East Timor

East Timor (tē'môr) [key]or Timor-Leste (–lesh'tā) [key], Tetum Timor Lorosae, republic, officially Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (2002 est. pop. 800,000), 5,950 sq mi (15,410 sq km), in the Lesser Sundas, Malay Archipelago, off the SE Asia mainland. The country occupies the somewhat narrower, eastern half of Timor island, the exclave of Ambeno (or Oecussi) on the northwest coast of Timor, and offshore islands. Dili, on the north coast, is the capital and largest city, as well as the country's main port. Other large cities include Dare, outside Dili, and Baucau, on the northeast coast and the site of the main airport. The terrain is largely hilly and mountainous, reaching its highest point on Mt. Tatamailau (6,562 ft/2,963 m).

Although East Timor, whose economy is largely agricultural, was one of the world's poorest nations at independence, it has offshore oil and gas fields in the Timor Gap off East Timor's southern coast that are under development. Rice, coconuts, and coffee (the main export) are grown, and stretches of grassland support cattle. The inhabitants, of predominantly Malay and Papuan descent, are largely Roman Catholic. Portuguese and Tetum, the main local language, are official languages, although Portuguese is no longer widely spoken; English and Bahasa Indonesia are “working languages.” The national government consists of a popularly elected president, who is the head of state and may serve two five-year terms; a prime minister, who is the head of government, and a cabinet; and a unicameral parliament whose members are elected for five-year terms. The island is divided administratively into 13 districts; Ambeno and the island of Ataúro have autonomous status.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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