East Timor
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
Geography
Area: 15,007 sq. km.
Cities: Capital--Dili, Baucau.
Terrain: Mountainous.
Climate: Tropical; hot, semi-arid; rainy and dry seasons.
People
Nationality: Noun--Timorese; adjective--Timorese.
Population (2004): 924,642.
Religion: Catholic 98%.
Languages: Portuguese, Tetum (official languages); English, Bahasa
Indonesia (working languages).
Education: Literacy--41%.
Health: Life expectancy--49.5 years. Mortality rate (under 5)--126
per 1,000 live births.
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Independence (from Portugal): November 28, 1975.
Restoration of independence: May 20, 2002. (See History section.)
Constitution: March 2002.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state), prime minister
(head of government), cabinet. Legislative--unicameral parliament.
Judicial--Supreme Court and supporting hierarchy. As the Supreme
Court has not yet been formed, the Court of Appeal functions,
on an interim basis, as the Supreme Court.
Major political parties: Revolutionary Front of Independent East
Timor (FRETILIN), Democratic Party (PD), Social Democratic Party
(PSD), Timorese Social Democratic Association (ASDT).
Economy
GDP (2004 est.): $322 million.
GDP per capita (nominal): $430.
GDP composition by sector: Services 57%, agriculture 25%, industry
17%.
Industry: Types--coffee, oil and natural gas.
Trade: Exports--coffee, oil and natural gas. Major markets--Australia,
Europe, Japan, United States. Imports--basic manufactures, commodities.
Major sources--Australia, Europe, Indonesia, Japan, United States.
GEOGRAPHY AND PEOPLE
East Timor is located in southeastern Asia, on the southernmost
edge of the Indonesian archipelago, northwest of Australia. The
country includes the eastern half of Timor island as well as the
Oecussi enclave in the northwest portion of Indonesian West Timor,
and the islands of Atauro and Jaco. The mixed Malay and Pacific
Islander culture of the Timorese people reflects the geography
of the country on the border of those two cultural areas. Portuguese
influence during the centuries of colonial rule resulted in a
substantial majority of the population identifying itself as Roman
Catholic. Some of those who consider themselves Catholic practice
a mixed form of religion that includes local animist customs.
As a result of the colonial education system and the 23-year Indonesian
occupation, approximately 17% of Timorese speak Portuguese and
63% speak Bahasa Indonesia. Tetum, the most common of the local
languages, is spoken by approximately 91% of the population. Mambae,
Kemak, and Fataluku are also widely spoken. This linguistic diversity
is enshrined in the country’s constitution, which designates
Portuguese and Tetum as official languages and English and Bahasa
Indonesia as working languages.
HISTORY
Portuguese and Dutch traders made the first western contact with
East Timor in the early 16th century. Sandalwood and spice traders,
as well as missionaries, maintained sporadic contact with the
island until 1642, when the Portuguese moved into Timor in strength.
The Portuguese and the Dutch, based at the western end of the
island in Kupang, battled for influence until the present-day
borders were agreed to by the colonial powers in 1906. Imperial
Japan occupied East Timor from 1942-45. Portugal resumed colonial
authority over East Timor in 1945 after the Japanese defeat in
World War II.
Following a military coup in Lisbon in April 1974,
Portugal began a rapid and disorganized decolonization process
in most of its overseas territories, including East Timor. Political
tensions--exacerbated by Indonesian involvement--heated up, and
on August 11, 1975, the Timorese Democratic Union Party (UDT)
launched a coup d'état in Dili. The putsch was followed
by a brief but bloody civil war in which the Revolutionary Front
for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN) pushed UDT forces into
Indonesian West Timor. Shortly after the FRETILIN victory in late
September, Indonesian forces began incursions into East Timor.
On October 16, five journalists from Australia, Britain, and New
Zealand were murdered in the East Timorese town of Balibo shortly
after they had filmed regular Indonesian army troops invading
East Timorese territory. On November 28, FRETILIN declared East
Timor an independent state, and Indonesia responded by launching
a full-scale military invasion on December 7. On December 22,
1975 the UN Security Council called on Indonesia to withdraw its
troops from East Timor.
Declaring a provisional government made up of Timorese
allies on January 13, 1976, the Indonesian Government said it
was acting to forestall civil strife in East Timor and to prevent
the consolidation of power by the FRETILIN party. The Indonesians
claimed that FRETILIN was communist in nature, while the party's
leadership described itself as social democratic. Coming on the
heels of the communist victories in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos,
the Indonesian claims were accepted by many in the West. Major
powers also had little incentive to confront Indonesia over a
territory seen as peripheral to their security interests. Nonetheless,
the widespread popular support shown for the guerilla resistance
launched by the Timorese made clear that the Indonesian occupation
was not welcome. The Timorese were not permitted to determine
their own political fate via a free vote, and the Indonesian occupation
was never recognized by the United Nations.
The Indonesian occupation of Timor was initially
characterized by a program of brutal military repression. Beginning
in the late 1980s, however, the occupation was increasingly characterized
by programs to win the "hearts-and-minds" of the Timorese
through the use of economic development assistance and job creation
while maintaining a strict policy of political repression, although
serious human rights violations – such as the 1991 Santa
Cruz massacre -- continued. Estimates of the number of Timorese
who lost their lives to violence and hunger during the Indonesian
occupation range from 100,000 to 250,000. On January 27, 1999,
Indonesian President B.J. Habibie announced his government's desire
to hold a referendum in which the people of East Timor would chose
between autonomy within Indonesia and independence. Under an agreement
among the United Nations, Portugal, and Indonesia, the referendum
was held on August 30, 1999. When the results were announced on
September 4--78% voted for independence with a 98.6% turnout--Timorese
militias organized and supported by the Indonesian military commenced
a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. While pro-independence
FALINTIL guerillas remained cantoned in UN-supervised camps, the
militia killed approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed
300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the
country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems,
water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country’s
electrical grid were destroyed. On September 20, 1999 the Australian-led
peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor
(INTERFET) deployed to the country, bringing the violence to an
end.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
East Timor became a fully independent republic on May 20, 2002,
following approximately 2-1/2 years under the authority of the
UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). The country
has a parliamentary form of government with its first parliament
formed from the 88-member Constituent Assembly chosen in free
and fair, UN-supervised elections in August 2001. The 29-member
Cabinet is dominated by the FRETILIN Party, which won the majority
of Assembly seats. Mari Alkatiri, FRETILIN's Secretary General,
is Prime Minister and Head of Government, and Xanana Gusmao--elected
in free and fair elections on April 14, 2002--is President and
Head of State. UNTAET's mandate ended with independence, but a
successor organization, the UN Mission for the Support of East
Timor (UNMISET), was established to provide additional support
to the Government. In April 2005, the UN Security Council unanimously
passed a resolution establishing a small follow-on special political
mission in East Timor, the UN Office in East Timor (UNOTIL), to
succeed UNMISET when its mandate expired on May 20, 2005. UNOTIL
will remain there until May 20, 2006.
Under the constitution ratified in March 2002, "laws
and regulations in force continue to be applicable to all matters
except to the extent that they are inconsistent with the Constitution;"
and Indonesian and UNTAET laws and regulations continue to be
in effect. During the period from December 2004 to September 2005,
the government held local elections in all 13 districts. In July
2005, the Prime Minister announced a restructuring of the Cabinet
and the first reshuffle since independence. East Timor witnessed
its largest and longest political demonstration in April and May
2005 when several thousand protestors took part in a demonstration
led by the Catholic Church that lasted 20 days. The demonstration
ended peacefully with the signing of an agreement between the
Catholic Church and the Prime Minister that resolved several key
issues of disagreement.
Principal Government Officials
Head of State (President)--Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao
Head of Government (Prime Minister)--Mari Alkatiri
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Jose Ramos-Horta
Ambassador to the United Nations and United States--Jose Luis
Guterres
East Timor maintains an embassy at 4201 Connecticut
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (telephone: 202-966-3202).
ECONOMY
As the poorest nation in Asia, East Timor must overcome formidable
challenges. Basic income, health, and literacy indicators are
among the lowest in Asia. Severe shortages of trained and competent
personnel to staff newly established executive, legislative, and
judicial institutions hinder progress. Rural areas, lacking in
infrastructure and resources, remain brutally poor, and the relatively
few urban areas cannot provide adequate jobs for the country’s
growing labor force. Many cities, including the country’s
second largest, Baucau, do not have routine electrical service.
Rural families' access to electricity and clean water is very
limited. While anticipated revenues from offshore oil and gas
reserves offer great hope for the country, effective use of those
resources will require a major transformation of the country's
current human and institutional infrastructure. Meanwhile, as
those substantial revenues come on line, foreign assistance levels--now
standing at among the highest worldwide on a per capita basis--will
likely taper off.
East Timor has made significant progress in a number
of areas since independence. It has become a full-fledged member
of the international community, joining the United Nations, the
International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Asian Development
Bank (ADB). It is surviving the massive exodus of UN personnel,
equipment and resources, and has effected a relatively smooth
transition to Timorese control of the government and its administration.
It produced a National Development Plan, and its Constituent Assembly
has transitioned into a National Parliament that has commenced
reviewing and passing legislation. In July 2005, Parliament universally
passed a law creating a petroleum fund to effectively manage and
invest oil revenues to ensure these funds are invested in the
country’s development after exploitation of these resources
ends. A nascent legal system has been put into place and efforts
are underway to put in place the institutions required to protect
human rights, rebuild the economy, create employment opportunities,
and reestablish essential public services.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
East Timor joined the United Nations on September 27, 2002. It
is pursuing observer status in the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) and became a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF) in July 2005. East Timor's foreign policy has placed a high
priority on its relationships with Indonesia; regional friends
such as Malaysia and Singapore; and donors such as Australia,
the European Union, Japan, Portugal, and the United States.
U.S.-EAST TIMOR RELATIONS
East Timor maintains an embassy in Washington DC, as well as a
Permanent Mission in New York at the United Nations. The United
States has a large bilateral development assistance program, $22.5
million in 2004, and also contributes funds as a major member
of a number of multilateral agencies such as the Asian Development
Bank and World Bank. The U.S. Peace Corps has an active program
in East Timor.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Grover Joseph Rees III
Deputy Chief of Mission--vacant (Seiji Shiratori arrives in October
2005)
Political/Economic/Commercial Affairs--Elizabeth Wharton
The U.S. Embassy in East Timor is located at Praia
de Coquieros, Dili; tel: 670-332-4684, fax: 670-331-3206. The
embassy's web site is under construction.
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include
information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health
conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political
disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country.
Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends
that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements
are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas
that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers.
Free copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau
of Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system:
202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings
also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page:
http://travel.state.gov. Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication
series, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning
a safe trip abroad, are on the Internet and hard copies can be
purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office, telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling
abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services
at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays,
call 202-647-4000.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC)
is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public contact
center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT
(1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators
for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information
with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta,
Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site
at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the most recent health
advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and
advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries.
A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel
(HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.
Information on travel conditions, visa requirements,
currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and other items
of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your departure
from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this
country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing
in this publication).
U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling
in dangerous areas are encouraged to register their travel via
the State Department’s travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov
or at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon arrival in
a country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy of
their passports. This may help family members contact you in case
of an emergency.
Further Electronic Information
Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://www.state.gov,
the Department of State web site provides timely, global access
to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background
Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key
officers of Foreign Service posts and more.
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related
assistance and market information offered by the federal government
and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the
export process, and more.
STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department
of Commerce, provides authoritative economic, business, and international
trade information from the Federal government. The site includes
current and historical trade-related releases, international market
research, trade opportunities, and country analysis and provides
access to the National Trade Data Bank.
