The 2005 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

cyclones

      Environment - current issues:

       widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to

       deforestation and soil erosion

      Environment - international agreements:

       NA

      Geography - note:

       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

      People East Timor

      Population: 1,040,880 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2005 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 37.1% (male 196,108/female 189,753)

       15–64 years: 59.9% (male 318,173/female 305,479)

       65 years and over: 3% (male 15,353/female 16,014) (2005 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 20.41 years

       male: 20.46 years

       female: 20.35 years (2005 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       2.09% (2005 est.)

      Birth rate:

       27.19 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Death rate:

       6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       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: 0.96 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 47.41 deaths/1,000 live births

       male: 53.71 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 65.9 years

       male: 63.63 years

       female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       NA

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       NA

      Nationality:

       noun: Timorese

       adjective: Timorese

      Ethnic groups:

       Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

      Religions:

       Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,

       Animist (1992 est.)

      Languages:

       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

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       total population: 58.6% (2002)

      Government East Timor

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

       conventional short form: East Timor

       local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];

       Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

       local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

       former: Portuguese Timor

      Government type:

       Republic

      Capital:

       Dili

      Administrative divisions:

       13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro

       (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),

       Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

      Independence:

       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

      National holiday:

       Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

      Constitution:

       22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

      Legal system:

       UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place

       but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese

       law (2004)

      Suffrage:

       17 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       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 formerly used the name Jose

       Alexandre GUSMAO

       head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20

       May 2002)

       cabinet: Council of Ministers

       elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

       election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in 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%

      Legislative branch:

       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%,