TimorLeste

Timor-Leste, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and commonly known as East Timor, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia. It occupies the eastern half of the island of Timor and includes the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco. It borders Indonesia to the west and lies north of Australia. The capital and largest city is Dili. The population is about 1.3 to 1.5 million. Official languages are Tetum and Portuguese; Indonesian and English are widely used. The majority religion is Roman Catholic.

Historically, Timor-Leste was a Portuguese colony. In 1975 it proclaimed independence from Portugal but was invaded and occupied by Indonesia for about 24 years. After a United Nations-supervised referendum in 1999, which voted for independence, an interim UN administration governed the territory until full independence on May 20, 2002.

Timor-Leste is a semi-presidential representative democracy. The president is head of state; the prime minister is head of government. The unicameral National Parliament has 65 seats, elected by proportional representation. The judiciary is independent.

The economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas in the exclusive economic zone, supporting public finances. The U.S. dollar is the de facto currency. Non-oil sectors include agriculture, notably coffee, and aid-funded development.

Timor-Leste is a member of the United Nations and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries; it seeks closer regional ties and has pursued ASEAN membership.