- Officially: Democratic Republic of East Timor
- Capital: Dili
Facts
- Population 1.2 million
- Major languages: Tetum and Portuguese (official)
- Indonesian and English (working languages)
- Major religion Christianity
- Life expectancy 62 years (men), 70 years (women)
- Electricity:ย 220V, 50Hz with sockets and plugs Type C, Type E, Type F and Type I.
- Currency: US dollar (USD)
- Emergency Numbers: 115
Geography
- Area: 14,609 sq km (5,641 sq miles)
- Maps: OpenStreetMap
Tourism
- Official Tourism Guide
- There is very little tourism in Timor-Leste.
Notes
- Automatic teller machines are rare in Timor-Leste.
- Travellers are advised to respect religious, social, and cultural traditions to avoid offending local sensitivities.
- Modesty and discretion should be exercised.
Overland
- Many overlanders ship their vehicles between the capital city, Dili, to Darwin, Australia.
- Drives on the left
- Poor road quality, poor driving standards and a rapidly increasing number of cars and motorbikes on the roads, especially in Dili, makes driving hazardous and accidents are frequent, especially at night when lighting can be minimal.
- Part of the adventure is definitely the roads, some of which are notorious with their blind corners and pot-holes.
- In general the north coast road is in good condition following a major upgrade from the Batugade border to Lospalos in the east, but the roads inland crossing the mountains to the south coast are variable.
- Road access to Hato Builico (Mt Ramelau) and Valu (Jaco Island) requires a strong 4WD.
Safety and Security
- Continued clashes between security services and groups challenging the government mean travel to the eastern side of the country challenging. Check for updates.
Up-to-date government advice and consular assistance information
This page was last updated on 2021.03.18 by Robert Vinet