countries would set aside the dispute over the maritime boundary, and East Timor would receive 50% of the revenues (estimated at A$ 26 billion or about US$ 20 billion over the lifetime of the project) from the Greater Sunrise development. Other developments within waters claimed by East Timor but outside
4455-695: The East Timorese population was living in extreme poverty. (in bil. US$ PPP) In the Doing Business 2013 report by the World Bank, East Timor was ranked 169th overall and last in the East Asia and Pacific region. The country fared particularly poorly in the "registering property", "enforcing contracts", and "resolving insolvency" categories, ranking last worldwide in all three. In 2020 it ranked 181st. There are no patent laws in East Timor. Regarding telecommunications infrastructure, East Timor
4554-512: The Indonesian invasion and led its resistance. Given its history, Fretilin viewed itself as the natural party of government and supported a multi-party system, expecting the development of a dominant-party system . Support from the United Nations and the international community, both before and after independence, allowed the nascent political system to survive shocks such as the 2006 crisis . Candidates in parliamentary elections run in
4653-615: The Indonesian military. In response, the Indonesian government allowed a multinational peacekeeping force, INTERFET , to restore order and aid East Timorese refugees and internally displaced persons. On 25 October 1999, the administration of East Timor was taken over by the UN through the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). INTERFET deployment ended in February 2000 with
4752-623: The JPDA and the rest in waters not subject to the treaty (though claimed by both countries). The initial, temporary agreement gave 82% of revenues to Australia and only 18% to East Timor. The government of East Timor has sought to negotiate a definite boundary with Australia at the halfway line between the countries, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea . The government of Australia preferred to establish
4851-453: The UN handed over operational control of the police force to the East Timor authorities. The United Nations ended its peacekeeping mission on 31 December 2012. Francisco Guterres of the centre-left Fretilin party became president in May 2017. The leader of Fretilin, Mari Alkatiri , formed a coalition government after the July 2017 parliamentary election. This government soon fell, leading to
4950-503: The aquatic mammal, the Dugong . East Timor also has its own native horse breed, the Timor pony . East Timor's terrestrial biodiversity is most visible in its native bird species. As of 2022, a total of 289 bird species are found in East Timor. Significantly threatened bird species include the endangered Timor green pigeon and Wetar ground dove and the critically endangered Yellow-crested cockatoo . East Timor has an endemic subspecies of
5049-598: The area of the "gap" left by then-Portuguese Timor in the maritime boundary agreed between the two countries in 1972. Revenues from the "joint" area were to be divided 50-50. Woodside Petroleum and ConocoPhillips began development of some resources in the Timor Gap on behalf of the two governments in 1992. In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was destroyed by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. From 2002 to 2005, an international program led by
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#17327839609595148-660: The boundary at the end of the wide Australian continental shelf , as agreed with Indonesia in 1972 and 1991. Normally a dispute such as this would be referred to the International Court of Justice or the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for an impartial decision, but the Australian government had withdrawn from these international jurisdictions (solely on matters relating to maritime boundaries) shortly before East Timorese independence. Nevertheless, under public and diplomatic pressure,
5247-661: The boundary region between Asia and Oceania, along with the Lesser Sundas, Sulawesi , and the Maluku Islands . The island is surrounded by the Ombai and Wetar Straits of the rougher Banda Sea in the north, and the calmer Timor Sea in the south. East Timor shares the island with Indonesia, with Indonesian territory separating the Oecusse exclave from the rest of the country. The island of Atauro lies north of
5346-611: The build-up to the mid-year presidential elections , the process was peaceful overall and José Ramos-Horta was elected president. In June 2007, Gusmão ran in the parliamentary elections and became prime minister at the head of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) party. In February 2008, Ramos-Horta was critically injured in an attempted assassination ; Prime Minister Gusmão also faced gunfire separately but escaped unharmed. Australian reinforcements were immediately sent to help keep order. In March 2011,
5445-481: The capital of Dili are on average better off, although they remain poor by international standards. The small size of the private sector means the government is often the customer of public businesses. A quarter of the national population works in the informal economy , with the official public and private sectors employing 9% each. Of those of working age, around 23% are in the formal sector , 21% are students, and 27% are subsistence farmers and fishers. The economy
5544-429: The civil administration. In the end, the existing districts were kept and renamed municipalities in 2009, and received very few powers. In 2016 changes were made so that each municipality is led by a civil servant appointed by the central government. This civil servant is advised by locally elected leaders. The isolated Oecusse municipality, which has a strong identity and is fully surrounded by Indonesian territory,
5643-463: The council of ministers, also holds some formal legislative powers. The judiciary operates independently, although there are instances of executive interference. Some courts shift between locations, to improve access for those in more isolated areas. Despite political rhetoric, the constitution and democratic institutions have been followed by politicians, and changes of government are peaceful. Elections are run by an independent body, and turnout
5742-511: The country as a whole does not produce enough food to be self-sustaining, and thus relies on imports. Coffee , rice , maize , coconuts , cassava , soybeans , bananas , mango , and sweet potatoes are cultivated here. With 5,014 Metric Tons in 2019, the country was ranked number 42 among other countries in Avocados Production. After petroleum , the second largest export is coffee , which generates about $ 10 million
5841-768: The country from 1999. The final one, the United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor , began after the 2006 East Timorese crisis and concluded in 2012. East Timor formally applied to join ASEAN in 2011, and was granted observer status and accepted "in principle" in November 2022. Despite the nationalist political leadership promoting closer ties with Melanesian states, the country has targeted ASEAN membership since before its independence, with its leaders stating that joining Pacific bodies would have precluded ASEAN membership. ASEAN membership
5940-448: The country. China has also increased its presence by contributing to infrastructure in Dili. The relationship with Australia was dominated from before independence by disputes over natural resources in the ocean between them , hampering the establishment of a mutually agreed border. The dominance of Australian hard power led East Timor to utilise public diplomacy and forums for international law to push their case. The dispute
6039-481: The dry season, it drops to 12–18 millimetres (0.47–0.71 in). The country is vulnerable to flooding and landslides that occur as a result of heavy rain, especially when rainfall levels are increased by the La Niña effect. The mountainous interior is cooler than the coasts. Coastal areas are heavily dependent on groundwater , which faces pressure from mismanagement, deforestation , and climate change . While
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#17327839609596138-510: The eastern tip of East Timor have been dated to 42,000 years ago. The first known inhabitants are those who arrived during the Australo-Melanesian migration through the region, likely bringing the precursors to today's Papuan languages . A later migration of Austroasiatic -speakers is suspected, although no such languages remain. The arrival of Austronesian peoples brought new languages , and merged with existing cultures on
6237-515: The election of some suco officials, but assigned these positions no formal powers. An updated law in 2009 established the expected mandate of these positions, although it continued to leave them outside of the formal state system, reliant on municipal governments to provide formal administration and services. Further clarification was given in 2016, which entrenched the treatment of sucos and aldeias more as communities than formal levels of administration. Despite this lack of formal association with
6336-566: The end of World War II. Portugal began investment in the colony in the 1950s, funding education and promoting coffee exports, but the economy did not improve substantially and infrastructure improvements were limited. Yearly growth rates remained low, near 2%. Following the 1974 Portuguese revolution , Portugal effectively abandoned its colony in Timor, and civil war between East Timorese political parties broke out in 1975. The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) resisted
6435-490: The government states is insufficient to elect a Municipal Assembly, there are plans to convert Atauro to a Special Economic Zone similar to Oecusse. Administration in the lowest levels of the administrative system of East Timor, the aldeias and sucos , generally reflects traditional customs, reflecting community identity and relationships between local households. Sucos generally contain 2,000 to 3,000 inhabitants. Their long persistence and links to local governance means
6534-486: The government, as do media outlets. Civil society organisations are concentrated in the capital, including student groups. Due to the structure of the economy, there are no powerful trade unions. The Catholic Church has strong influence in the country. International cooperation has always been important to East Timor; donor funds made up 80% of the budget before oil revenues began to replace them. International forces also provided security, with five UN missions sent to
6633-570: The governments of East Timor and Australia mandated that both countries put aside their dispute over maritime boundaries and that East Timor would receive 50% of the revenues from the resource exploitation in the area (estimated at A$ 26 billion, or about US$ 20 billion over the lifetime of the project) from the Greater Sunrise development. In 2013, East Timor launched a case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to pull out of
6732-410: The international boundary between the successor states Indonesia and East Timor, respectively. For the Portuguese, East Timor remained little more than a neglected trading post, with minimal investment in infrastructure and education, until the late nineteenth century. Even when Portugal established actual control over the interior of its colony, investment remained minimal. Sandalwood continued to be
6831-399: The island had developed an interconnected series of polities governed by customary law. Small communities, centred around a particular sacred house, were part of wider sucos (or principalities), which were themselves part of larger kingdoms led by a liurai . Authority within these kingdoms was held by two individuals , with the worldly power of the liurai balanced by the spiritual power of
6930-507: The island of Timor was best known for its sandalwood . The Portuguese colonial administration also granted concessions to Oceanic Exploration Corporation to develop oil and gas deposits. However, this was curtailed by the Indonesian invasion in 1976. Petrochemical resources were divided between Indonesia and Australia with the Timor Gap Treaty in 1989. The treaty established guidelines for joint exploitation of seabed resources in
7029-420: The island. Almost half of the country has a slope of at least 40%. The south is slightly less mountainous, and has some plains near the coastline. The highest point is Tatamailau (also known as Mount Ramelau) at 2,963 metres (9,721 ft). Most rivers dry up at least partially during the dry season. Outside of some coastal areas and river valleys, the soil is shallow and prone to erosion, and its quality
7128-555: The island. Timorese origin myths recount settlers sailing around the eastern end of the island before landing in the south. These people are sometimes noted as being from the Malay Peninsula or the Minangkabau highlands of Sumatra . Austronesian migration to Timor may be associated with the development of agriculture on the island. While information is limited about the political system of Timor during this period,
7227-504: The main export crop and coffee exports became significant in the mid-nineteenth century. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a faltering domestic economy prompted the Portuguese to extract greater wealth from its colonies, which was met with East Timorese resistance. The colony was seen as an economic burden during the Great Depression and received little support or management from Portugal. During World War II, Dili
7326-476: The main land border with Indonesia is 125 kilometres (78 mi) long, and the Oecusse land border is around 100 kilometres (62 mi) long. Maritime borders exist with Australia to the south and Indonesia elsewhere. East Timor has an exclusive economic zone of 77,051 km (29,750 sq mi). The interior of the country is mountainous, with ridges of inactive volcanic mountains extending along
7425-450: The mainland, with the fourth area being the small island of Jaco . The Savu Sea lies north of Oecusse. The country is about 265 kilometres (165 mi) long and 97 kilometres (60 mi) wide, with a total land area of 14,874 square kilometres (5,743 sq mi). This territory is situated between 8′15S – 10′30S latitude and 125′50E – 127′30E longitude. The country's coastline covers around 700 kilometres (430 mi), while
7524-518: The months leading up to the 30 August 1999 referendum on independence . As a result, it suffered near-total devastation during the TNI orchestrated scorched earth operation with more than 95 percent of its buildings destroyed. Ainaro's climate lies on the border between a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen Aw ) and a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ). Compared to Dili, Ainaro receives about two-and-a-half times more annual rainfall because it lies on
7623-494: The nearby island of Solor . Early Portuguese presence on Timor was very limited; trade was directed through Portuguese settlements on nearby islands. Only in the 17th century did they establish a more direct presence on the island, a consequence of being driven out of other islands by the Dutch. After Solor was lost in 1613, the Portuguese moved to Flores . In 1646, the capital moved to Kupang on Timor's west, before Kupang too
7722-664: The number of hotels and resorts has increased. The government decided to invest in the expansion of the international airport in Dili . One promising long-term project is the joint development with Australia of petroleum and natural gas resources in the waters southeast of East Timor. East Timor inherited no permanent maritime boundaries when it gained independence, repudiating the Timor Gap Treaty as illegal. A provisional agreement (the Timor Sea Treaty , signed when East Timor became independent in 2002) defined
7821-727: The popularly elected president sharing power with a prime minister appointed by the National Parliament . Power is centralised under the national government, although many local leaders have informal influence. The country maintains a policy of international cooperation, and is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries , an observer of the Pacific Islands Forum , and an applicant for ASEAN membership. The country remains relatively poor, with an economy that relies heavily on natural resources, especially oil, and foreign aid. The total population
7920-439: The population. Sixty-six per cent of families are in part supported by subsistence activities; however, the country as a whole does not produce enough food to be self-sustaining, and thus relies on imports. Agricultural work carries the implication of poverty, and the sector receives little investment from the government. Ninety-four per cent of domestic fish catch comes from the ocean, especially coastal fisheries. Those in
8019-489: The president and the prime minister; and the separation of powers between the executive, legislature, and judiciary. Individuals are not allowed to participate in both the legislature and the executive branch. The legislature is intended to provide a check on the executive; in practice the executive has maintained control of the legislature under all political parties, reflecting the dominance of individual leaders within political parties and coalitions. The executive, through
8118-415: The prime minister and the council of ministers. However, as they are directly elected, past presidents have wielded great informal power and influence. The president does have the power to veto government legislation, initiate referendums, and to dissolve parliament in the event that it is unable to form a government or pass a budget. If the president vetoes a legislative action, the parliament can overturn
8217-400: The reefs through education of local citizens, rejecting harmful development projects, and placing emphasis on traditional laws of preserving nature, called Tara Bandu . The economy of East Timor is a market economy , although it is dependent upon the export of a few commodities and has a large public sector. Internally, market operations are limited by widespread poverty. The country uses
8316-435: The size of the national budget. As oil income has decreased, the fund is at risk of being exhausted. Withdrawals have exceeded sustainable levels almost every year since 2009. Electricidade De Timor-Leste (EDTL) is the vertically integrated monopoly generator and distributor of electric power within the on-grid areas. In 2017, the country was visited by 75,000 tourists. Since the later 2010s, tourism has been increasing and
8415-599: The state, suco leaders hold great influence and are often seen by their community as representatives of the state. They have responsibilities usually associated with civic administration. Located between Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, the island of Timor is the largest of the Lesser Sunda Islands , which lie within the Malay Archipelago . As such, Timor forms part of the Wallacea region,
8514-400: The temperature is thought to have experienced a small increase due to climate change, there has been little change in annual rainfall. Coastal ecosystems around the country are diverse and varied, with vary spatially between the north and south coastlines, as well as between the eastern tip and areas more to the west. These ecosystems include coral reefs , as the country's waters are part of
8613-504: The territory's nominal status in the UN remained as "non-self-governing territory under Portuguese administration". Fretilin resisted the invasion, initially as an army, holding territory until November 1978, and then as a guerrilla resistance. The Indonesian occupation of Timor was marked by violence and brutality. A detailed statistical report prepared for the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor cited
8712-616: The transfer of military command to the UN. On 30 August 2001, the East Timorese voted in their first election organised by the UN to elect members of the Constituent Assembly. On 22 March 2002, the Constituent Assembly approved the Constitution. By May 2002, more than 205,000 refugees had returned. On 20 May 2002, the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of East Timor came into force and East Timor
8811-411: The veto with a two-thirds majority. The prime minister is chosen by the parliament, with the president appointing the leader of the majority party or coalition as prime minister of East Timor and the cabinet on the proposal of the latter. As head of government , the prime minister presides over the cabinet. Representatives in the unicameral National Parliament are elected by popular vote to
8910-565: The waters southeast of Timor. However, this was curtailed by the Indonesian invasion in 1976. The resources were divided between Indonesia and Australia with the Timor Gap Treaty in 1989. East Timor inherited no permanent maritime boundaries when it attained independence. A provisional agreement (the Timor Sea Treaty , signed when East Timor became independent on 20 May 2002) defined a Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA) and awarded 90% of revenues from existing projects in that area to East Timor and 10% to Australia. An agreement in 2005 between
9009-542: The windward side of the southeastern trade winds , which especially during the first half of Dili's dry season give moisture to the southeastern side of Timor whilst the northern side is dry. East Timor East Timor , also known as Timor-Leste , officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste , is a country in Southeast Asia . It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor ,
9108-562: Was recognised as independent by the UN. The Constituent Assembly was renamed the National Parliament, and Xanana Gusmão was elected as the country's first president. On 27 September 2002 the country became a UN member state. In 2006, a crisis of unrest and factional fighting forced 155,000 people to flee their homes; the United Nations sent in security forces to restore order. The following year, Gusmão declined to run for another term. While there were minor incidents in
9207-593: Was established during Portuguese rule. While decentralisation is mentioned in the constitution, administrative powers generally remain with the national government operating out of Dili. Upon independence there was debate about how to implement decentralisation; various proposed models would create different levels of administration between the sucos and the central government. In most proposals, there were no specific provisions for suco -level governance, and they were expected to continue to exist as mostly traditional spaces, identifying communities rather than being part of
9306-517: Was little overall improvement in living standards; economic growth mostly benefited immigrants from elsewhere in Indonesia. A huge expansion of education was intended to increase Indonesian language use and internal security as much as it was for development. The 1991 massacre of more than 200 demonstrators by the Indonesian military was a turning point for the independence cause, and brought increased international pressure on Indonesia. Following
9405-431: Was lost to the Dutch in 1652. The Portuguese then moved to Lifau , in what is now East Timor's Oecusse exclave. Effective European occupation in the east of the island only began in 1769, when the city of Dili was founded, although actual control remained highly limited. A definitive border between the Dutch and Portuguese parts of the island was established by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 1914 and remains
9504-720: Was occupied by the Allies in 1941, and later by the Japanese beginning in 1942. The mountainous interior of the colony became the scene of a guerrilla campaign , known as the Battle of Timor . Waged by East Timorese volunteers and Allied forces against the Japanese, the struggle killed between 40,000 and 70,000 East Timorese civilians. The Japanese eventually drove the last of the Australian and Allied forces out in early 1943. Portuguese control resumed, however, after Japanese surrender at
9603-479: Was resolved in 2018 following conciliation procedures before the Permanent Court of Arbitration , when the two states established by treaty a maritime boundary between them along with an agreement on natural resource revenues. The Timor Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL) was established in 2001, replacing Falintil , and was restructured following the events of 2006. It is responsible not only for safeguarding against external threats, but also for addressing violent crime,
9702-473: Was settled by Papuan and Austronesian peoples, which are reflected in the country's diverse mix of cultures and languages, displaying links to Southeast Asia and Melanesia . East Timor came under Portuguese influence in the sixteenth century, remaining a Portuguese colony until 1975. Internal conflict preceded a unilateral declaration of independence and an Indonesian invasion and annexation . Resistance continued throughout Indonesian rule and in 1999,
9801-537: Was sought for economic and security reasons, including to improve the relationship with Indonesia. Nonetheless, the process has been slow due to a lack of support from some ASEAN states. East Timor is thus an observer to the Pacific Islands Forum and the Melanesian Spearhead Group . More broadly, the country is a leader within the Group of Seven Plus (g7+) , an organisation of fragile states . It
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