Timorleste Geography - 2024

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

Geographic coordinates

8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

Area

total: 14,874 sq km

land: 14,874 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Connecticut; almost half the size of Maryland

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 253 km

border countries (1): Indonesia 253 km

Coastline

706 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain

mountainous

Elevation

highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m

Natural resources

gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use

agricultural land: 25.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 4.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 10.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 49.1% (2018 est.)

other: 25.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

350 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

most of the population concentrated in the western third of the country, particularly around Dili

Natural hazards

floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones

Geography - note

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; the district of Oecussi is an exclave separated from Timor-Leste proper by Indonesia; Timor-Leste has the unique distinction of being the only Asian country located completely in the Southern Hemisphere