East Timor
East Timor,whose official name is Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste(Portuguese: República Democrática de Timor-Leste; in Tetun: Republika Demokrátika Timor Lorosa'e), is a country in Southeast Asia. Its territory includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and the exclave of Oecusse, surrounded by the territory of the West Timor region. In total, the country has a surface area of 14,874 km², and a population of more than 1,100,000 inhabitants.
The territory of present-day East Timor was colonized by Portugal in the 16th century and became known as Portuguese Timor. The colony declared its independence in 1975, but a few days later it was invaded and occupied by troops from neighboring Indonesia, which made the territory its 27th province. In 1999, after a UN-sponsored referendum on self-determination, Indonesia left the former Portuguese colony and, after a period of administration by the United Nations, East Timor became on May 20, 2002 the first sovereign state to be born in the 21st century. After its independence, the country became a member of the United Nations and of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Furthermore, it is one of the only two Asian countries whose majority religion is Catholicism on the Asian continent.
East Timor has a middle-income economy. In 2014 the GDP per capita was US$5,479 according to World Bank data. About 40% of its inhabitants live below the poverty line, that is, they subsist on less than $1.25 a day, and around half the population is illiterate. Likewise, East Timor still suffers from the decades-long struggle against the Indonesian occupation, which left damage to the country's infrastructure. country in addition to the death of around 100,000 people. Although the country now has a medium (previously low) Human Development Index, the percentage growth of its economy is expected to be among the highest in the world in the coming years. East Timor is the only country in Asia to have a language official iberorromance (in this case Portuguese), in addition to Tetun.
Etymology
“Timor” derives from timur, the word for “east”, “levante” or “oriente” in Malay, which came to be recorded as Timor in Portuguese, giving thus giving rise to the tautological place-name meaning "east": In Portuguese Timor-Leste (Leste is the word for "East"); en tetum Timór Lorosa'e (Lorosa'e is the word for "rise", literally "rising sun"). In Indonesian, the country is called Timor Timur, thus using the Portuguese name for the island followed by the word "east".
The official names according to the Constitution are Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Portuguese, and Repúblika Demokrátika Timór-Leste in Tetum.
The official abbreviated form of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in all languages is Timor-Leste (codes: TLS and TL), which has been adopted by the United Nations, the European Union, and international organizations. national standards of France (AFNOR), United States (ANSI), United Kingdom (BSI), Germany (DIN) and Sweden (SIS), all diplomatic missions in the country by protocol and the CIA World Factbook.
In Spanish, the pan-Hispanic dictionary of doubts advises against the Portuguese form Timor Leste and the translation East Timor (because it is a minority), recommending instead the East Timor form.
History
Prehistory
Cultural remains at Jerimalai, on the eastern tip of East Timor, have been dated to 42,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest known sites of modern human activity in maritime Southeast Asia. believes that descendants of at least three waves of migration still live in East Timor. The first is described by anthropologists as people of the Veddo-Australoid type. Around the year 3000 a. C., a second migration brought the Melanesians. The earlier Veddo-Australoid peoples withdrew at this time into the mountainous interior. Lastly, the Proto-Malays arrived from southern China and northern Indochina. Hakka traders are among the descendants of the latter group.
Myths about the origin of the Timorese tell of ancestors who sailed across the eastern tip of Timor and reached the mainland in the south. Some accounts have Timorese ancestors traveling from the Malay Peninsula or the Minangkabau highlands of Sumatra. Austronesians immigrated to Timor, and are believed to be related to the development of agriculture on the island
Classical period
Before European colonialism, Timor was included in the trade networks of Indonesia, Malaysia, China and India, and in the 14th century was an exporter of aromatic sandalwood, slaves, honey and wax. Since the 16th century, the Timorese people maintained military ties with the Luções of present-day northern Philippines. sandalwood in Timor which attracted European explorers to the island in the early 16th century, who reported that the island had a series of small chiefdoms or principalities.
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Portuguese Colonization
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in the area, in 1512, in search of sandalwood (which was used for the manufacture of fine furniture and perfumery) which was abundant on this island. They also colonized the islands of Sumba and Flores. With the accession to the Portuguese throne of Philip II, King of Spain, the Spanish ruled the island for approximately 60 years, using it as a strategic position against the colonial interests of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. In 1850, the Portuguese lose, at the hands of the Dutch, the islands of Flores, Sumba, and the western part of Timor. For four centuries the Portuguese used the territory for almost exclusively commercial purposes, exploiting the island's natural resources, hardly colonizing the territory. The model of tributary monarchies headed by local traditional leaders or former colonial subjects from Africa and India (known as topasses) is a great political and ethnographic peculiarity.
In terms of technological insertion, it was not until the 1960s that the capital Dili had electricity, and until the following decade, drinking water, sewerage, schools and hospitals. The rest of the country, especially in rural areas, continued to lag behind.
After the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, the island decided to become independent from the metropolis in August 1975, passing power into the hands of FRETILIN (Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor), which proclaimed it a republic on November 29 of the same year. The achieved independence was fragile from the beginning, since the other local parties, such as APODETI, had ambivalent positions regarding the continuation of the colony, independence or annexation to Indonesia.
Indonesian occupation
On December 7, three days after a meeting between Indonesian dictator Suharto and US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the Indonesian military invaded Timorese territory, despite the repudiation of the UN General Assembly. The United States, under Nixon and Kissinger, supported this invasion by selling arms to Indonesia, and Australia also approved the invasion.
On the 22nd of that same year, the United Nations Security Council, through resolution 384, condemned the invasion of Indonesia. This resolution, like the subsequent ones, stressed the right to self-determination of the Timorese.
The Indonesian Occupation of East Timor forced the territory to become Indonesia's 27th province, resulting in a large massacre of Timorese. Hundreds of villages were destroyed by bombing by the Indonesian army, and tons of napalm were used against the Timorese resistance. The use of this product burned a good part of the country's forests, limiting the refuge of the guerrillas in the dense local vegetation.
Based on the description provided to the Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission in East Timor about many bombings, and the strategic objectives of the army-led counter-insurgency campaign, the Commission concludes that bombs were used during the campaigns incendiary The US-supplied Bronco OV-10 aircraft were equipped with small arms, rockets and 'Opalm', a Soviet equivalent of napalm purchased by Indonesia during its campaign in West Papua during 1962. The Commission received film copies of Indonesian army propaganda on the campaigns of the late 1970s, including extensive material from the preparations for the bombings at Baucau Airport, and material from the bombings themselves. In this footage, Indonesian military personnel are clearly filmed carrying bombs marked "OPALM" on North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco aircraft at Baucau airport. The planes are then shown taking off. In addition, a secret Indonesian army document provided to the Commission presents details of the weapons used, including Opalm bombs, long-range, indefinite-impact bombs, and the use of Bronco OV-10 and Sky Hawk aircraft.
In 1989, Indonesia helped the territory, due to its total isolation from it. In the same period, the Indonesian government began social development programs, such as the construction and repair of schools, hospitals, and other buildings, to promote a good image with the Timorese.
Pope John Paul II's visit to East Timor in October 1989 was marked by pro-independence demonstrations, which were harshly repressed. On November 12, 1991, the Indonesian army fired at people who were honoring a student killed by repression, in the Santa Cruz cemetery. About 200 people died in this incident; Other protesters died in the following days, "hunted down" by the Indonesian army.[citation needed]
The cause of the independence of East Timor had greater repercussion and worldwide recognition with the attribution of the Nobel Peace Prize to Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta in October 1996. In July 1997, the South African president Nelson Mandela visited the leader of FRETILIN, Xanana Gusmão, who was in prison. The visit increased pressure for independence to be achieved through a negotiated solution. The economic crisis in Asia, in that same year, hit Indonesia hard, and the Suharto military regime began to suffer various pressures with increasingly violent demonstrations in the streets. These acts led to the general's resignation in May 1998.
Independence
On March 5, 1999, the governments of Portugal and Indonesia came to negotiate the holding of a popular consultation, which was supervised by UNAMET (United Nations Mission in East Timor), created by resolution 1246 of the Council of Security. Seeing that East Timor was poised for independence, a radical wing of the Indonesian army recruited thirty local armed militias to spread terror among the population. Despite the threats, more than 98% of the Timorese population went to the polls on August 30, 1999, to vote in the popular consultation, the result indicated that 78.5% of Timorese would choose independence.[citation required]
Militias, protected by the Indonesian army, unleashed particularly vicious waves of organized violence before and especially after the announcement of the results. Gunmen killed people suspected of having voted for independence in the streets. Thousands of people were separated from their families and forcibly placed on trucks, to an unknown destination. The foreigners were evacuated, leaving Timor amid violence by the military and Indonesian militias.
The UN decided to create an international force to intervene in the region. On September 22, 1999, UN soldiers entered Dili to find a completely burned and devastated country. Much of East Timor's infrastructure was destroyed and the country was nearly devastated. Xanana Gusmão, a leader of the Timorese resistance, was promptly released.
On April 14, 2002, Timorese once again went to the polls to choose the country's new leader. The elections consecrated Xanana Gusmão as the new Timorese president and on May 20, 2002, East Timor achieved full independence. By the same date, more than 205,000 refugees had returned to East Timor.
In 2006, a serious political crisis broke out in the country. Nearly 600 soldiers deserted and civil combats, robberies, demonstrations and assassinations took place. The crisis that continued to reverberate until 2008 had marked elements of different ethnicities (since it was considered that the most eastern ethnic groups had borne most of the resistance and consequently had taken over the military positions). The crisis lingering for months was also due to the ineptitude of the United Nations. An intervention by international forces in June of that year, the stability of the country began to return. The crisis would end with the resignation of Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, being succeeded in his position by the Nobel Peace Prize and former Foreign Minister José Ramos-Horta.
Gusmão, who perhaps bore greater responsibility in the serious crisis (coming from the west, publicly gave some legitimacy to the story of the alleged military discrimination) remained in his position and decided to call new presidential elections, the second round of which was held on On May 9, Ramos-Horta was declared the winner with more than 70% of the votes, assuming the position of president on the following May 20. Gusmão was left with the position of prime minister. The successive positions of Gusmão (who, unlike other historical leaders such as Ramos-Horta, Alkatiri or Guterres, has no academic education) have been revealed as very inefficient according to the UN Human Development reports. The corruption of Gusmão's administrations and his CNRT's party have led East Timor to rank among the most corrupt countries in the world according to Transparency International.
Government and politics
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The head of state of the Republic of East Timor is the President, elected by popular suffrage for a five-year term, and whose role is merely symbolic, although he has certain powers to veto legislation.
Since May 20, 2022, the president of the country is the lawyer, ex-guerrilla and leader of the CNRT José Ramos-Horta. He is the 7th constitutional president. He was elected in the second round with 62% of the vote.
The prime minister since June 2018 is also a former guerrilla and politician Taur Matan Ruak, of the PLP.
The unicameral Timorese congress is called the National Parliament, and its members are also elected by popular suffrage for five-year terms. The number of seats can vary from a minimum of 52 to a maximum of 65. The Timorese Constitution is based on that of Portugal.
Political parties
The main political parties are the Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor (FRETILIN), the National Congress for the Reconstruction of East Timor (CNRT), the Timorese Social Democratic Association (ASDT), the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Democratic party.
Legislative Branch
The National Parliament consists of a single chamber. Its members are elected every five years in free elections. Laws and decrees are published in the Jornal da República. The number of parliamentary seats can vary between 52 and 65. During the first electoral period, the 88 seats of the Constituent Assembly were exceptionally maintained.
Many East Timorese parties focus more on their leaders than on a program that sets them apart from others. Since the 2007 parliamentary elections in East Timor, two dominant parties have emerged, the left-leaning FRETILIN, which is led by Francisco Guterres, and the CNRT, founded by Xanana Gusmão and from which President José Ramos-Horta hails. Representing the younger generation are the midsize parties in parliament: Taur Matan Ruak's PLP, KHUNTO, which traces its origins to the Kmanek Oan Rai Klaran ritual arts group, and PD, which traces its roots to the RENETIL student movement.. The UDT, the FM and the PUDD are also represented in parliament with one deputy each. They entered parliament as the FDD party alliance in the 2018 East Timorese general election.
In the elections, the CNRT, the PLP and KHUNTO concurred together as Aliança para Mudança e Progresso (AMP), obtaining an absolute majority. However, in parliament, each party formed its own parliamentary group. The FDD was dissolved in the first days of the session. UDT and FM then formed a joint parliamentary group, and the PUDD deputy sits alone in Parliament.
On June 13, 2018, the new parliament met for the first time and elected Arão Noé da Costa Amaral, from the CNRT, as the new president of the parliament. On January 17, 2020, the government failed with its proposal on the state budget, since the deputies of the CNRT abstained from voting. The AMP was thus finished. A new six-party alliance was formed, excluding PLP and FRETILIN, but it only lasted a few weeks. The government now has a 36-seat majority in parliament of PLP, FRETILIN and KHUNTO. Aniceto Guterres Lopes (FRETILIN) became the new President of Parliament.
Judicial Branch
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The Timor-Leste Court of Appeal is the highest court in East Timor. Their sentences are final. It is chaired by the President of the Court, who is appointed by the President of the Republic for a four-year term. The position has been held by Deolindo dos Santos since April 28, 2017.
The National Parliament elects a member of the Supreme Court, the other members are appointed by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura Judicial (Superior Council of the Magistracy). The Attorney General is Alfonso López since April 29, 2021. There are district courts in Dili (2017 with 16 judges), Baucau (seven judges), Oe-Cusse Ambeno (one judge) and Suai (seven judges) There are also offices of the Public Defender's Office.
Until the end of 2014, many foreigners, mainly Portuguese, worked in the East Timorese judiciary, both as advisers to the Attorney General and the Anti-Corruption Agency, and as judges. However, after East Timor lost several court cases over tax claims against extractive companies, all foreigners from the judiciary were removed by parliamentary resolution on October 24. The advisers were accused of incompetence and possibly corruption. However, foreign observers speculated that the state wanted to annul the sentences it did not like. The tax cases were reopened.
The death penalty and life imprisonment have been abolished in East Timor. The maximum penalty allowed is 25 years in prison. Inmates must pay for their own food and medical care.
Defense and Security
The East Timor Defense Forces (Forças de Defesa de Timor-Leste, F-FDTL) is the military body responsible for the defense of East Timor. The F-FDTL was created in February 2001 and is composed of two small infantry battalions, a small naval component, and various support units.
The primary role of the F-FDTL is to protect East Timor from external threats. It also has an internal security function, which overlaps with that of the East Timorese National Police (PNTL). This overlap has led to tensions between the services, which have been exacerbated by low morale and a lack of discipline within the F-FDTL.
The F-FDTL's troubles came to a head in 2006, when nearly half the corps was fired following protests over discrimination and poor conditions. The dismissal contributed to a general collapse of the F-FDTL and PNTL in May and forced the government to call in foreign peacekeepers to restore security. The F-FDTL is rebuilding itself with foreign aid and has drawn up a long-term force development plan.
The head of the East Timorese National Police (PNTL) has been Faustino da Costa since 2019. Since 31 October 2012, the PNTL has assumed sole responsibility for internal security in East Timor from the forces of the United Nations. There are no military units in the Oe-Cusse Ambeno exclave. Here, the Border Police (Portuguese: Unidade de Patrulhamento de Fronteira UPF) assumes the functions of the F-FDTL. At the end of 2018, the police force consisted of 4,165 agents.
In addition to the PNTL, there is the Polícia Científica de Investigação Criminal, which deals mainly with serious crimes.
According to UN figures, in 2008 there were 169 cases of aggression per 100,000 inhabitants in East Timor. The global average was 250, while in the US the figure was 795. There were also three murders per 100,000 in East Timor in 2008 (US: six per 100,000). registered a total of 4,504 crimes (381 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants). The largest number was recorded in the Dili municipality, with 714. 1,865 cases were violent crimes (158 per 100,000 inhabitants). Only two homicides were recorded (25 in the previous year) In 2020, the PCIC recorded a total of 26 homicides in East Timor. At the end of 2017, there were 549 people in the country's prisons, of which 157 were in preventive detention. 511 were men, including 38 minors.
Foreign Relations
East Timor is a full member state of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), also known as the Lusophone Commonwealth, an international organization and political association of Lusophone nations from four continents. In each of these nations, Portuguese is an official language. East Timor applied for membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2007, and the formal application was submitted in March 2011.
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Since the discovery of oil in the Timor Sea in the 1970s, there have been disputes over the rights to own and exploit resources located in a part of the Timor Sea known as the Timor Gap, which is the area of the Timor Sea that lies outside the territorial limits of the nations north and south of the Timor Sea. These disagreements initially involved Australia and Indonesia, though a resolution was eventually reached in the form of the Treaty of the Timor Gap. Following East Timor's declaration of nationhood in 1999, the terms of the Timor Strip Treaty were abandoned and negotiations began between Australia and East Timor, culminating in the Timor Sea Treaty.
Australia's land claim extended to the bathymetric axis (the line of greatest depth on the seabed) in the Timor Trench. It overlapped with East Timor's own territorial claim, which followed former colonial power Portugal and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in claiming that the dividing line should lie halfway between the two countries.
In 2013 it was revealed that the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) placed listening devices to listen in on the East Timorese government during negotiations over the Greater Sunrise oil and gas fields. This is known as the Australia-East Timor spy scandal.
Territorial organization
East Timor is subdivided into 14 municipalities, 66 administrative posts, 452 sucos and 2,233 villages:
Geography
East Timor has an area of approximately 14,874 km², making it the 160th largest country in terms of land area. The nation occupies the eastern part of the island of Timor (which in Malay means East), together with the enclave of Oecusse and the Atauro and Jaco islands, located on the northwestern coast of the island. To the north of it are the Ombai Strait and the Wetar Strait and the Savu Sea; to the south with the Timor Sea, which separates the island from Australia; to the east it borders the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. It is a very mountainous country, its maximum height being Foho Tatamailau (2 963 m a.s.l.), with a tropical climate, generally hot and humid, characterized by a monsoon period, which causes landslides and frequent flooding, and a dry period. The capital of the country, Dili, is in turn the most important city and main port of the country; the second most important city is the eastern city of Baucau. In Dili the only international airport operates, although in Baucau there is an aerodrome for local flights.
East Timor is the only country in Asia whose territory lies entirely south of the equator, East Timor is slightly larger than the Bahamas or Montenegro. The main land mass is 260 km long and up to 80 km wide With the exclave and associated islands, the maximum east-west extent is 364 km, and the maximum north-south extent is 149 km. The East Timorese coastline is 783 km in length and is surrounded by coral reefs.
The land border with Indonesia has a total length of 228 km, the route of which has been clarified with Indonesia since 2019. Negotiations on the maritime borders between the two countries have been underway since 2015.
Geology
Timor is located on the outer edge of the so-called Banda Arc, which is part of an extension of the Pacific Ring of Fire and which forms a chain of islands around the Banda Sea. Here, at an oceanic subduction zone, the northwestern edge of the Australian plate pushes under the Eurasian plate. This leads, among other things, to the growth of the Timorese mountain range, which, as a central range, runs through almost the entire island from the southwest to the northeast, up to the Turiscai region. At its top are the highest mountains in East Timor, Tatamailau (2,963 m) and Ablai (2,320 m). Further east are isolated mountains such as Curi (1,763 m), Monte Mundo Perdido (1,332 m) and Matebian (2,376 m). On the southern coast of far eastern Timor is the Paitchau Range (995 m). Some parts of East Timor are rising by 1–1.6 mm per year. 32.1% of the country's surface is at an altitude between 500 and 1,500 m, and 2.6% above 1,500 m Geologically, East Timor is still very young, having only risen from the sea in the last four million years or so. Due to geological activity, there is a constant danger of earthquakes and tsunamis. From time to time, Dili also feels the tremors from around Timor, but so far they have not caused any damage.
The north-east of the Oe-Cusse Ambeno exclave forms the youngest and wildest surface structure on the entire island. It is of volcanic origin and reaches a height of 1,259 m with the Sapu (Fatu Nipane) The island of Atauro was also formed by volcanism. There are no longer active volcanoes on the territory of East Timor. However, there are mud volcanoes and hot springs in several places. Volcanic gases escape from the seabed at the so-called Bubble Beach (Suco Lauhata).
In the north, some of the mountains drop abruptly into the sea. The characteristic coastal terraces and some striking plateaus with heights of 400 to 700 m, such as those of Baucau, characterize the landscape. Terraces and plateaus were formed from coral. The mountainous interior is cut by valleys. The floodplains are located between Lautém and Baucau. The largest areas are the plains of Batugade, Metinaro, Dili, Manatuto, Com and along the Lóis river. On the southern coast are broad coastal plains three to ten kilometers wide, characterized by seasonal swamps, swampy forests, and areas of tall grass. They extend from the national border to Viqueque and, more narrowly, to Lore. The largest are the Alas plain with the Lacló river to the south, the Kicra plain with the Sáhen (Sahe) river, the Luca plain with the Dilor river and the Bibiluto plain. On the border with West Timor is the flat plateau of Maliana, which used to be a bay. The most striking plateau in East Timor is that of Fuiloro, in the municipality of Lautém. To the south, it drops imperceptibly from an altitude of 700 m to 500 m due to its large surface area. Originally, the plateau was the lagoon of a primitive atoll. Three other plateaus surround the Fuiloro plateau: the Nári plateau in the north, Lospalos in the west, and Rere in the south.
The East Timorese cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants are (in 2015) Dili (244,584 inhabitants), Baucau (17,357), Maliana (12,787), Lospalos (12,471) and Same (12,421)[5].
Climate
The local climate is tropical, generally hot and humid, characterized by a wet and a dry season. During the eastern monsoon, between May and November, there is usually a long dry spell, virtually no rain reaches the north coast then, and the brown landscape is parched. During these periods of drought, agriculture comes to a standstill. The cooler mountainous regions in the center of the island and the southern coast receive occasional rain during the dry season, so the landscape remains green. The rainy season lasts from late November to April.
During this time, the fields are re-cultivated. The end of the rainy season is followed by the harvest season. Floods usually occur with the rains; dry riverbeds can fill up in a very short time and become large torrents, carrying soil and debris and disrupting roads. On April 4, 2021, heavy rains caused extensive damage in almost the entire country. Almost the entire capital, Dili, was flooded. It was the largest natural disaster to hit East Timor in more than 40 years.
Dili has an average annual rainfall of 840 mm; most of the rain falls from December to March. In contrast, the city of Manatuto, located to the east of Dili, receives an average annual rainfall of only 565 mm. The south coast of East Timor is wetter, with 1,500 to 2,000 mm of annual rainfall; most of the rain falls on the southern and central coast and in the southern mountains. However, the mountains often create a particular local microclimate, which means that, for example, the village of Lolotoe, in the municipality of Bobonaro, has the highest annual rainfall in East Timor, with 2,837 mm. There are also very marked variations in rainfall over the years.
The temperature in the dry season ranges between 30 and 35 °C in the lowlands (20 °C at night). Some parts of the northern coast reach temperatures above 35°C at the end of the dry season, but with low humidity and almost no precipitation. In the mountains, it is also warm to hot during the day, but at night the temperature can drop below 15 °C, and much more in the heights. At 500 m above sea level, the average temperature annual temperature is 24 °C, at 1,000 m 21 °C, at 1,500 m 18 °C, and 2,000 m 14 °C. The average monthly wind in Dili is weakest in May, with 7 km/h, and strongest in August, with 12 km/h.
Hydrography
The waters off East Timor remain underexplored. There is some controversy over its naming, as the waters have received different names in the different regions they pass through. Nearly all of East Timor's rivers originate in the central highlands and, due to the steep slope, flow north or west. south. The running waters form a dense hydrographic network in the central area of the island. Like many small, high-altitude islands, these are made up almost entirely of streams, which are usually short, meandering, and fast-flowing. However, these streams remain dry most of the year.
The intense rainfall during the rainy season causes the formation of torrents and, therefore, strong soil erosion. However, with the end of the rains, the level of the streams drops again to be able to ford them comfortably. With the return of the dry winds from Australia, only slender rivulets remain in wide channels littered with rubbish and debris, widening each year. Annual flooding, which can last for several months, also makes it difficult for goods to move between the fertile southern plains and the rest of the country. Efforts are being made to limit riparian erosion with the help of plantations and thus reduce the destructive potential of streams.
None of East Timor's rivers are navigable. In the strict sense, in the south of East Timor there are only rivers that carry water all year round. The reason is that the rainy season is longer than in the north. The rivers that also carry water all year round in the north are fed from the south. This is the case of the northern Lacló, which forms the largest hydrographic basin in East Timor, the Seiçal in the municipality of Baucau and the Lóis, the longest river in East Timor at 80 km, which flows into Maubara. Flowing south, Irebere (Irabere), Bebui, Dilor, Tafara, Belulik (Bé-lulic), Caraulun (Carau-úlun, Karau Ulun), Lacló Sur and Clerec carry water year-round. The main river of the Oe-Cusse Ambeno exclave, the Tono (Nuno-eno), flows into the sea west of Pante Macassar. In some permanent rivers on the southern coast, strong tides cause sand to accumulate at the mouths, increasingly blocking the outlet and causing the formation of mudflats.
The largest lake in East Timor is Ira Lalaro (also Suro-bec), in the municipality of Lautém. It is 6.5 km long and 3 km wide. Other inland lakes are Lake Maubara, Lake Seloi, and the Tasitol Lakes. A special attraction of the mountainous landscape are the numerous waterfalls, the most famous being that of Bandeira, near Atsabe.
Wildlife
The island of Timor belongs to Wallacea, a biogeographic transition zone between Asian and Australian flora and fauna. However, there are only a few Australian species, such as the gray couscous. Timor's few mammalian species such as maned deer, musangs, flying fox species, shrews, and monkey taxa, as well as birds and insects, resemble common Malaysian phenotypes. However, 23 bird species are only found in the Timor and Wetar endemic bird zone, making East Timor especially interesting for ornithologists. The total of some 240 bird species includes numerous species of parrots, as well as amadines, cockatoos and doves. Dugongs and blue whales can be found off the northern coast, and sperm whales and other marine mammals regularly pass Dili.
East Timor can only boast a few species of frogs in the amphibian class, most of which are also not endemic, i.e. restricted to Timor. Reptiles also enrich Timor's fauna, such as the Timorese dragon (Varanus timorensis), named after the island, the Timorese water python (Liasis mackloti) and the Timorese reef snake (Aipysurus fuscus), which lives in the sea. The Timor tortoise, which lives on the eastern end of the island and was not discovered until 2007, is endemic.
The inguinal crocodile, which lives in the sea and in rivers and is called "the grandfather crocodile", has a special cultural significance. According to legend, the island of Timor originated from a crocodile. CrocBITE, the Charles Darwin University database of crocodile attacks, recorded 15 fatal attacks and another five on people in East Timor since 2007 (as of September 2016. Domestic animals are also taken with increasing frequency, so in 2010 a Special Crocodile Group made up of ten men was created.
Freshwater fish endemic to Timorese rivers are the unique Oryzias timorensis, four centimeters long, from the family of rice fish (Adrianichthyidae), and Craterocephalus laisapi, from the hardhead genus. A number of East Timorese species often live in the brackish waters of estuaries and mangroves, including crucian catfish (Ariidae), goby (Gobiidae), archerfish (Toxotidae) and Kuhlia mugil of the family of the flagtail (Kuhlia). Carp, predatory African catfish, and guppy, goblin, and panchax hake were all introduced by humans.
The waters surrounding Timor belong to the so-called Coral Triangle, a region with the greatest biodiversity of corals and reef fish in the world. The peak for fish is provided by the reefs surrounding the island of Atauro. In 2016, up to 314 species were discovered at individual sites, a value that is not exceeded anywhere in the world. In total, 643 species of fish have been recorded around Atauro, and several have not even been scientifically described.
Flora
There are an estimated 2,500 species of plants in East Timor. The vegetation of East Timor consists mainly of secondary forest, savannah, and grassland. There are mainly species of the Casuarina family, of the Eucalyptus genus, of the Sappanwood genus, of sandalwood (tetum Ai-kameli) and of palm hearts (Lontarpalms). The area of the original primary forest of East Timor has been reduced to 220,000 ha, that is, 1% of the territory.
Dense forests are now only found in the south of the country and in mountainous regions. Mangrove forests only cover about 7,500 hectares of East Timor because, unlike other islands in the archipelago, there are only a few outcrops on the coast. They occur mainly on the northern coast, where the sea is calmer. For example, mangroves are found in Metinaro, Tibar and Maubara. On the southern coast, mangroves do not extend much beyond river mouths and swamps.
The three most important protected areas for orchids in East Timor are located in Monte Mundo Perdido, Tatamailau and Fatumasin. In 2009, several new species were discovered on Monte Mundo Perdido.
According to a checklist published in 2008 by Silveira et al., the following 66 orchid species from 38 different genera are known from Timor[5]. Ten of East Timor's orchids are considered endemic.
Economy
Before and during colonization, the island of Timor was famous for its sandalwood. By the end of 1999, approximately 70% of East Timor's economic infrastructure had been destroyed by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 260,000 people had fled to the western region of the island. In the three years that followed, however, an international program established by the United Nations led Timor to achieve substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By mid-2002, only 50,000 of the refugees were outside the country. This successful UN effort was led by the Special Representative of the Secretary General Sergio Vieira de Mello, later High Commissioner for Human Rights, who was assassinated in Baghdad in August 2003.
The country continues to face great challenges in rebuilding its infrastructure and strengthening its young government administration. One promising long-term project is the exploitation (jointly with Australia) of oil and natural gas reserves in the waters southeast of Timor, in a place that became known as the Timor Gap after the signing between Indonesia and Australia. of the Timor Gap Treaty, when East Timor was still under Indonesian occupation.
After independence, East Timor inherited no permanent maritime borders, so its government is seeking to negotiate a border midway between the country and Australia. Until May 2004, the Australian government intended to set the limits at the end of the Australian continental shelf. Normally a maritime dispute like this could have been referred to the International Court of Justice or the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for an impartial decision. However, Australia withdrew from these organizations upon learning that East Timor might turn to them to make its territorial claims. Many groups claim that Australia deliberately hampered the negotiations because the current situation benefits Australia economically. The Timor Sea Treaty, signed in 2002, replaced the previous one signed between Australia and Indonesia, and regulated the exchange of petroleum products found in the so-called Joint Petroleum Development Area, but did not determine sovereignty or the maritime boundary between the two countries. The treaty expressly states that the right of either country to claim the overlapping part of the seabed is maintained.
In 2016, however, after a conciliation appeal filed by East Timor before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it declared itself competent to mediate in the definitive establishment of the maritime borders between the two countries, taking The Timor Sea treaty was the basis for precedent, a process started the following year.
Infrastructure
Media
The development of the media in East Timor began from scratch after 1999, the year of the popular consultation on independence, as the existing fledgling media (along with other infrastructure) were destroyed. As of 2010, East Timor had one public television and radio company (Radio Televisión Timor-Leste), fifteen community radio stations, and several print publications.
Due to the large number of languages used in East Timor, newspapers are also published in different languages. The Tempo Newspaper, the National Newspaper and the Seminary are published in Portuguese. The Lia Foun is published in Tetum. Timor Post (in Tetum and Bahasa Indonesia), East Timor Sun and Suara Timor Lorosae (in English, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia and Tetum) are published in multiple languages. One newspaper is published weekly, three daily, and others sporadically.
Television plays a minor role at the national level. Wealthier Timorese own satellite televisions and often watch Indonesian and Australian channels, and sometimes Chinese. The national station is Televisão de Timor Leste (TVTL). It also airs its own productions in Tetum, such as a popular comic book series on Timorese history and legends. In 2015, the state educational channel Televisão Educação Timor went on the air. The private television stations in East Timor are TV-Suara Timor Lorosae (TV-STL) and Grupo de Média Nacional-TV (GMN TV). Radio e Televisão Maubere (RTM) which is the station of the FRETILIN party.
Telecommunications
The GSM network was built by Timor Telecom, which is 50.1% owned by Portugal Telecom. Other shareholders are the State of East Timor and Vodatel. In 2009, Timor Telecom signed a contract with the Chinese company ZTE to expand the mobile phone system and establish the CDMA broadband system. The government lifted Timor Telecom's monopoly in 2010 to allow free competition. June 2012, it was announced that PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin) with its East Timor affiliate Telkomcel and Digicel Pacific Limited (Digicel) received licences. In 2017, Telemor, a subsidiary of Vietnamese Viettel, launched the first 4G network in East Timor.
In 2016, 1.2% of the population had access to an Internet connection. Internet use in East Timor is therefore primarily mobile. The number of mobile phones increased considerably after 2006. While in 2006 only 10% of the population had a mobile phone, in 2012, with 600,000 mobile phones, the proportion already rose to more than half of the population, and in 2014 the proportion of mobile phone owners was 63% of the population. In 2008 there were only 2,641 landlines.
In terms of Internet connection speed, East Timor ranks second from last in the world in 2020. The average download speed is 0.89 megabits per second. Downloading a five gigabyte file takes almost 13 hours. In Portugal it only takes 18 minutes, and in the highest ranked country, Liechtenstein, only three minutes.
Energy and water
According to statistics, 66% of households have access to drinking water sources, and only 21% have water in or inside the house. The inhabitants of other households have to obtain drinking water from public pipes, wells, springs or bodies of water. However, the inadequate sealing of sanitary facilities causes the contamination of groundwater, for which Salvador Eugénio Soares dos Reis Pires, Minister of Public Works, estimated in 2018 that around 73% of East Timorese obtain their water from contaminated sources.
90% of households use firewood for cooking, which causes the decline of forests. Almost half use paraffin to produce light, and 37% electricity. Most of the time diesel generators are used to produce electricity, so in smaller places electricity is usually only available for a few hours at night, if at all. The electricity provider in East Timor is Electricidade de Timor-Leste (EDTL). It has the largest power plants in the country.
Since 2008, the first hydroelectric plant built by Norway has been operating near Gariuai (Baucau municipality). There are also projects with biogas plants operated by village cooperatives, such as in Loi-Huno (Viqueque) and Ponilala (Ermera).
In 2011, seven generators arrived from Finland for an oil-fired power station in Hera. They produce 11* MW for the vicinity. The Finnish Wärtsilä has been operating the plant since 2012. The Betano Power Plant was built in Betano, a 136 MW plant to supply the southern coast, which was officially inaugurated on August 20, 2013. Nine substations have been built. Of the 600 km of high voltage lines and 120 km of distribution cables planned, by August 2013, 90% had been built. In this way, the energy supply was centralized in 47 administrative offices of the twelve municipalities. In the special administrative region, the Oe-Cusse Ambeno exclave, the Inur-Sacato power plant has been in operation since 2015. It was also built by Wärtsilä. The island of Atauro will be supplied with electricity by an underwater cable.
Demographics
The East Timorese population is collectively known as "Maubere," an originally derogatory term but made dignified by resistance groups, consisting of distinct ethnic groups of Malay and Papuan descent in the that an important European cultural and genetic contribution is noted (Portuguese, and there is a Chinese ethnic minority, mainly Hakka, although most of the Chinese and Hakkas had to flee the country when they were especially persecuted by the Indonesians after the 1975 invasion, taking refuge mainly in Australia). As in other former Portuguese colonies, where marriage between ethnic groups (races) was widely accepted, there is a small group of mestizos, called mestiços in Portuguese.
The occupation of the country by Indonesia, and the subsequent repression of the local population, caused a huge exodus of Timorese, mainly to Australia and Portuguese-speaking countries, especially the former metropolis, Portugal, and Brazil. After independence, most of the refugees have returned to the country.
According to estimates made in July 2012 by the CIA, the Timorese population numbered 1,201,255; however, other sources estimate the total population to be just over 800,000. This variation is due to the lack of past records to track population growth and the inaccessibility of some regions to conduct a census. Dili, the capital, is the most populous city in the nation, since it is home to more than 168,000 people.
Religion
East Timor is in Asia, along with the Philippines, the only predominantly Catholic country (96.2%). There is also a Muslim minority. The rest of the population professes various forms of Protestantism, Animism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
In 2016 the Christian population was 96.2% Catholic and another 2.9% Protestant; the rest were of other faiths or religions and 0.1% were atheists.
The number of Protestants and Muslims decreased significantly after September 1999 because these groups were disproportionately represented among supporters of integration with Indonesia and among Indonesian civil servants assigned to work in the province from other parts of Indonesia, many of whom left the country in 1999. The Indonesian military forces previously stationed in the country included a significant number of Protestants, who played an important role in establishing Protestant churches in the territory. Less than half of those congregations existed after September 1999, and many Protestants were among those who remained in West Timor. It should be remembered that, on the one hand, the Suharto dictatorship promoted the forced colonization of many Indonesians of Austronesian ethnicity and Muslim religion (known as "Transmigrasi"), and they left the country as soon as the military withdrew occupants.
While the East Timorese Constitution enshrines the principles of freedom of religion and separation of Church and State in Section 45 Comma 1, it also recognizes "the participation of the Catholic Church in the process of national liberation" in its preamble (although this has no legal value). Upon independence, the country joined the Philippines in becoming the only two predominantly Catholic states in Asia, although nearby parts of eastern Indonesia such as West Timor and Flores also have Catholic majorities. At present many Protestant sects financed by the United States but that resort to Brazilian pastors make a very strong Protestant proselytism.
The Catholic Church divides East Timor into three dioceses: the Diocese of Díli, the Diocese of Baucau and the Diocese of Maliana, which have friendly ties to the hundreds of dioceses in the Philippines.
Languages
The country has two official languages: Portuguese and Tetun, a local Austronesian language. Fourteen other indigenous languages are spoken: Bekais; dawan; galloli; habun; idalaka; kawaimine; kemak; makalero; makasai, of origin makasar (Indonesia).
Under Indonesian rule, the use of Portuguese was banned, but it was used by the underground resistance, especially in communications with the outside world. The language gained importance as a symbol of resistance and freedom, along with Tetun, as a way to differentiate the country from its neighbors. It is now rapidly being restored as the national language, with the help of Portugal and Brazil. It is now spoken by 50% of the population (the number has doubled in the last five years).
East Timor is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries and a member of the Latin Union.
Education
About a quarter of the adult population is illiterate. Illiteracy is higher among women. Illiteracy was 60% at the end of Portuguese colonial rule. As of 2006, between 70% and 90% of children of primary school age were attending school. The country has the National University of East Timor. (Portuguese: Universidade Nacional de Timor Leste; Tetun: Universidade Nasionál Timór Lorosa'e).
Since independence, both Indonesian and Tetum have lost ground as a medium of instruction, while Portuguese has risen: in 2001, only 8.4% of primary school students and 6.8% of In high school they attended a Portuguese language teaching center; in 2005, this figure had risen to 81.6% in primary and 46.3% in secondary. Indonesian previously played a significant role in education, being used by 73.7% of all secondary school students as a medium of instruction, but as of 2005, Portuguese was used in most schools in Baucau, Manatuto, as well as as in the capital district.
The Philippines has sent Filipino teachers to East Timor to teach English, in order to facilitate a program between the two countries, under which deserving East Timorese with a knowledge of English will receive university scholarships in the Philippines.
Health
Life expectancy at birth was 60.7 years and healthy life expectancy at birth was 55 years in 2007. The fertility rate is six births per woman. Public spending on health it was US$150 (PPP) per person in 2006. Many people in East Timor lack safe drinking water.
Culture
East Timorese culture reflects numerous influences, including Portuguese, Catholic Christian, Malay, and those of Timor's indigenous Austronesian and Melanesian cultures. Local legend has it that a giant crocodile was transformed on the island of Timor, or Crocodile Island as it is often called. East Timorese culture is heavily influenced by Austronesian legends, although the Catholic influence is also very strong. There is a strong tradition in poetry. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, for example, is a distinguished poet. In terms of architecture, many Portuguese-style buildings can be found, along with the traditional totem pole houses of the eastern region. These are known as uma lulik ("sacred houses") in Tetum, and lee teinu ("houses with legs") in Fataluku. The crafts are also very diverse, for example with the weaving of traditional scarves or Tais.
Traditional dance
East Timor has its own traditional dance, which reflects the identity of its rich culture. The country is made up of 13 districts with approximately 32 dialects and each with its own traditional dance.
Each district has its own dance with different instruments and costumes. Most of these dances only take place on Independence Day, wedding parties and if someone dies over 100 years of age.
The instruments they use to accompany this dance are: babadok, bamboo, buffalo horn and a tray-shaped instrument with a concave center. The costumes are:
The men wear taís (traditional costume), horse hair (to wrap the feet), rooster hair (as a crown), a chain with a kind of silver or gold coin approximately 10 cm, a bag made from a sheet of palm
The women wear Thai clothing (covers the body up to the chest), well-groomed hair like ballet dancers, and a babadok instrument. This dance is popularly called tebe-tebe, the women "dance" and with the sword they make movements as if they were going to fight among themselves to conquer a man, then these men dance with the girls in the dance with a typical rhythm; almost equal to the Melanesian nations.
The country's culture reflects numerous cultural influences, including Portuguese, Malay and Catholic indigenous Austronesian cultures in East Timor.
Traditions
In 2014, the East Timorese government declared the birthday of poet Francisco Borja da Costa, October 14, as "National Day of Timorese Culture". East Timorese culture has many Pacific influences, as well as European and Asian characteristics. The way of life of the inhabitants of East Timor has little in common with that of the inhabitants of the Indonesian west of the island. The influence of the Catholic Church on the traditions of the inhabitants is limited and the society is very liberal. Although almost all East Timorese profess the Catholic faith, animistic rites are still widespread and are sometimes integrated into the Christian religion.
Timorian cultural traditions are characterized by their different social institutions. The social organizations of individual societies may have a matrilineal/uxorilocal or patrilineal/patrilocal structure; individual groups fluctuate between these possibilities of kinship organization. While the social organization of the Baikeno is probably characterized by a symmetrical alliance, the asymmetrical alliance is found, for example, among the Makasae, the Naueti, and the Fataluku. Among the Tetum, the rules of bilateral or cognate descent prevail. The lulik, as the principle of belief of the old religion, continues to influence daily life. Especially in rural areas, people follow the local traditional rules of the Tara Bandu.
Marriages and the economic-ritual alliances that form along these organizational structures are controlled through the social institution of so-called "bride price" (barlarke), where women and goods that circulate between social groups always go in a certain direction. Patrilineal and patrilocal organizations are characterized by impressive asset transactions compared to matrilineal and uxorilocal ones. In most Timorese cultures, the integrity of "bride price" delivered determines the residence of the couple. If the "bride price" or is insufficient, the husband resides in the lineage of the wife; the children remain entirely in that lineage.
In addition to the crocodile, water buffaloes are also of great importance in Timorese culture. They are considered the most valuable sacrificial animal and are therefore only sacrificed in the most important ceremonies. Thus, the blood of a buffalo is used to symbolically nourish the soil and, in this way, claim the land. The buffalo horns then serve as a tangible symbol of this claim. Buffalo blood also serves as a ritual bride price and here symbolizes the woman's fertility and her menstruation. Additionally, buffaloes are sacrificed in death ceremonies and funerals. Buffalo horns are still found on graves today, along with the Christian cross. Buffalo hearts and heads are offered as sacrifices at the dedication of sacred houses.
Cats are also considered sacred in East Timor. If a cat is killed, it is said that the person and his descendants 'will be cursed until the seventh generation'. At funerals, cats are kept away from the corpse because, according to a popular superstition, the dead, ruled by evil spirits, will come back to life if a cat jumps on them.
Architecture
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A common national symbol of East Timor is the huts with steep roofs, square plan and stilts. These "houses on legs" (fataluku Lee-teinu) are the sacred houses of the fataluku on the eastern end of the island. Almost all of them had disappeared during the Indonesian occupation and especially during the wave of violence in 1999. Since independence, they have been rebuilt, like the traditional holy houses of the other ethnic groups. The steep roofs of the Fataluku houses also serve as a model for modern buildings, such as the presidential palace, the airport and the port of Dili or the Catholic church of Lospalos.
Stilt houses are common among various ethnic groups. Compared to neighboring ethnic groups, the traditional round huts of the Mambai stand out, which are still widely used as living quarters today.
Parties
East Timor has official holidays that commemorate historical events of the liberation struggle, or those related to Catholicism. They are defined in East Timor Law No. 10/2005:
| Date | Name in Spanish | Name in Portuguese | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year | Ano Novo | - |
| - | Holy Thursday | Quinta-Feira Santa | - |
| - | Good Friday | Sixth-Feira Santa | - |
| 1 May | Labour Day | Day of Trabalho | - |
| 20 May | Independence Day | Day of Independence | - |
| - | Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi | - |
| 15 August | Assumption of the Virgin | Assunção da Virgem | - |
| 30 August | Constitutional Day | Day of Constitution | - |
| 20 September | Liberation Day | Day of Liberação | - |
| 1 November | Day of All Saints | Day of All Saints | - |
| 12 November | Day of Santa Cruz | Day of Santa Cruz | Commemoration of the Santa Cruz cemetery massacre in 1991 |
| 8 December | Immaculate Conception | Imaculada Conceição | - |
| 25 December | Christmas | Natal | - |
Sports
East Timor has joined numerous international sports associations, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC board has granted full recognition to the Olympic Committee of East Timor (COTL). The IOC had allowed a more token four-member team to participate in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games under the Olympic flag as "Independent Olympians." The Timor-Leste Athletics Federation has joined the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The Federação de Badminton de Timor-Leste joined the International Badminton Federation (IBF) in April 2003. The East Timorese Cycling Federation has joined the International Cycling Union (UCI). The Confederação do Desporto de Timor Leste has joined the International Weightlifting Federation. East Timor is also a full member of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). In September 2005, the East Timorese football team joined FIFA.
East Timor has taken part in various sporting events. Although the athletes returned without medals, East Timorese athletes had the opportunity to compete with other Southeast Asian athletes at the 2003 Southeast Asian Games, held in Vietnam in 2003. At the 2003 ASEAN Paralympics, also held in Vietnam, East Timor won a bronze medal. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, six athletes participated in three sports: track and field, weightlifting, and boxing. East Timor won three fencing medals at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. East Timor is also one of the nations competing in the first Lusophony Games, winning a bronze medal in the women's volleyball competition (finishing third of three teams), even though the team had lost all three of its games. On October 30, 2008, East Timor earned its first points in a FIFA match with a 2-2 draw against Cambodia.
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