What to Know Before Visiting Timor Leste?

Country Facts:
 Timor-Leste, formerly known as East Timor, is a beautiful country in southeast
Asia.
 Timor-Leste boasts a wide range of wildlife including water buffalo, monkeys,
deer, pigs, horses, crocodiles, cattle, goats, chickens, ducks, rats and bats.
 Apparently, ‘Timor’ comes from the Malay word ‘timur’, meaning east; that means
that when the country was formerly known as East Timor, it was actually called
‘East East’ when translated!
 Timor-Leste has gained independence twice – firstly from Portugal in 1975 and
then from Indonesia in 1999.
 Archaeological finds on Timor-Leste are dated to 30,000 years ago
 The Portuguese left the country abruptly after 455 years of colonization
 The most important component of the economy is hydrocarbon production
 Nino Knois Santana National Park is the country’s only national park
 Two East Timorese activists received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996
Source:
1. https://factsking.com/countries/timor-leste-east-timor/
2. https://facts.uk/22-tantalising-facts-about-timor-leste/

Country Flag:
Capital: Dili is the capital of Timor Leste.
Government: Politics of East Timor takes place in a framework of a unitary semi-
presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of East
Timor is the head of government and the President of East Timor exercises the
functions of head of state. East Timor has a multi-party system.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_East_Timor
Prime Minster: Taur Matan Ruak is Prime Minister of Timor Leste since 2018.
Economy: The economy of East Timor is a low-income economy as ranked by the
World Bank. It is placed 133th on the Human Development Index, indicating a medium
level of human development. 20% of the population is unemployed, and 52.9% live on
less than $1.25 a day. About half of the population is illiterate. For the 2018 estimate,
GDP per capita in Timor Leste will be $4973 in PPP per capita and $2164 in nominal
per capita.
Population: The population of Timor Leste was estimated to be 1.268 million in 2018.
Religion by Percentage:  According to the 2015 census, 97.6 % of the population is
Catholic, 1.96 % Protestant, and less than 1 % Muslim. Protestant denominations
include the Assemblies of God, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Seventh-day
Adventists, Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Christian Vision Church.
Source: https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-report-on-international-religious-
freedom/timor-leste/

Top Timor Leste Foods: Like many other countries in the region, the food of East
Timor is typically divided into two different categories: non-vegetarian and vegetarian.
Since agriculture is one of the most important sectors in the country, the cuisine uses
mainly rice (since its largely homegrown). Other types of main bases for the dishes of
East Timor are sweet potatoes, corn, cassava (a type of mandioca) and taro. To add up
to the base of every dish there is usually a vegetable component, also with homegrown
products such as cow-peas, onions, spinach, and cabbage. Below are top “must try”
dishes for visitors to Timor Leste:

 Ikan Pepes: Ikan pepes is a dish that is made by wrapping a whole fish, or
occasionally pieces of fish, in banana leaves. The fish is generously coated in a
spice paste that typically includes ingredients such as turmeric, candlenuts or
macadamia, tomatoes, shrimp paste, palm sugar, lemon basil, tamarind,
lemongrass, and chili peppers. It is then neatly wrapped in banana leaves, and
the parcels can be steamed or grilled. The fish is served in the leaf, and it is
typically accompanied by lime or lemon wedges on the side. Variations of ikan
pepes are found throughout East Timor and Indonesia, but the most popular
variety is ikan pepes mas, made with carp.

 Ai Manas: is the heartbeat of Timorese food. This spicy chili is made throughout
the country with regional varieties and differences according to taste that varies
from household to household. Typically Green or red chillis make up the bulk of
the paste, which is ground with garlic, lime/lemon rind, red onions, ginger, bilimbi,
and many other local ingredients. A couple of teaspoons on your plate will be
sure to fire up any meal.

 Batar Da’an: a mix of pumpkin, corn, and beans.

 Bibinka: grilled and layered coconut cake.

 Budu: sauce of tomato, mint, lime, and Spanish onion.

 Caril: mild chicken curry with potatoes and coconut paste.

 Ikan Sabuko: a Spanish mackerel in tamarind marinade with basil and chili.

 Katupa: rice on coconut milk.

 Tapai: slightly alcoholic made with fermented rice.

 Tukir: marinated meat (typically deer or buffalo) slow roasted in whole sections
of large bamboo over coals.

Language: Besides the official languages, there are many other languages spoken by
the indigenous people of East Timor. These include Bekais, Bunak, Galoli, Habun,
Idalaka, Kawaimina, Kemak, Lovaia, Makalero, Makasae, Mambai, Tokodede, and
Wetarese. Bekais and Kemak are spoken along the border regions of East and West
Timor, whereas Bunak, Habu, and Makasae are spoken in the central region.

Dress for Men and Women: Dress for work is quite modest in Timor-Leste because of
tropical weather. For women, a skirt and blouse or a long dress are acceptable. For
men, long trousers and long or short sleeved shirts are common dress.

Holidays: There are several national holidays in Timor Leste such as:
 New Year's Day
 Ash Wednesday
 Good Friday
 Labour Day
 Independence Restoration Day
 Eid al-Fitr
 Corpus Christi
 Eid al-Adha
 Popular Consultation Day
 All Saints' Day
 All Souls Day
 National Youth Day
 Proclamation of Independence Day
 National Heroes Day (in East Timor)
 Feast of the Immaculate Conception
 Christmas Day
 National Heroes Day
Travel Tips:
  Travelling here is pretty much as off-the-beaten path as it gets. With tourism still
in its infancy.
 its beaches and landscapes are simply stunning. Think lush mountains,
kilometers of white sand
 The rain season from December to April and the dry season from May to
November. As the rain causes landslides and can make roads impassable,
 It is fairly easy to obtain a visa as a tourist in Timor-Leste.
 The best way to get to Timor-Leste is via plane.
 Buses run in most parts of the country between the main cities. To go to the
west, for example Liquica or Bobonaro, head to Tasi Tolu bus terminal.
 A fun and cheap way to get around Dili is a mikrolet.
 Timor-Leste has a hot and humid climate (tropical). November to May is the wet
season with the temperatures averaging 30ºC the year round, with temperatures
far cooler in higher altitude areas.
 Visa free Nationals of all European Union countries may enter Timor-Leste visa-
free for up to 90 days in a 180-day period when travelling for tourism purposes.
 Aromatic coffee beans and colourful hand-woven cloth called Tais are the two
items that should be on your must-buy list when shopping in East Timor. All
convenience stores and even some roadside stalls sell excellent coffee.
 Bills presented in East Timorese restaurants do not have a service charge added
to them and tipping is not mandatory.
 Timor-Leste was devastated by the Indonesian occupation that may have killed
up to 200,000 East Timorese (or 1/5th of the population).

Top 10 Attractions and places to visit:

1. Atauro Island
2. Jaco Island
3. Tatamailau
4. Cristo Rei
5. Nino Konis Santana National Park
6. Tais Market
7. Archives & Museum of East Timorese Resistance
8. One Dollar Beach
9. Marobo Hot Spring
10. Dili
Timor Leste Boys Name:
 Jose juan
 Alfredo
 Carlos
 Eurico
 Zacarias
 Avelino
Top Universities in Timor Leste:
1. Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e
Top 10 Websites: not available on alexa:
Not found…
Top 3 Search engines used:
1. Google
2. Bing
3. Yahoo
Top exports:
 Crude petroleum
 Coffee
 Sugar beet
 Cane
 Vegetable saps
Top 5 Cars:
Top cars in Timor Lesteincludes:
1. Nissan X-trail
2. Mitsubishi Outlander
3. Ford ranger
4. Mitsubishi Asx
5. Mitsubishi Triton
Natural Disasters:
Many types of natural disasters occur in Timor Lestesuch as:
 Drought
 Floods
 Tropical cyclone
 Earthquakes
 Tsunamis
 Landslides
Home Designs / Architecture:
In urban areas such as Dili, Bacau, and Alieu, homes have been typically built from
concrete. A majority of the population lives in rural areas with homes made from
bamboo, wood, and thatch.
Deaths and Mortality:
In 2019, death rate for Timor-Leste was 5.9 per 1,000 people. Death rate of Timor-Leste
fell gradually from 23.1 per 1,000 people in 1970 to 5.9 per 1,000 people in 2019.
Source: https://knoema.com/atlas/Timor-Leste/Death-rate