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Background:
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The
Portuguese colony of Timor declared itself independent from
Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by
Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into
Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. A
campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades,
during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost
their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular
referendum, the people of East Timor voted for independence
from Indonesia. During 1999-2001, anti-independence militias -
supported by Indonesia - conducted indiscriminate violence. On
20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an
independent state and the world's newest democracy.
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Location:
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Southeastern
Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at
the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - East
Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island
of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
15,007 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger
than Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 228
km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km |
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Coastline:
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706 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot,
humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons |
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Terrain:
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mountainous |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m |
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Natural resources:
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gold, petroleum,
natural gas, manganese, marble |
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Land use:
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arable land:
NA%
other: NA%
permanent crops: NA% |
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Irrigated land:
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1,065 sq km
(est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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floods and
landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical
cyclones |
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Environment - current issues:
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widespread use of
slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil
erosion |
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Environment - international agreements:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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Timor comes from
the Malay word for "East;" the island of Timor is
part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and
easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands |
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Population:
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1,019,252
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
37.8% (male 196,007; female 189,584)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 308,254; female 295,584)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 14,663; female 15,160)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 20
years
male: 20.1 years
female: 19.9 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.11% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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27.46
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.36 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
48.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 55.34 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 65.56 years
male: 63.31 years
female: 67.92 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Timorese
adjective: Timorese |
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Ethnic groups:
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Austronesian
(Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist, Animist
(1992 est.) |
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Languages:
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Tetum (official),
Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum,
Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of
people |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48% (2001)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor
local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste
[Portuguese]
former: Portuguese Timor
local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese] |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Dili |
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Administrative divisions:
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13 administrative
districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima
(Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto,
Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque |
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Independence:
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28 November 1975
(date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note -
20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition
of East Timor's independence from Indonesia |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
28 November (1975) |
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Constitution:
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22 March 2002
(based on the Portuguese model) |
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Legal system:
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UN-drafted legal
system based on Indonesian law (2002) |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May
2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but
is able to veto some legislation; he formally used the name
Jose Alexander GUSMAO
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude
ALKATIRI (since 20 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of State
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be
held NA April 2007); after the first legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party was appointed prime minister
by the president, suggesting a precedent for the future
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected
president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%,
Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum
requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its
first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of
88 members on an exceptional basis
elections: (next to be held August 2006); direct
elections for national parliament were never held; elected
delegates to the national convention named themselves
legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional
numbers for this term of the national parliament.
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN
57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%,
KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%,
independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7,
PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1,
PST 1, PL 1, independent 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of
Justice, one judge appointed by the National Parliament and
the rest appointed by the Superior Council for the Judiciary |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Associacao
Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL];
Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES];
Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva
GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];
Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or
PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob
XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or
FRETILIN [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD
[Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader
NA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association
of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL];
Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor
Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist
Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese Popular Democratic
Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos DA COSTA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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the Popular
Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East
Timor or CPD-RDTL is the largest political pressure group; it
rejects the current government and claims to be the rightful
government; it is led by Cristiano DA COSTA, a.k.a. Aitahan
MATAK; Kolimau 2000 is another opposition group; leader is Dr.
BRUNO (NFI) according to Indonesian press |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides
in New York) (2003)
FAX: 202 965-1517
telephone: 202 965-1515
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC
20007 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
embassy: Vila 10, Avenida de Portugal, Farol, Dili
mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place,
Washington, DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684, 331-3205/3160/3472
FAX: (670) 331-3206 |
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Economy - overview:
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In late 1999,
about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was
laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next
three years, however, a massive international program, manned
by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police
officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and
rural areas. By mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees
had returned. Growth was held back in 2003 by extensive
drought and the gradual winding down of the international
presence. The country faces great challenges in continuing the
rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil
administration, and generating jobs for young people entering
the workforce. One promising long-term project is the planned
development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters, but the
government faces a substantial financing gap over the next
several years before these revenues start flowing into state
coffers. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $440 million (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-3% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $500 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
25.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 57.4% (2001) |
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Population below poverty line:
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42% (2003 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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8% NA% (2003
est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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50% (including
underemployment) (1992 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$36 million
expenditures: $97 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2003 est.) |
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Industries:
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printing, soap
manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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8.5% |
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh (2001) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, rice,
maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes,
bananas, vanilla |
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Exports:
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$8 million (2001
est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee,
sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla
exports |
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Exports - partners:
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NA |
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Imports:
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$237 million
(2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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mainly food
(2001) |
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Imports - partners:
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NA |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$2.2 billion
(1999-2002 est.) |
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Currency:
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US dollar (USD) |
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Currency code:
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IDR |
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Exchange rates:
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the US dollar is
the legal tender |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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NA |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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NA |
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Telephone system:
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NA |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM NA, FM NA,
shortwave NA |
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Television broadcast stations:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.tp |
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Internet users:
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NA |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total:
3,800 km
paved: 428 km
unpaved: 3,372 km (1995) |
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Waterways:
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NA |
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Pipelines:
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NA |
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Ports and harbors:
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NA |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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8 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,427 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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East Timor
Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army,
Navy |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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NA (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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NA (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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NA (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$4.4 million
(FY03) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA% |
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Disputes - international:
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East
Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey,
and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the
boundary especially around the Oekussi enclave remain
unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty
of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai,
which may delay decision on the northern maritime boundaries;
numbers of East Timor refugees in Indonesia refuse
repatriation; the 1999 maritime delimitation established
partial maritime boundaries with Australia over part of the
Timor Gap but temporary resource-sharing agreements over an
unreconciled area grant Australia a 90% share of exploited gas
reserves and hamper creation of a southern maritime boundary
with Indonesia |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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