What happened to Timor Leste during the Indonesian occupation?
During the Indonesian occupation (1975-1999) and Timor-Leste’s fight for independence, approximately 250,000 Timorese fled to western Timor and, in lesser numbers, Australia, Portugal, and other countries. Many of these emigrants later returned.
When did the Portuguese colonize Timor Leste?
A number of local chiefdoms ruled the island in the early 16th century when Portuguese traders arrived, chiefly attracted by the relative abundance of sandalwood on Timor; by mid century, the Portuguese had colonized the island.
What are the biggest problems in Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste’s growing, poorly educated working-age population and insufficient job creation are ongoing problems. Some 70% of the population lives in rural areas, where most of people are dependent on the agricultural sector. Malnutrition and poverty are prevalent, with 42% of the population living under the poverty line as of 2014.
Why Timor-Leste is a young country?
Timor-Leste’s high fertility and population growth rates sustain its very youthful age structure – approximately 40% of the population is below the age of 15 and the country’s median age is 20.
What is happening in Timor-Leste?
In late 2012, the UN Security Council ended its peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste and both the ISF and UNMIT departed the country. Early parliamentary elections in the spring of 2017 finally produced a majority government after months of impasse.
How many people are in the Timor Leste Defense Force?
the Timor-Leste Defense Force is comprised of approximately 2,000 personnel (2021) Timor-Leste Defense Force’s limited inventory consists of equipment donated by other countries; the only recorded deliveries of major arms to Timor-Leste since 2010 are naval patrol craft from China and South Korea (2020)