Capital City: Dili
Population: 1,201,542
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Land Area: 14,874 sq km. 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.
Dominant Religions: Roman Catholic 96.9%, Protestant / Evangelical 2.2%, Muslim 0.3%, other 0.6% (2005)
Land Boundaries: Indonesia 228 km
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.
Climate: East Timor 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. The dry season lasts for about 6 months during June to October. The wet season can damage the roads in East Timor, making travel difficult to remote district areas during this time.
Terrain: Mountainous
Visa: Visa on arrival (VOA) granted to Australian Passport holders if arriving by air. Visa fee is $USD10. Arrivals from Atambua (Indonesia) require an ‘Invitation’ issued at the Timor-Leste Consulate in Kupang (West Timor). Timor-Leste Consulate Kupang, Office Address: Jl. Eltari II, Kupang, NTT, Indonesia, ☎+ 62 8133 9367 558, +62 8133 9137 755, Mr. Caetano Guterres, Consul General, ([caetanoguterres@hotmail.com]) ☎ Mobile:+62 813 392 434 13, Mr. Manuel Matos, Staff of Consulate, ☎+62 813 539 435 34
Entry Point: Dili
Exit Point: Batugade. Land border to Atambua in Indonesian West Timor
Cuisine: The East Timorese, like the Indonesians, have a staple diet of rice and spices. The East Timorese palate includes a taste for several international cuisines in addition to the traditional East Timorese cuisine. Portuguese, Indonesian, Chinese, Italian, Western, Japanese and Thai cuisine have made their presence felt in East Timor. Significant numbers of foreigners living and working in East Timor ensure a loyal clientele for these restaurants.
The staple food in East Timor is rice. Commonly grown food crops include taro, cassava, sweet potatoes and maize. Beans, cabbage, cowpeas, onions, tomatoes and spinach are well-liked vegetables. People also rear poultry, goats and pigs. Fish forms an important part of the diet and acts as a supplement to any meal. Most traditional East Timorese recipes use a generous dose of spices. Mangoes, watermelons, papayas, bananas and coconuts are the most commonly cultivated fruits here. Carbohydrates like sago or other grains form the main dish for many a East Timorese meal. Fried fish is a very popular dish, with prawns being considered a delicacy. Curries are a standard dish, with chicken curry topping the list as a favourite. Several authentic Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese and Chinese dishes find favour with many East Timorese.