⊗
Timor-Leste is a young, sovereign nation in Southeast Asia, with a population of nearly 1.2 million people. Timor-Leste has a land territory of 15,410km², which encompasses the eastern part of the island of Timor, the enclave of Oe-Cusse Ambeno as well as the islands of Jaco and Ataúro.
Timor-Leste is a Democratic Republic with a civil law system and a unicameral Parliament. The Head of State is the President of the Republic, who is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The Prime Minister is the Head of the Government and is supported in all government matters by the Council of Ministers.
East Timor, as it was known before 2002, was a Portuguese colony from the 16th century until Portugal withdrew in 1975. In 1975, civil war broke out in East Timor. On 28 November 1975, the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN) declared the territory’s independence. Shortly after this declaration, Indonesia commenced its occupation of East Timor. The country remained under Indonesian control for 24 years. On 30 August 1999, the dream of freedom from foreign rule was realised when the Timorese people voted for independence.
The United Nations administered the territory until the restoration of independence on 20 May 2002. Today, Timor-Leste is a peaceful democracy that has enjoyed economic growth, social stability and a renewed sense of national identity, growing consistent with its Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 into a healthy, well-educated and prosperous nation.
This website is hosted by the Maritime Boundary Office of the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries to allow readers to learn more about Timor-Leste’s pursuit of permanent maritime boundaries. The Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries and the Maritime Boundary Office do not accept any legal liability for any reliance placed on any information contained in this website (including external links). The information provided is a summary only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. The information and views expressed in this website and in any linked information do not constitute diplomatic representations and do not limit or otherwise affect the rights of the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries, the Maritime Boundary Office or the Government of Timor-Leste. The views expressed in any linked information do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries, the Maritime Boundary Office or the Government of Timor-Leste.
GFM is the acronym for “Gabinete das Fronteiras Marítimas”, which is the Portuguese translation of Maritime Boundary Office.