TP is the abbreviation for Timor-Leste, the 154th largest country in the world. Officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Timor-Leste is a country located in Southeast Asia, bordering Indonesia. Dili is the capital city of Timor-Leste. Major cities include Dili (population: 149,989), Maliana (population: 21,989), Suai (population: 21,528), Likisá (population: 18,989), Aileu (population: 17,345), Lospalos (population: 17,175), Maubara (population: 16,289), Baucau (population: 15,989), Venilale (population: 15,989), and Ainaro (population: 11,989).
Country Profile
- Capital: Dili
- Language: Portuguese
- Area: 15,007 km2
- Population: 1,167,231
- Currency: United States dollar (USD)
- Time zone: UTC+9
- Calling code: 670
- ISO 2-Letter Abbreviation: TL
- UN 3-Letter Abbreviation: TLS
- Internet TLD: .tl
- State Government Website: http://timor-leste.gov.tl
List of Timor-Leste Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Timor-Leste are TL which stands for Timor-Leste and USD which means United States dollar (Timor-Leste currency). In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Timor-Leste, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
Geography
East Timor is the eastern part of the island of Timor which the country shares with Indonesia in the west. Also belonging to East Timor is the enclave Oekussi Ambeno, which is separate from the rest of the country on the north coast of West Timor. The landscape is dominated by a mountain range with several extinguished volcanoes. The highest peak, Tata Mai Lau, is 2963 meters above sea level. From the inland mountains, many rivers flow down to the coast and the lowlands, which are mainly grasslands and savannas. During the rainy season, it is common for the rivers to flood. The climate is tropical and warm all year round, while the mountains inland have a somewhat cooler climate due to the altitude. Most of the precipitation falls between November and May, while the rest of the year has drought.
East Timor is prone to flooding and drought. The country also has major problems with deforestation. The main reason for this is the widespread use of swirling in agriculture. The original forest has been greatly reduced, and dense forests are presently only in less accessible areas. Decommissioning of the forest has led to heavy soil erosion, and has contributed to the country being very exposed to floods.
History
The island of Timor has had a separate historical development from the rest of the Indonesian islands. Until the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th and 16th centuries, the island had a different culture and tradition than the rest of the region. In 1859 the island was divided in two. The eastern part became Portuguese, while the western part became Dutch. After World War II, the western part of the island became part of the newly created country of Indonesia. Indonesia claimed the entire island, but the Portuguese colonial power in East Timor retained control.
In 1975, East Timor declared independence from Portugal, but after only nine days Indonesia occupied the country. The Indonesian occupation was very brutal and a hard integration policy was driven to break down internal resistance. Around one third of the population died as a result of the occupation. In 1999, East Timor declared independence. This triggered a fierce uproar on the people who supported Indonesia. 80 percent of schools, roads and hospitals were destroyed, hundreds of people were killed and about half a million were internally displaced. From 1999 to 2002, the UN ruled East Timor with a mandate from the Security Council. The country first became independent on May 20, 2002.
Society and politics
East Timor is a republic where the president is the head of state. The president is elected in general elections for five years at a time. The executive power is divided between the president and the government. The legislative power lies with the parliament which is elected for five years at a time. Parliament elects the government, and the president appoints the prime minister. Politics and social life are strongly influenced by the recent independence of the country and the fact that it was governed by the UN during a transitional period. The policy is characterized by a power struggle between the parties that led the fight against the Indonesian occupation and those who want reconciliation with Indonesia.
East Timor has been helped by the UN to build a justice system. Work has been slow, and a shortage of educated manpower makes it work poorly. Living in the country is low and child mortality is high. The government’s main tasks are reconstruction, especially of infrastructure, education and health sector. Living standards are considerably better in the Beyes than in the countryside. The country has worked actively to strengthen women’s position in society and in politics, and in 2017, East Timor’s president became the first Southeast Asian state leader to openly support LGBTI rights.
Economics and Commerce
During the riots in 1999, East Timor’s economy was devastated and gross domestic product was sharply reduced. International players such as the UN and the Asian Development Bank have helped to rebuild the economy. During the 2000s, the country began to extract oil and gas, which provided good income to the Treasury. Since 2005, East Timor has had an oil fund and a strict tax law for oil and gas extraction, much like the Norwegian tax laws. About 80 per cent of the revenue in the state budget comes from the oil and gas industry. In addition, the export of coffee is an important source of income. Yet East Timor is still an agricultural country. The majority of the population lives by growing food for their own consumption and has no fixed salary.
Despite the country’s rich natural resources, over 30 percent of the population lives in absolute poverty, and over 25 percent lives below the national poverty line. One of the main reasons is that the oil sector is largely run by foreign companies and therefore creates few jobs for the local population. The country is also struggling with a lot of corruption and a poorly educated workforce. Despite increased revenues from the oil and gas industry, East Timor is dependent on international assistance.
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