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About Timor-Leste

On 20th May 2002 Timor-Leste’s declaration of independence was officially restored and power handed over from the United Nations to the first Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste (or Timor Lorosa'e - the Tetum name for the country) became the world's newest nation. This long-awaited event occurred following Timor-Leste's first presidential elections, held in April 2002 where Mr Xanana Gusmao was elected the first President.

The country of Timor Leste consists of the eastern half of the Nusatenggara group (the chain of Indonesian islands running west from Timor to Bali), the completely seperate small enclave of Oecussi on the north coast of the Indonesian sector, the island of Atauro, north of Dili, and to the extreme east the tiny islet of Jaco. Although the total area of Timor Leste is only about 15,000 square kilometres the territority presents a picture of great diversity, in terms of both geography and ethnic composition.

Download a PDF copy of the map of Timor-Leste here (Source: United Nations Cartographic Section)

Timor-Leste is part of the Australian continental shelf. The 'Timor Trough' to the south of the island is a fold of the Australian tectonic plate caused by the island of Timor being pushed up as it slides over the Eurasian plate to the north of the island. These technicalities are all part of the continuing disagreement over Timor Sea oil and gas deposits with Australia.

The island is of recent geological formation, featuring a mountainous interior, with several peaks soaring more than 2500 metres in altitude from the rugged central backbone that arches unevenly for much of the territory's length. The highest peak is Mt Ramelau (2,963m) on the western part of the Timor near Maubisse. The highest peak in the eastern part is Mt Matebian (2,315m), southeast of Baucau. On the southern coast there is an extensive coastal plain, most of it covered with tropical vegetation, while on the northern coast rugged mountain spurs go right down to the sea. But, from the point of view of the livelihood of the Timorese, the most important plains are the highlands at Baucau and Lautern in the east, and the low-lying lands at Maliana near the Indonesian border.