Key Stats
| Category | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Continent: | Asia |
| Capital: | Dili |
| Population: | 1,379,883 |
| % Urban: | 31.7 % |
| Population Under 15 Yrs: | 37.3 % |
| Official Language: | Portuguese (13.5% understand), Tetum (and its dialects) is understood by 91%. Bahasa Indonesia is also common, understood by 43% |
| Languages: | 19 |
| Literacy Rate: | 68 % |
| Life Expectancy: | 67.7 yrs (174/236) |
| HDI Ranking: | 140 / 189 |
| % Christian: | 87.4 % |
| % Evangelical: | 2.3 % |
| Largest Religion: | Christian |
| % Largest Religion: | 87.4 % |
| People Groups: | 24 |
| % Unevangelized: | 4 % |
Timor Leste
This small, young nation continues its struggles to break free of the poverty, division, and trauma of its tumultuous past. Close to half of the population is at or below the poverty line. Timor’s population is the most youthful in Asia (along with Afghanistan), and one of the youngest in the world. Despite its modest population, it has 23 people groups, 19 languages, and up to 30 dialects! National unity and development are uphill struggles, especially with high dependence on oil as a natural resource. Pray for wise, long-term policies that will raise the education, health, and living standards for Timorese, and for the formation of a harmonious national identity, all under Christ’s lordship.
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Content taken or adapted from Operation World, 7th Edition (2010) and Pray for the World (2015). Both books are published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.