Timor-Leste 🇹🇱

Timor-Leste is a sovereign country in South-Eastern Asia, in the wider region of Asia. In formal use it is Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The capital is Dili.

Some 1.4 million people call it home, placing it 155th of 250 by population — between Bahrain above it and Estonia below. Measured only against its own subregion, it is 9th of 11 in size and 10th in population.

Its territory runs to 14,874 km², which ranks it 161st of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Eswatini and just ahead of the Bahamas. Put next to a country most people can picture, it is around a quarter larger than Qatar.

Location, borders and position

Plotted on a globe it falls at 8.8° south, 125.9° east, which puts it in the southern hemisphere, roughly 983 km from the equator, in what geographers would call the equatorial belt.

Follow that same latitude east or west and you reach Brazil, Peru and Tuvalu — places that share its distance from the equator but little else.

Its land neighbours number 1: Indonesia.

It has both a coastline and land borders, which is the most common arrangement of all.

Population and languages of Timor-Leste

Population divided by land area gives roughly 94 people per square kilometre, which makes it more crowded than the typical entry on this list. Half the entries in this dataset fall below roughly 90 per square kilometre.

People from Timor-Leste are called East Timorese.

2 languages carry official status: Portuguese and Tetum. Tetum is listed for no other entry in this dataset, which makes it effectively unique to Timor-Leste. Portuguese, the first listed, is shared with 9 other entries worldwide.

Inside Asia it places 46th of 50 by population, and it accounts for under 1% of everyone living in South-Eastern Asia.

Currency, domain and dialling code

Money there is the United States dollar ($, USD). That is a shared currency: 19 other entries use it, including American Samoa, the Bahamas, the British Indian Ocean Territory, the British Virgin Islands and Cambodia.

Websites there use the .tl domain. The international dialling code is +670. Its ISO codes are tl and TLS, which is what most databases and flag files use.

If a quiz asks for the capital of Timor-Leste, the answer is Dili.

As a sovereign state it is among the 193 UN members listed here. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.

Neighbouring countries

Timor-Leste shares borders with 1 country:

• 🇮🇩 Indonesia

Fun facts about Timor-Leste

• In land area it is around a quarter larger than Qatar.
• It lies about 983 km from the equator, in equatorial latitudes.
• Its currency, the United States dollar, is shared with 19 other entries.
• Its capital city is Dili.
• Tetum is listed as an official language for no other entry in this dataset.
• It shares land borders with 1 country: Indonesia.

Timor-Leste — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Timor-Leste?

The capital of Timor-Leste is Dili.

What is the population of Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste has a population of about 1.4 million, which makes it the 155th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Bahrain sits just above it and Estonia just below.

What currency does Timor-Leste use?

Timor-Leste uses the United States dollar, written $ (currency code USD). It is shared with 19 other entries.

Where is Timor-Leste located?

Timor-Leste is in South-Eastern Asia, part of Asia. Its reference coordinates are 8.8° south and 125.9° east, roughly 983 km from the equator in equatorial latitudes.

What language is spoken in Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste lists 2 official languages: Portuguese and Tetum. Tetum does not appear as an official language anywhere else in this dataset.

Which countries border Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste borders 1 country: Indonesia.

How big is Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste covers 14,874 km², ranking 161st of 250 by land area. That makes it around a quarter larger than Qatar.

Is Timor-Leste a country?

Yes. Timor-Leste is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.