Country Profile: Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste, located in Southeast Asia, comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor and several smaller islands. With a population of approximately 1.5 million people, the nation is characterized by its mountainous terrain and tropical climate, which features distinct wet and dry seasons. Economically, Timor-Leste is considered one of the world's poorest nations, heavily reliant on energy resources from the Timor Sea, as well as foreign aid for governmental expenditures. The country has made strides in establishing democratic governance since gaining independence in 2002, although political instability persists.

Geography

Timor-Leste is situated in the Lesser Sunda Islands, northeast of Australia. It has a total area of 14,874 square kilometers and is predominantly mountainous, with the highest point being Foho Tatamailau at 2,963 meters. The country is bordered by Indonesia and boasts a coastline of 706 kilometers along the Timor Sea.

253 km: Length of land boundary with Indonesia.
706 km: Total coastline length.
71%: Percentage of land covered by forests (2023).
23%: Share of agricultural land (2023).
0: Water area (Timor-Leste is completely land-based).

People and Society

Timor-Leste's population is estimated at 1,506,909 in 2024, with a median age of 20.6 years. The majority of the population identifies as Timorese and predominantly practices Roman Catholicism. The country is home to diverse ethnic groups, mainly of Austronesian and Melanesian-Papuan descent, and has numerous languages spoken, with Tetun and Portuguese as the official languages.

38.7%: Population aged 0-14 years (2024).
2.04%: Annual population growth rate (2024).
29.7 births/1,000: Birth rate (2024).
70.5 years: Life expectancy at birth (2024).
72.5%: Literacy rate (2022).

Economy

Timor-Leste's economy remains in the lower-middle-income bracket, with significant challenges including endemic corruption and reliance on foreign aid. Its GDP (PPP) was estimated at $5.863 billion in 2024, with a predominant service sector that accounts for 61% of the economy. The country has struggled with negative GDP growth rates in recent years.

$5.863 billion: Real GDP (PPP) for 2024.
-2.2%: Projected GDP growth rate for 2024.
16.9%: Agriculture share of GDP (2023).
1.7%: Unemployment rate (2024).
11.7%: Contribution of remittances to GDP (2024).

Government

Timor-Leste is a semi-presidential republic with a history of political instability following its independence from Indonesia in 2002. The government is structured with an executive branch headed by a president and a prime minister, and a unicameral National Parliament. The most recent elections were held in 2023, demonstrating progress in democratic governance despite ongoing challenges.

Dili: Capital city.
65: Total seats in the National Parliament.
35.4%: Percentage of women in parliament (2023).
17 years: Minimum voting age.
2: Major political parties: CNRT and FRETILIN.

Military and Security

The Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) is responsible for both defense and internal security roles. The military personnel strength is approximately 2,000, and military expenditures account for 2.5% of GDP. The force primarily relies on donated military equipment from various countries.

2.5%: Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP (2024).
~2,000: Personnel in the defense forces (2025).
18 years: Minimum age for voluntary military service.
1.4%: Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP (2022).

Energy

Electricity access in Timor-Leste is nearly universal at 99.7%, with most of the generation capacity derived from fossil fuels. The country produces small quantities of petroleum and natural gas, indicating potential for energy sector growth.

99.7%: Total population with electricity access (2022).
411.519 million kWh: Total electricity consumption (2023).
5,000 bbl/day: Total petroleum production (2023).
521.034 million cubic meters: Natural gas production (2023).

Environment

Timor-Leste faces several environmental challenges, including deforestation, land degradation, and poor water quality. The country has committed to various international environmental agreements, aiming to address these issues while balancing development.

660,000 metric tonnes: Total CO2 emissions (2023).
71%: Forest cover (2023).
23%: Agricultural land as a percentage of total land use (2023).

Transportation

Transportation infrastructure includes 11 airports and a small merchant marine. The primary port of Dili handles maritime traffic, supporting trade and transport within and outside the country.

11: Total airports (2025).
1: Major operational port (Dili).
2: Heliports (2025).

Communications

Timor-Leste's communication landscape includes limited fixed-line subscriptions while mobile cellular usage is growing. Internet access is on the rise, although still a minority of the population is connected.

1.56 million: Total mobile cellular subscriptions (2023).
34%: Internet users as a percentage of the population (2023).

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Population	1,506,909 (2024 est.)
Area	14,874 sq km
GDP (PPP)	$5.863 billion (2024 est.)
Energy consumption per capita	6.825 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Birth rate	29.7 births/1,000 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate	1.7% (2024 est.)
Life expectancy at birth	70.5 years (2024 est.)
Literacy rate	72.5% (2022 est.)
Military expenditures as % of GDP	2.5% (2024 est.)