Country Profile: Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste, situated in Southeast Asia in the Lesser Sunda Islands, comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor and several smaller islands. With a population of approximately 1.4 million people, most residents are concentrated around the capital city, Dili. The nation has a lower middle-income economy heavily dependent on its energy resources in the Timor Sea, facing ongoing challenges such as endemic corruption and poverty. Governed as a semi-presidential republic, Timor-Leste has made significant strides towards democratic stability since gaining independence in 2002, although political instability persists.

Geography

Timor-Leste is located in Southeast Asia, northwest of Australia, and includes the eastern half of the island of Timor along with the Oecussi region and nearby islands. The country covers an area of 14,874 sq km and features a mountainous terrain with a tropical climate characterized by distinct rainy and dry seasons. Natural resources include gold, petroleum, and natural gas, while approximately 71% of the land is forested.

253 km: Total land border with Indonesia.
706 km: Coastline along the Timor Sea.
12 nm: Territorial sea limit.
2,963 m: Highest point (Foho Tatamailau).
23%: Land used for agriculture (2023 est.).

People and Society

The population of Timor-Leste is estimated at 1,404,785 (2025) with a youthful demographic structure; about 38.7% are under the age of 15. The country is predominantly Christian, with 90.7% of the population identifying as Catholic. Timorese is the nationality, and the official languages are Tetun and Portuguese, while there are around 32 indigenous languages spoken.

23 years: Median age of the population (2025 est.).
32.5%: Urban population (2023).
23.39: Births per 1,000 population (2025 est.).
70.5 years: Life expectancy at birth (2024 est.).
72.5%: Literacy rate (2022 est.).

Economy

Timor-Leste's economy is classified as lower middle-income, heavily reliant on oil fund drawdowns and foreign aid. The economy has faced significant strains, with a real GDP of approximately $5.995 billion in 2023, and a negative growth rate of -18.1% projected for the same year. Agricultural activities contribute 16.9% to the GDP, though the economy suffers from high poverty and unemployment rates.

$1.88 billion: GDP (official exchange rate) for 2024 est.
615,900: Labor force (2024 est.).
1.7%: Unemployment rate (2024 est.).
$278 million: Exports for 2024 est.
$1.197 billion: Imports for 2024 est.

Government

Timor-Leste operates as a semi-presidential republic with a government formed from parliamentary elections. The president serves as the commander-in-chief of the military, while the prime minister leads the government. The legislative body is unicameral, consisting of 65 members elected every five years. The country’s constitution was adopted in 2002, reinforcing democratic governance.

1: Special administrative region (Oecussi).
17 years: Minimum voting age for suffrage.
2022: Most recent presidential election resulted in José Ramos-Horta being elected.
35.4%: Percentage of women in the National Parliament.
10 years: Residency requirement for naturalization.

Military and Security

The Timor-Leste Defense Force is responsible for national defense and internal security, supported by the National Police of Timor-Leste. Military expenditures account for 2.5% of GDP, with a total of approximately 2,000 personnel. The military is primarily equipped with donated tools from various countries.

18 years: Minimum age for voluntary military service.
99.7%: Electrification rate for the total population (2022 est.).
1,500: Defense Force personnel for active duties (2025).
1.4%: Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP for 2022.
Limited inventory: Mostly consists of donated equipment.

Energy

Timor-Leste's energy infrastructure remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, which account for 99.8% of its electricity generation capacity. The country has made significant progress in electricity access, achieving 99.7% electrification for its population as of 2022.

277,000 kW: Installed electricity generating capacity (2023 est.).
411.5 million kWh: Total electricity consumption (2023 est.).
521.034 million cubic meters: Natural gas production (2023).
5,000 bbl/day: Total petroleum production (2023).
6.825 million Btu: Total energy consumption per capita (2023 est.).

Environment

Timor-Leste faces several environmental challenges, including air pollution, poor water quality, and land degradation. Approximately 71% of the country's land remains forested, but deforestation and biodiversity loss are ongoing concerns.

660,000 metric tonnes: CO2 emissions (2023 est.).
63,900 tons: Municipal solid waste generated annually (2024 est.).
23%: Land allocated for agricultural use (2023 est.).
8.215 billion cubic meters: Total renewable water resources (2022 est.).
13.5%: Percentage of municipal waste recycled (2022 est.).

Transportation

Timor-Leste has 11 airports and a small merchant marine fleet. The capital, Dili, hosts the country's only port, which is classified as small, with no large or medium ports available.

1: Total merchant marine vessel (2023).
11: Airports in operation (2025).
2: Heliports (2025).
Dili: Key port city.
4W: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix.

Communications

The communication infrastructure includes mobile cellular subscriptions totaling 1.63 million and a small number of fixed line subscriptions. Internet access is limited, with about 34% of the population reported as internet users.

7: Television stations and 21 radio stations (2019).
2,000: Fixed line telephone subscriptions (2023 est.).
116: Mobile subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (2024 est.).
less than 1: Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (2023 est.).
.tl: Internet country code.

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Population	1,404,785 (2025 est.)
Area	14,874 sq km
GDP (official exchange rate)	$1.881 billion (2024 est.)
Energy Consumption per Capita	6.825 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Birth Rate	23.39 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Unemployment Rate	1.7% (2024 est.)
Electrification Rate	99.7% (2022 est.)
Literacy Rate	72.5% (2022 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth	70.5 years (2024 est.)
Urban Population	32.5% of total population (2023)