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Repúblika Demokrátika Timor Lorosa'e
República Democrática de Timor-Leste

بېرغ نښان
Motto: Honra, Pátria e Povo (Portuguese: Honor, Homeland, and People)
ملي ترانه: Pátria
پلازمېنه	Dili 8°34′ S 125°34′ E
لوی ښار	Dili
(رسمي ژبه/ ژبې)	Tetum, Portuguese
حکومت President Prime Minister	Republic Xanana Gusmão Marí Alkatiri
{{{زمکنۍ بشپړتيا}}} From Portugal	- Declared: 28 November 19751 - Recognised: 20 May 2002
مساحت  • ټولټال    • اوبه (%)	15,007 km² {{{مساحتي وېش}}} 5,793 mi²  Negligible
د وګړو شمېر  • [[As of {{{د وګړو د شمېر د اټکل کال}}}|{{{د وګړو د شمېر د اټکل کال}}}]] est.  • [[As of {{{د وګړو د سرشمېرنې کال}}}|{{{د وګړو د سرشمېرنې کال}}}]] census  • ګڼه ګونه	{{{د وګړو اټکل}}} (153rd) {{{د وګړو سرشمېرنه}}} {{{د وګړو ګڼه ګونه}}}/km² (98th) {{{د وګړو ګڼه ګونهmi²}}}/mi²
GDP (PPP)  • ټولټال  • Per capita	2005 estimate $370 million (210th) $400 (192nd)
HDI (2003)	0.513 (140th) – medium
پېسه	{{{پېسه}}} ({{{د پېسو نښه}}})
د ساعت توپير  • Summer (DST)	{{{وخت}}} (UTC+9) (UTC)
د انټرنېت م.م(TLD)	.tl (.tp is being phased out)
هېوادنی کوډ	{{{هېوادنی کوډ}}}
ټيليفوني پېل ګڼ	+{{{پېل ګڼ}}}
{{{پايڅوړ}}}

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste or East Timor is a country in Southeast Asia. It consists of the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecussi-Ambeno, an exclave of East Timor situated on the northwestern side of the island, surrounded by اندونېزياn West Timor. The small country is located about 400 miles northwest of Darwin, Australia.

The name Timor is derived from timur the Malay word for 'east', which became Timor in Portuguese. The Portuguese name Timor-Leste and Tetum name Timor Lorosa'e are sometimes used in English. Lorosa'e means 'rising sun' in Tetum.

East Timor has the lowest per capita GDP (Purchasing Power Parity adjusted) in the world of only $400 (which corresponds to the 192nd, and last, position). However, regarding HDI, it is in 140th place among the world's nations, which corresponds to medium human development.

Colonized by Portugal in the 16th century, East Timor was known as Portuguese Timor for centuries. It was invaded by Indonesia in 1975, which occupied it until 1999. Following the UN-sponsored act of self-determination that year, Indonesia relinquished control of the territory, which achieved full independence on May 20, 2002. With the Philippines, East Timor is one of only two majority Roman Catholic countries in Asia.

نيوليک 1 History 2 Politics 3 Districts 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 6.1 Religion 7 Languages 8 Culture 9 Public Holidays 10 Miscellaneous topics 11 See also 12 Trivia 13 External links

[سمادول] History

Main article: History of East Timor

Timor was originally populated as part of the human migrations that have shaped Australasia more generally. It is believed that survivors from three waves of migration still live in the country. The first is described by anthropologists as people of the Australoid type, who arrived about 40,000 years ago and form the principal indigenous groups of New Guinea and Australia. Around 3000 BC, a second migration brought Melanesians, who later continued eastward and colonized nearly the whole Pacific Ocean, and possibly associated with the development of agriculture on Timor. Finally, proto-Malays arrived from south China and north Indochina. The mountainous nature of the country meant that these groups could remain separate, and explains why there is so much linguistic diversity in East Timor today.

Timor was incorporated into Chinese and Indian trading networks of the 14th Century as an exporter of aromatic sandalwood, slaves, honey and wax. Early explorers report that the island had a number of small chiefdoms or princedoms in the early 16th Century. One of the most significant is the Wehale kingdom in central Timor, with its capital at Laran, West Timor, to which the Tetum, Bunaq and Kemak ethnic groups were aligned.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in the area, in the 16th century, and they established an isolated presence on the island of Timor, while the surrounding islands came under Dutch control. The area became a colony in 1702 with the arrival of the first governor from Lisbon. In the 18th century, Holland gained a foothold on the western half of the island, and was formally given West Timor in 1859 with the Treaty of Lisbon. The definitive border was drawn by the Hague in 1916, and it remains the international boundary between the successor states East Timor and Indonesia.

In late 1941 Portuguese Timor was briefly occupied by Dutch and Australian troops, who aimed to thwart a Japanese invasion of the island. The Portuguese Governor protested the invasion, and the Dutch forces returned to the Dutch side of the island. When the Japanese landed and drove the small Australian force out of Dili, the mountainous interior became the scene of a guerrilla campaign, known as Battle of Timor, waged by Allied forces and Timorese volunteers against the Japanese. The struggle resulted in the deaths of between 40,000 and 70,000 Timorese. Following the end of the war, Portuguese control was reinstated.

The process of decolonisation in Portuguese Timor began in 1974, following the change of government in Portugal in the wake of the Carnation Revolution. Owing to political instability and more pressing concerns with decolonisation in Angola and Mozambique, Portugal effectively abandoned East Timor, which unilaterally declared itself independent on November 28, 1975. Nine days later, it was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces before this could be internationally recognised.

Indonesia alleged that the popular East Timorese FRETILIN party, which received some vocal support from the People's Republic of China, was communist. With the American cause in South Vietnam lost and fearing a Communist domino effect in Southeast Asia, the U.S., along with ally Australia, did not object to the pro-Western Indonesian government's actions, despite Portugal being a NATO founding member.

The Indonesian invasion was launched over the western border on 16 October 1975. The day before the invasion of Dili and subsequent annexation, U.S. President Gerald Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had met President Suharto in Jakarta where Ford made clear that "we will not press you on the issue." Several U.S. administrations up to and including that of Bill Clinton did not ban arms sales to the Indonesian government, though the latter did eventually end U.S. support of Suharto's regime. The territory was declared the 27th province of Indonesia in July 1976 as Timor Timur. However, internationally its legal status was that of a "non-self governing territory under Portuguese administration."

The East Timorese guerrilla forces, known as the Falintil fought a very successful guerrilla campaign against the Indonesian forces from 1975 into 1999. Their casualties were relatively light compared to those they inflicted upon the Indonesian military. However the Indonesians generally took their frustrations out on the civilian population, often torturing and killing on the pretence that they were 'helping the rebels'.

Indonesian rule in East Timor was marked by extreme violence and brutality, two of the worst examples of this being the Dili massacre and the Liquiçá Church Massacre. During the invasion and 24-year occupation, 100,000 to 250,000 people were killed out of an initial population of about 600,000 at the time of the invasion. The attacks on civilian populations were only nominally reported in the western press, especially in the United States, where the atrocities of Pol Pot were given far greater attention. Following a UN-sponsored agreement between Indonesia, Portugal and the US, on August 30, 1999, a United Nations-supervised popular referendum was held, the East Timorese voted for full independence from Indonesia, but violent clashes, instigated primarily by the Indonesian military, see Scorched Earth Operation, and aided by Timorese pro-Indonesia militia's broke out soon afterwards. A peacekeeping force (INTERFET, led by Australia) intervened to restore order. Militias fled across the border into Indonesia, from which they attempted sporadic raids, particularly along the New Zealand Army-held southern half of the main border. As these raids were repelled and international moral opinion forced Indonesia to withdraw tacit support, the militia dispersed. INTERFET was replaced by a UN force.

Independence was recognised by Portugal after a visit of Xanana Gusmão to Lisbon to choose the date. They decided May 20, 2002, and East Timor joined the UN on September 27 of that year.

See also: United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

See also: Liquiçá Church Massacre or Dili massacre

See also: Aitarak

See also: Karl Clark or Allen Williams

See also: Besi Merah Putih

See also: Eurico Guterres

[سمادول] Politics

Main article: Politics of East Timor

The Head of state of the East Timorese republic is the president, who is elected by popular vote for a five-year term and whose role is largely symbolic, though he is able to veto some legislation. Following elections, the president appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party or majority coalition. As head of government the prime minister presides over the Council of State or cabinet.

The unicameral Timorese parliament is the National Parliament or Parlamento Nacional, whose members are elected by popular vote to a five-year term. The number of seats can vary from a minimum of 52 to a maximum of 65, though it exceptionally has 88 members at present, due to this being its first term of office. The East Timorese constitution was modelled on that of Portugal. The country is still in the process of building its administration and governmental institutions.

[سمادول] Districts

Main article: Districts of East Timor

East Timor is divided into 13 administrative districts:

1. Lautem
2. Baucau
3. Viqueque
4. Manatuto
5. Dili
6. Aileu
7. Manufahi
8. Liquiçá
9. Ermera
10. Ainaro
11. Bobonaro
12. Cova-Lima
13. Oecussi-Ambeno

[سمادول] Geography

Main article: Geography of East Timor

The island of Timor is part of the Malay archipelago and the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. To the north of the mountainous island are the Ombai Strait and Wetar Strait, to the south the Timor Sea separates the island from Australia, while to the west lies the Indonesian Province of East Nusa Tenggara. The highest point of East Timor is Mount Tatamailau (also known as Mount Remalau) at 2,963 metres (9,721 ft).

The local climate is tropical and generally hot and humid, characterised by distinct rainy and dry seasons. The capital, largest city and main port is Dili, and the second-largest city is the eastern town of Baucau. Dili has the only functioning international airport, though there are airstrips in Baucau and Oecusse used for domestic flights.

[سمادول] Economy

Main article: Economy of East Timor

Prior to and during colonisation, Timor was best known for its sandalwood. In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years a massive international program led by the UN, manned by civilian advisers, 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. This successful UN effort was headed by Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Sérgio Vieira de Mello, later to become High Commissioner for Human Rights, who was killed in Baghdad in August 2003.

The country faces great challenges in continuing to rebuild the infrastructure and strengthen the infant civil administration. One promising long-term project is the joint development with Australia of petroleum and natural gas resources in the waters southeast of Timor, a location which became known as the Timor gap following the signing by Australia and Indonesia of the 'Timor Gap Treaty' when East Timor was still under Indonesian occupation. East Timor inherited no permanent maritime boundaries when it attained independence, and the Government of East Timor is seeking to negotiate a boundary with Australia halfway between it and Australia. As of May 2004, the Government of Australia wanted to establish the boundary at the end of the Australian continental shelf. Normally a maritime dispute such as this could be 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 organisations when it realised that East Timor might invoke these dispute resolution mechanisms. Many advocacy groups claimed that Australia deliberately obstructed negotiations because the existing arrangement benefited Australia financially. On July 7, 2005, an agreement was finally reached under which both countries would set aside the dispute over the maritime boundary, and East Timor would receive A$13 billion (US$9.65 billion) in revenue.

East Timor also has a large coffee industry, which if managed correctly can be fairly lucrative.

Currently three foreign banks have a branch in Dili: ANZ Bank, Banco Nacional Ultramarino, and Bank Mandiri.

East Timor has the lowest per capita income in the world (USD 400 per annum) according to the CIA World Factbook, 2005.

[سمادول] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of East Timor

The population of East Timor is about one million. It has grown considerably recently, because of a high birth rate, but also because of the return of refugees. The population is especially concentrated in the area around Dili.

The Timorese are called Maubere collectively by some of their political organizations, an originally derogatory name turned into a name of pride by Fretilin. They consist of a number of distinct ethnic groups, most of whom are of mixed Malayo-Polynesian and Melanesian/Papuan descent. The largest Malayo-Polynesian ethnic groups are the Tetun (or Tetum) (100,000), primarily in the north coast and around Dili; the Mambae (80,000), in the central mountains; the Tukudede (63,170), in the area around Maubara and Liquiçá; the Galoli (50,000), between the tribes of Mambae and Makasae; the Kemak (50,000) in north-central Timor island; and the Baikeno (20,000), in the area around Pante Macassar. The main tribes of predominantly Papuan origin include the Bunak (50,000), in the central interior of Timor island; the Fataluku (30,000), at the eastern tip of the island near Lospalos; and the Makasae, toward the eastern end of the island. In addition, like other former Portuguese colonies where interracial marriage was common, there is a smaller population of people of mixed Timorese and Portuguese origin, known in Portuguese as Mestiço. The best-known East Timorese Mestiço internationally is José Ramos Horta, the spokesman for the resistance movement in exile, and now Foreign Minister. Mário Viegas Carrascalão, Indonesia's appointed governor between 1987 and 1992, is also Mestiço.

[سمادول] Religion

The population is predominantly Roman Catholic (90%), with sizable Muslim (5%) and Protestant (3%) minorities. Smaller Hindu, Buddhist and animist minorities make up the remainder.

[سمادول] Languages

Main article: Languages of East Timor

East Timor's two official languages are Portuguese and Tetum, a local Austronesian language. The official language Tetum, known as Tetun-Dili, grew out of the dialect favored by the colonizers at Dili, and thus has considerable foreign influence, but there are also has a variety of non-official dialects which are widely used and known as Tetun-Terik. Indonesian and English are defined as working languages under the Constitution in the Final and Transitional Provisions, without setting a final date. Although the country has only about 1 million inhabitants, another fifteen indigenous languages are spoken: Bekais, Bunak, Dawan, Fataluku, Galoli, Habun, Idalaka, Kawaimina, Kemak, Lovaia, Makalero, Makasai, Mambai, Tokodede and Wetarese.

Under Indonesian rule, the use of Portuguese was banned, but it was used by the clandestine resistance, especially in communicating with the outside world. The language, along with Tetum, gained importance as a symbol of resistance and freedom and was adopted as one of the two official languages for this reason, and as a link to nations in other parts of the world. It is now being taught and promoted widely with the help of Brazil and Portugal, although its prominence in official and public spheres has been met with some hostility from younger Indonesian-educated Timorese.

There remains controversy over the government's promotion of Portuguese, only spoken by an estimated 5 per cent of the population [1] (SOURCE#2: 2006 UNDP Report using data from census says UNDER 5% are literate in Portuguese) over Tetum. Others maintain it is spoken by up to 25% of Timorese.(SOURCE:??) Along with other local languages, Tetum remains the most common means of communication between ordinary Timorese, while Indonesian is still widely used in the press. A large proportion of words in Tetum are derived from Portuguese, while a lesser but significant numbers of words derive from Indonesian.

East Timor is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), also known as the Lusophone Commonwealth, and a member of the Latin Union.

[سمادول] Culture

Main article: Culture of East Timor

The culture of East Timor reflects numerous cultural influences, including Portuguese, Roman Catholic and Malay, on the indigenous Austronesian cultures of Timor. Legend has it that a giant crocodile was transformed into the island of Timor, or Crocodile Island, as it is often called. Like Indonesia, the culture of East Timor has been heavily influenced by Austronesian legends, although the Catholic influence is also strong. Catholicism strengthened in response to the Indonesian domination, which forced the population to adopt a religion as a counter-communism policy.

Illiteracy is still widespread, but there is a strong tradition of poetry. President Xanana Gusmão is, for example, a distinguished poet. As for architecture, some Portuguese-style buildings can be found, although the traditional totem houses of the eastern region, known as uma lulik, also survive. Craftsmanship is also widespread, as is the weaving of traditional scarves or tais.

Template:Seealso

[سمادول] Public Holidays

East Timor now has public holidays that commemorate historic events in the liberation struggle, as well as those associated with the Catholic faith.

Date	Name	Observations
1 January	New Year's Day
March/April	Good Friday
March/April	Easter Sunday
May 20	Independence Day	2002
August 15	Assumption
August 30	Consultation Day	Anniversary of the Popular Consultation in 1999
September 20	Liberation Day	by INTERFET in 1999
November 1	All Saints' Day
November 12	Santa Cruz Day	Anniversary of the Santa Cruz massacre in 1991
December 8	Immaculate Conception
December 25	Christmas

[سمادول] Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in East Timor
• Foreign relations of East Timor
• List of cities in East Timor
• List of East Timor-related topics
• List of East Timorese people
• Military of East Timor
• Sports in East Timor
• Transportation in East Timor
• Pictures about language issues

[سمادول] See also

• Great Timor
• West Timor

[سمادول] Trivia

Recently, the Colombian pop star Shakira recorded a protest song entitled "Timor". The song, written and composed by the singer, tells about how the Western media gave importance to the East Timor Independence case a few years ago, and how the same media does nothing for the country on recent days.

[سمادول] External links

Template:Sisterlinks Template:Wikinews

• East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis (La'o Hamutuk)
• ABC Online article on negotiations with Australia about border
• Asia Times article on the Timor Gap dispute
• CIA World Factbook on East Timor
• ETAN Links - Extensive links on East Timor
• Governo Timor Leste - Official governmental site
• Bairo Pite Clinic website - Information on Health in East Timor
• Health Alliance International website - More information on health projects in East Timor by HAI
• Jornal Nacional - Semanário (Portuguese)
• Links to Timor Leste government sites
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
• Suara Timor Lorosae - (Tetum and Indonesian)
• Tourism Timor-Leste - Official tourism website (English and Portuguese)
• Report from CNN - January 21, 2006
• Friends of Baucau
• Languages, literature and martial arts in East Timor (texts in Portuguese, Tetum and Tokodede)
• Friends of Suai
• Friends of Same
• Friends of the UNTL Library

East Timor Blogs

• Tumbleweed in Timor Lorosae
• Malae Bulak (Crazy Foreigner)
• Peace Corp Volunteer
• Dili-Dallying
• Forum Haksesuk (Discussion Forum) (Tetum)
• Timor Tales
• Blog de Timor (Portuguese)
• Australian Volunteers in Timor
• Hanoin oin-oin (Tetum, Portuguese and Tokodede)

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