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 » 220V, 50Hz with sockets and plugs Type C, Type E, Type F and Type I.
  • Currency » US dollar (USD)
  • Emergency Number » 115

Geography

  • Area » 14,609 sq km (5,641 sq miles)

Maps

Tourism

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.

Notes

  • Reports that 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.

World Rankings

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.

Government Travel Advice

This page was last updated on 2021.06.19 by Robert Vinet