A Brief Description East Timor is a stunning sight (especially from the air) as it's ringed by miles of sandy beaches and a deep bluish-green sea. At its center, toothy-edged mountains jut skyward covered by thick green forest, and on misty days it has the look of paradise found. This exotic destination, certainly not yet on most tourist's agenda, is the world's newest nation and now officially recognized by the United Nations and the other countries on the planet. East Timor occupies approximately 50% of the island of Timor. It was colonized and controlled by Portugal for over 400 years and when the Portuguese finally pulled out in 1975, it was annexed by the country of Indonesia. Internally, a growing faction began to resist the controls placed upon it by Indonesia, and within 25 years, the very proud and independent locals gained their hard-fought independence in 2002, after two decades of bloody struggle with it's neighbor. East Timor must deal daily with a lack of natural resources and a poor infrastructure, one that was almost totally ignored by Indonesia for years. However, the "Taste of Freedom" for now transcends all problems, and its future has great promise. Learn more about interesting East Timor here Facts and Figures Name East Timor (long form) Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Population 1,040.900 Population & Density (all countries) here Capital City Dili (56,900) Currency US Dollar (USD) Currency Converter here Languages Tetum (official) Portuguese (official), English and numerous indigenous languages. Flag here National Day May 20 Religions Catholic (90%), Muslim, others Street dancers in Dili, East Timor Travel the World through Poster Art! Geographic Coordinates Latitude/Longitude (Capital City) 08º 35' S, 125º 35' E Relative Location East Timor is located in both the eastern and southern hemispheres. Positioned to the north of Australia, it sits in Southeast Asia, at the southeastern edge of the Indonesian archipelago on the island of Timor. It's directly bordered by Indonesia (West Timor), and by the Sava Sea and Timor Sea. Land Statistics Coastline 439 miles (706 km) (land) 5,794 sq miles (15,007 sq km) (water) 0 sq miles (0 sq km) (TOTAL) 5,794 sq miles (15,007 sq km) Land Area (all countries) here Landforms The country is surrounded by a flat plain that rise abruptly into the foothills of the rugged mountains that runs through its heart. The loftiest peaks are found in the Ramelau Range, where the country's highest point it located. Meandering rivers have formed deep gorges through the mountains. The most significant rivers are the Lakla, Lies and Seical. In addition, dozens of smaller rivers drain the land. Highest Pt. Foho Tatamailau - 9,721 ft. (2,963 m) Lowest Pt. Timor Sea - 0 ft. (0 m) Land Divisions The country divides itself into 13 administrative districts; including Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno) and Viqueque. Hand monument in Dili, East Timor

Maps East Timor (large color) Map here East Timor Outline Map here East Timor CIA version here East Timor Maps at UT here Indonesia Map with East Timor here Indonesia Map with East Timor CIA version here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asia Continent (printable) here Asia Outline Map here Asia (Southeast) Outline Map here Asia (Name the Country) Map Test here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Indian Subcontinent Map here Middle East Landforms here Middle East Map here Middle East Outline Map here Middle East Rivers here Tsunami Map (December 2004) here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Outline Maps (printable) here World Time Zone Map here Recommended Links East Timor (Complete) info on the (GDP) economy, imports and exports, natural resources, government, population, military, transportation, and more here! East Timor (news) here East Timor Government here East Timor Photos at TrekEarth.com here East Timor Press here East Timor Website (very useful info) here Time and Weather Time Zone (UTC +9) Note that UTC is also known as GMT, or Greenwich Mean Time. Conversion details and additional info here Climate East Timor, located just a short distance from the Equator, experiences tropical weather throughout the year. Seasonal low temperatures average near 68º f, (20º c), while highs are near 86º f, (30º c), with some days exceeding 95º f, (35º c). The rainfall is quite heavy December through mid-March (summer months), and temperatures do cool some. At the end of the rainy season temperatures rise dramatically, and so does the humidity. Note that East Timor seasons are just the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere, as Spring is (Sept-Nov), Summer is (Dec-Feb), Fall is (Mar-May) and Winter is (Jun-Aug). Traveler Info Attractions On the positive side, East Timor has miles of beautiful beaches, stylish colonial cities, rugged mountains, and coconut tree forests. Here, backpacking and hiking, bird, whale and dolphin watching, scuba diving and snorkeling are suggested activities. Dili, the main point-of-entry and a good home base for travelers, is a city of churches, monuments and a most picturesque waterfront. On the other-side-of-the-coin, due to the violence that took place during East Timor's struggle for independence, much of the infrastructure was destroyed. It is slowly being rebuilt thus electricity, telephones, roads and lodging is somewhat unreliable. In addition, western travelers should exercise caution in public places including, but not limited to, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, places of worship, outdoor recreational events, hotels, resorts, beaches and other locations frequented by foreigners. Dialing Code 670 Electricity East Timor uses 220 volts AC (50 Hz) Electrical adapters, products and tips here Travel Warnings here Visa Information here

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This page created by: Patrick Kennedy
Creation date: March 2007
Last update: 18 November, 2009
URL: http://www.patricksworldcurrency.com/countries/timor.html