Interactive Map

Some Facts about East Timor

Population: 800,000

Languages:

• Tetum
• Indonesian
• Portuguese
• English

Religion:

The majority are Catholic, with a small minority Muslim

Production: Sandalwood, coffee.

Early History:

Ming Dynasty records in 1436 show the area to be part of a trade network linked to China and India, with sandalwood the main export. It was a Portuguese colony for more than 400 years, after the Portuguese conquered Malacca in 1511, annexing Timor four years later.

During the Second World War, on December 17, 1941 Allied forces (Australian and Dutch) entered Timor, despite a declaration of neutrality by Portugal.

The following February, Japan invaded Dili, sacking the capital. The East Timorese however, supported the Allied forces, saving the lives of many Australian troops. In 1945, East Timor was liberated from Japanese and the Portuguese regained governorship. Timor was earmarked for independence in the mid-1970s after a United Nation's sponsored 'decolonisation process' was complete.