The most interesting facts about East Timor (Timor-Leste) from the first new nation of the millennium to the world’s most biodiverse waters.
Fast facts
Official name: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
Population: 1.5 million
Area: 14,874 sq km
Capital city: Dili
Major languages: Tetun Prasa, Mambai, Makasai, Tetun Terik, Baikenu, Kemak, Bunak
Major religions: Roman Catholic 97.6%, Protestant/Evangelical 2%, Muslim 0.2%
Time zone: UTC+9 (Timor Leste Time)
Interesting facts about East Timor
1. East Timor (Timor-Leste) is an island nation in Southeast Asia bordering Indonesia.
2. The name of the country translates as “Eastern-East” as “timor” stems from the Indonesian and Malay word “timur” which means “east” and “leste” which is the Portuguese word for “east”.
3. Archaeological remains found in East Timor suggest the area has been inhabited for at least 42,000 years, making the site one of the region’s oldest sites of modern human activity.
4. East Timor occupies the eastern half of the island of Timor, some small offshore islands and the enclave of Ambeno in West Timor.
5. East Timor was colonized by Portugal during the 1600s. They remained in power almost entirely until 1975.
6. Japan invaded East Timor in 1942 during the Second World War and occupied the country until 1945. The occupation and subsequent battles with Australian troops led to the death of over 60,000 East Timorese.
7. East Timor initially declared independence in 1975 from Portugal. However, just nine days later, it was invaded by Indonesia and declared as its 27th province.
8. East Timor became the first new nation of the 21st century after it gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
9. As such, East Timor is also Asia’s newest country.
10. Two East Timorese have won the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1996, the prize was awarded jointly to East Timorese activists José Ramos-Horta and Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo “for their work towards a just and peaceful solution to the conflict in East Timor.”
11. East Timor’s flag has a red background with a black triangle, a yellow triangle, and a white five-pointed star. The black symbolizes colonial repression, yellow the struggle for independence, and red the suffering of the country’s people. The white star expresses hope for the future.
12. East Timor is one of 27 countries that doesn’t have a single UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also doesn’t have any properties on the Tentative List of sites intended to be submitted for nomination.
13. East Timor is located within the Coral Triangle, a marine area in the western Pacific Ocean home to an incredibly high number of corals (nearly 600 different species of reef-building corals alone). The region also sustains six of the world’s seven marine turtle species and more than 2,000 species of reef fish.
14. East Timor is home to the world’s most biodiverse waters. In 2016, scientists discovered 643 species in the waters around Atauro Island, many of which are believed to be entirely new.
15. At least 30 species of cetaceans (aquatic mammals such as whales, dolphins and porpoises) have been found in East Timor’s waters. These have included spinner dolphins and blue whales.
16. As well as the four main languages – Tetun, Portuguese, Indonesian and English – there are around 32 indigenous languages also spoken in East Timor.
17. Dugongs can also be found in East Timor’s waters. Dugongs are considered sacred animals to some locals, and are not hunted. However, they are still considered a “Vulnerable” species due to a number of other threats.
18. East Timor’s national anthem, “Patria” (Fatherland), was first used when the country declared its independence from Portugal in 1975. The song’s lyricist, Francisco Borja Da Costa, was killed in the Indonesian invasion just days later.
19. East Timor is one of only two predominantly Christian countries in Southeast Asia, the other one is the Philippines.
20. East Timor is one of the least visited countries in the world. It only received around 74,800 tourists in 2019. For comparison, Indonesia received nearly 13 million.
21. A popular tourist attraction in East Timor is the 27m (89ft) high Cristo Rei statue of Jesus. The statue was a gift from the Indonesian government in 1996 and has 570 steps leading up to it.
22. East Timor is one of the poorest countries in Asia when measured by GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). It is also the poorest country in Southeast Asia.
23. East Timor is the 112th hungriest country out of 125 countries and suffers from serious levels of hunger according to the 2023 Global Hunger Index.
24. As such, East Timor is also the world’s second least obese nation. The World Obesity Index shows that East Timor has an obesity rate of 1.58% (male data).
Every effort has been made to verify these facts about East Timor. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.