Timor-Leste (2007) | Latvia (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque | 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 196,825/female 190,454)
15-64 years: 61.1% (male 337,816/female 325,094) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 16,823/female 17,959) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 15.1% (male 180,976; female 172,988)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 774,133; female 844,856) 65 years and over: 16% (male 122,850; female 252,981) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla | grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish |
Airports | 8 (2007) | 38 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 22
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 12 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
total: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2002) |
Area | total: 15,007 sq km
land: NA sq km water: NA sq km |
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Connecticut | slightly larger than West Virginia |
Background | The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied Timor-Leste from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. Timor-Leste declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of Timor-Leste. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into western Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. In March of 2006, a military strike led to violence and a near breakdown of law and order. Over 2,000 Australian, New Zealand, and Portuguese police and peacekeepers deployed to Timor-Leste in late May. Although many of the peacekeepers were replaced by UN police officers, 850 Australian soldiers remained as of 1 January 2007. | After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002. |
Birth rate | 26.77 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 8.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $107.7 million
expenditures: $73 million (2004 est.) |
revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
Capital | name: Dili
geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Riga |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons | maritime; wet, moderate winters |
Coastline | 706 km | 531 km |
Constitution | 22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model) | the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms |
Country name | conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: Timor-Leste local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese] local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese] former: East Timor; Portuguese Timor |
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | - | Latvian lat (LVL) |
Death rate | 6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $3.4 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Hans G. KLEMM
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 telephone: (670) 332-4684 FAX: (670) 331-3206 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 781-0047 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Constancio PINTO
chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: 202 966-3202 FAX: 202 966-3205 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 |
Disputes - international | Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on maritime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with Australian claims in the south; many refugees who left Timor-Leste in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia and Timor-Leste agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty | the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights |
Economic aid - recipient | $184.7 million (2005 est.) | $96.2 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of Timor-Leste was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the end of 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters has begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule and above expectations - the result of high petroleum prices - but the technology-intensive industry does little to create jobs for the unemployed, because there are no production facilities in Timor and the gas is piped to Australia. The parliament in June 2005 unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value of Timor-Leste's petroleum wealth for future generations. The mid-2006 outbreak of violence and civil unrest disrupted both private and public sector economic activity. Real non-oil GDP growth in 2006 is estimated to have been negative. The underlying economic policy challenge the country faces remains how best to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non-oil economy onto a higher growth path and reduce poverty. | Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh (2005) | 6.046 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 703 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 2.69 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 4.365 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 29.1%
hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m |
Environment - current issues | widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion | Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010 |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Climate Change, Desertification | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority | Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | lati per US dollar - 0.62 (2002), 0.63 (2001), 0.61 (2000), 0.59 (1999), 0.59 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2007); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections
head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007), note - he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO; Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis GUTERRES (since 8 August 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 April 2007 with run-off on 8 May 2007 (next be be held in May 2012); following elections, president appoints leader of majority party or majority coalition as prime minister election results: Jose RAMOS-HORTA elected president; percent of vote - Jose RAMOS-HORTA 69.2%, Francisco GUTTERES 30.8% |
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast |
Exports | $10 million; note - excludes oil (2005 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and vanilla exports | wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs |
Exports - partners | Indonesia 100% (2006) | UK 21.6%, Sweden 13.1%, Germany 12.5%, US 6.4%, Lithuania 5.9%, Russia 4.6%, Estonia 4.2%, Denmark 4% (2002) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $20.99 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 23.1% services: 68.4% (2004) |
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 26% services: 69.5% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.8% (2005 est.) | 6.1% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 50 S, 125 55 E | 57 00 N, 25 00 E |
Geography - note | Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands | most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east |
Heliports | 9 (2007) | - |
Highways | - | total: 73,202 km
paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.9% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | NA | transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; money laundering remains a concern despite changes to banking legislation |
Imports | $202 million (2004 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles |
Imports - partners | - | Germany 17.9%, Russia 15.1%, Finland 6.6%, Lithuania 6.4%, Sweden 5.5%, Italy 4.8%, Estonia 4.8% (2002) |
Independence | 28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia | 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8.5% (2004 est.) | 5.7% (2002 est.) |
Industries | printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth | buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials |
Infant mortality rate | total: 44.46 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 50.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.4% (2005) | 2% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, ARF, AsDB, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO | BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 41 (2001) |
Irrigated land | 1,065 sq km (est.) | 200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established, Court of Appeals is highest court | Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) |
Labor force | NA | 1.1 million (2001 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km |
total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km |
Land use | arable land: 8.2%
permanent crops: 4.57% other: 87.23% (2005) |
arable land: 29.01%
permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people |
Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other |
Legal system | UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but are to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated; has not accepted compulsury ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary from 52 to 65; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 30 June 2007 (next elections to be held in June 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 29%, CNRT 24.1%, ASDT-PSD 15.8%, PD 11.3%, PUN 4.5%, KOTA-PPT (Democratic Alliance) 3.2%, UNTERDIM 3.2%, others 8.9%; seats by party - FRETILIN 21, CNRT 18, ASDT-PSD 11, PD 8, PUN 3, KOTA-PPT 2, UNDERTIM 2 |
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 66.6 years
male: 64.28 years female: 69.04 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 69.31 years
male: 63.46 years female: 75.45 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6% male: NA% female: NA% (2002) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - Timor-Leste includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2007) | total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 52,607 GRT/35,650 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Timor-Leste Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy (Armada) (2005) | Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $87 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 1.2% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 592,562 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 19,477 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 28 November (1975) | Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union |
Nationality | noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese |
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian |
Natural hazards | floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones | NA |
Natural resources | gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 1,097 km; oil 412 km; refined products 421 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Xanana GUSMAO]; National Democratic Union of Timorese Resistance or UNDERTIM [Cornelio DA Conceicao GAMA]; National Unity Party or PUN [Fernanda BORGES]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO]; Social Democratic Association of Timor or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL] (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) | Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Janis NAGLIS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | 1,084,971
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2007 est.) |
2,348,784 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 42% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.059% (2007 est.) | -0.73% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils |
Radio broadcast stations | at least 1 (Timor-Leste has a state-run media oversight authority that oversees at least 1 radio station - frequency type NA) | AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 2,347 km
broad gauge: 2,314 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2002) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005) | Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.033 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.937 male(s)/female total population: 1.034 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 17 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens |
Telephone system | general assessment: rudimentary service limited to urban areas
domestic: fixed and wireless service available; system suffered significant damage during the violence associated with independence international: country code - 670; international service is available in major urban centers |
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use
domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,500 (2006) | 734,693 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 49,100 (2006) | 401,263 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (Timor-Leste has a state-run media oversight authority that oversees at least 1 television station) | 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | mountainous | low plain |
Total fertility rate | 3.45 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 50% estimated; note - unemployment in urban areas reached 20%; data do not include underemployed (2001 est.) | 7.6% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | - | 300 km (perennially navigable) |