Fast facts
East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, is a small country in South East Asia, located about 640 km northwest of Darwin, Australia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the enclave of Oecussi-Ambeno in the northwestern part of the island, and Atauro and Jaco islands.
Capital
Dili
Area
15,000 km2
Population
1,131,000
Currency
US Dollar
Language
Tétum and Portuguese are the official languages, Indonesian and English are also widely spoken.
Religion
Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)
Health risks
Malaria, Dengue and Japanese Encephalitis. It is strongly recommended that you go to a travel health appointment at least a month before departure and that you take travel insurance.
Climate
East Timor has two seasons: wet (December to April) and dry (May to November). Day temperatures are around 30°C to 35°C year-round in the lowland areas, dropping to the low 20s overnight. In the mountain areas, warm-to-hot daytime temperatures drop to 15°C at night, less at altitude. At the end of the dry season in parts of the north coast temperatures hover over 35°C. A good time to visit is after the wet season, from late April to July.
Time zone
GMT + 9 (no daylight savings)
Dialling code
+670
Agriculture
Coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas and vanilla
Exports
Coffee, sandalwood, marble, potential for oil and vanilla exports
Travel budget
US$20 to US$50 a day
Approximate costs
1.5L bottle of water US$0.50
Beer US$2.50
Noodle dish from a local eatery US$1 to US$2
Shore dive US$40