commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable
systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East,
Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)
Broadcast media:
6 terrestrial TV stations in Bangkok broadcast nationally via relay
stations - 2 of the networks are owned by the military, the other 4
are government-owned or controlled, leased to private enterprise,
and are all required to broadcast government-produced news programs
twice a day; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription
services are available; radio frequencies have been allotted for
more than 500 government and commercial radio stations; many small
community radio stations operate with low-power transmitters (2008)
Internet country code:
.th
Internet hosts:
1.335 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 37
Internet users:
17.483 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 23
Transportation ::Thailand
Airports:
105 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 55
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 64
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 6 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 27 (2010)
Heliports:
4 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 1,348 km; refined products 323 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 4,071 km
country comparison to the world: 41
standard gauge: 29 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 4,042 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 180,053 km (includes 450 km of expressways) (2006)
country comparison to the world: 27
Waterways:
4,000 km
country comparison to the world: 27
note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2010)
Merchant marine:
total: 382
country comparison to the world: 27
by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 116, chemical tanker 23, container
19, liquefied gas 36, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum
tanker 120, refrigerated cargo 27
foreign-owned: 15 (China 1, Hong Kong 1, Japan 2, Malaysia 3,
Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UK 6)
registered in other countries: 41 (Bahamas 4, Panama 6, Singapore
30, Tuvalu 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Map Ta Phut, Prachuap Port, Si Racha
Military ::Thailand
Military branches:
Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA), Royal Thai Navy (Kongthap
Ruea Thai, RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air
Force (Kongthap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for
voluntary military service; males are registered at 18 years of age;
2-year conscript service obligation (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 17,650,648
females age 16-49: 17,762,077 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,247,646
females age 16-49: 14,166,227 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 535,884
female: 511,444 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Transnational Issues ::Thailand
Disputes - international:
separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern
provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem
terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border
surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on
completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several
islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee
talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels,
refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006, over
116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from
Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic boundary
with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments
into Cambodian territory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear
temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; Thailand
is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam
on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004,
international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt
construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through
China, Burma, and Thailand
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 132,241 (Burma) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for
illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma
and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis
cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries;
opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts;
also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in methamphetamine
production for regional consumption; major consumer of
methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government
crackdowns
page last updated on January 13, 2011
======================================================================
@Timor-Leste (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Timor-Leste
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 Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed
colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East
Timor 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 Timur (East Timor). 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 late April 2006, internal tensions threatened the new nation's
security when a military strike led to violence and a near breakdown
of law and order. At Dili's request, an Australian-led International
Stabilization Force (ISF) deployed to Timor-Leste in late May. In
August, the UN Security Council established the UN Integrated
Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which included an authorized police
presence of over 1,600 personnel. The ISF and UNMIT restored
stability, allowing for presidential and parliamentary elections in
April and June 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In February
2008, a rebel group staged an unsuccessful attack against the
president and prime minister. The ringleader was killed in the
attack and the majority of the rebels surrendered in April 2008.
Since the unsuccessful attacks the government has enjoyed one of its
longest periods of post-independence stability.
Geography ::Timor-Leste
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
Geographic coordinates:
8 50 S, 125 55 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 14,874 sq km
country comparison to the world: 159
land: 14,874 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km
Coastline:
706 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
Terrain:
mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
Natural resources:
gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
Land use:
arable land: 8.2%
permanent crops: 4.57%
other: 87.23% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,065 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical
cyclones
Environment - current issues:
widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
deforestation and soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
People ::Timor-Leste
Population:
1,154,625
country comparison to the world: 156
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 199,237/female 192,900)
15-64 years: 61.9% (male 356,772/female 344,103)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 18,403/female 20,197) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.2 years
male: 22.2 years
female: 22.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.999% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Birth rate:
25.93 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Death rate:
5.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 105
Urbanization:
urban population: 27% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 39.32 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 68
male: 45.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 33.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.61 years
country comparison to the world: 154
male: 65.23 years
female: 70.11 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.2 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever and malaria (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese
Ethnic groups:
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)
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
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6%
male: NA
female: NA (2002)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years (2002)
Education expenditures:
7.1% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 20
Government ::Timor-Leste
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
(pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay)
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
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Dili
geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro
(Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Los
Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno),
Viqueque
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)
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
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
Constitution:
20 May 2002 (effective date)
Legal system:
On 29 March 2009 the president promulgated the Timor-Leste penal
code; UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in
place for civil codes but is to be replaced by civil codes based on
Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal
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; Vice Prime Minister Jose Luis GUTERRES (since 8 August 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
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 to 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%
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 due by 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%, UNDERTIM 3.2%, others 8.9%; seats by party -
FRETILIN 21, CNRT 18, ASDT-PSD 11, PD 8, PUN 3, KOTA-PPT 2, UNDERTIM
2
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
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 [Mari ALKATIRI]; Social Democratic
Association of Timor or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Zacarias Albano da COSTA]; Sons of the
Mountain Warriors or KOTA [Manuel TILMAN] (also known as Association
of Timorese Heroes)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN (observer), CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Constancio da Conceicao PINTO
chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504,Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Judith FERGIN
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
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; a white star - pointing to the upper
hoist-side corner of the flag - is in the center of the black
triangle; yellow denotes the colonialism in Timor-Leste's past;
black represents the obscurantism that needs to be overcome; red
stands for the national liberation struggle; the white star
symbolizes peace and serves as a guiding light
National anthem:
name: "Patria" (Fatherland)
lyrics/music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO
note: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when
Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal in 1975; the
lyricist, Fransisco Borja DA COSTA, was killed in an Indonesian
invasion just days after independence was declared
Economy ::Timor-Leste
Economy - overview:
In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of
Timor-Leste was laid waste by Indonesian troops and
anti-independence militias. Three hundred thousand people fled
westward. Over the next three years 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, refugees had returned or had settled in
Indonesia. The country continues to face great challenges in
rebuilding its infrastructure, strengthening the civil
administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the
work force. The development of oil and gas resources in offshore
waters has greatly supplemented government revenues. This
technology-intensive industry, however, has done little to create
jobs for the unemployed because there are no production facilities
in Timor. Gas is piped to Australia. In June 2005, the National
Parliament unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to
serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and to preserve the
value of Timor-Leste's petroleum wealth for future generations. The
Fund held assets of US$5.3 billion as of October 2009. The economy
has been little impacted by the global financial crisis and
continues to recover strongly from the mid-2006 outbreak of violence
and civil unrest, which disrupted both private and public sector
economic activity. The government in 2008 resettled tens of
thousands of an estimated 100,000 internally displaced persons
(IDPs); most IDPs returned home by early 2009. 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 to reduce poverty.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.004 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
$2.782 billion (2009 est.)
$2.588 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$616 million (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
7.5% (2009 est.)
12.8% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,600 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
$2,500 (2009 est.)
$2,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 32.2%
industry: 12.8%
services: 55% (2005)
Labor force:
414,200 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 157
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
note: data are for rural areas, unemployment rises to more than 40%
among urban youth
Population below poverty line:
42% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 31.3% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38 (2002 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.8% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.17% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
13.11% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$102.8 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 180
$74.94 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of broad money:
$268.4 million (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 179
$192.7 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$127.1 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
$118.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage,
mangoes, bananas, vanilla
Industries:
printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
Industrial production growth rate:
8.5% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Electricity - production:
NA kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
96,270 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Oil - consumption:
2,500 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Oil - exports:
100,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Oil - proved reserves:
553.8 million bbl (1 January 2008)
country comparison to the world: 46
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Natural gas - proved reserves:
200 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Current account balance:
$1.161 billion (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Exports:
$10 million (2005 est.); note - excludes oil
country comparison to the world: 212
Exports - commodities:
coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and vanilla
exports
Imports:
$202 million (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
Imports - commodities:
food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications ::Timor-Leste
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,400 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 222
Telephones - mobile cellular:
116,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 183
Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary service limited to urban areas
domestic: system suffered significant damage during the violence
associated with independence; extremely limited fixed-line services;
mobile-cellular services and coverage limited primarily to urban
areas
international: country code - 670; international service is
available in major urban centers
Broadcast media:
1 public TV broadcast station broadcasting nationally and 1 public
radio broadcaster with stations in each of the 13 administrative
districts; a few commercial radio stations and roughly a dozen
community radio stations (2009)
Internet country code:
.tl