The majority of the population of East Timor is Christian, and the Catholic Church is the dominant religious institution, although it is not formally the state religion. There are also small Protestant and Sunni Muslim communities.
Religion in Timor-Leste
The majority of East Timorese are Roman Catholic (91%), and there are a small percentage affiliated with Hindu, Buddhist and Protestant faiths. Local religious traditions are blended with the practice of Catholicism.
The remaining population identify with Islam (0.2%) or some other religion (0.2%). According to the Constitution of East Timor (2002), freedom of religion and worship is guaranteed, along with the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs.
Muslims make up about 0.3 percent of East Timor's population of 1.2 million, most of them concentrated in Dili.
Today, with a population of over 1.3 million people, Timor-Leste is a peaceful, democratic nation. While poverty levels remain high, progress has been made in improving living standards.
Crime continues to be a problem in Timor-Leste, including gang-related violence, robbery (in some cases armed), and assault. Be vigilant at all times and avoid displaying expensive items of jewellery or carrying large sums of money. There have been reports of harassment and violence against women.
There are over 1,000,000 Catholics in East Timor, a legacy of its status as a former Portuguese colony. Since its independence from Indonesia, East Timor became only the second predominantly Catholic country in Asia (after the Philippines) - approximately 98.3% of the population is Catholic.
The population is made up of a variety of ethnic groups, speaking some sixteen languages. Most (12) indigenous peoples are of Austronesian origin, while there are four including the Bunak, Fataluku and Makasae which are of predominantly Melanesian-Papuan origin.
The economy of East Timor is a low-income economy as ranked by the World Bank. It is placed 133rd on the Human Development Index, indicating a medium level of human development. 20% of the population is unemployed, and 52.9% live on less than $1.25 a day.
East Timor province, including the Ambeno enclave, thereafter remained in Portuguese possession until 1975, when one of the major political parties there, Fretilin (Frente Revolucionária do Timor-Leste Independente [Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor]), gained control of much of the territory and in ...
East Timor (/ˈtiːmɔːr/ ( listen)), also known as Timor-Leste (/tiˈmɔːr ˈlɛʃteɪ/; Portuguese pronunciation: [tiˈmoɾ ˈlɛʃtɨ]), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia.
Although majority of Indonesia is mainly Muslim, Bali itself is strongly rooted in Balinese Hinduism, which originated from Java as 'Agama Hindu Dharma'. This specific version of Hinduism has influences from Shivaism and Buddhism, Indian philosophy and indigenous rituals for spirits, ancestors and nature.
The Island of Timor is currently divided in two parts: the West is part of the Republic of Indonesia with provincial capital in Kupang; while the East, whose capital is Dili since its independence, had been a Portuguese territory since the 16th century.
A 1999 vote to determine East Timor's future resulted in an overwhelming majority in favour of independence, and in 2002 East Timor became an independent nation.
Of the world's major religions, Christianity is the largest, with more than two billion followers. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old.
Christianity developed out of Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century CE. It is founded on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and those who follow it are called Christians. Islam developed in the 7th century CE.
Hinduism has been called the world's oldest religion still practised, though some debate remains. The word Hindu is an exonym although many practitioners refer to their religion as Sanātana Dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit.
Lebanon. Lebanon holds the largest proportion of Christians in the Arab world proportionally and falls behind only Egypt and Syria in absolute numbers.
Christianity is the largest religion in Venezuela, with Catholicism having the most adherents.
According to The World Factbook, 2009, 96% of the population is Roman Catholic. In 2018, Latinobarómetro, estimated that 66% of the population is Roman Catholic. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Roman Catholic Church in Venezuela has been weakened by a lack of diocesan and religious vocations.
In Timor-Leste water temperatures are warm all year round and clarity is very high making swimming irresistible. Sunrise and sunset are special times and the colours reflecting on the water are often mesmerising.
In general, it is safe to visit Timor-Leste, but you should still be very careful. There can be political tensions in the country. Violent gang-related attacks, robbery, and petty crime can still happen in Dili and other regions. Poor road conditions reduce the safety of tourists who are driving.
The safety risk for expatriates in Timor-Leste/East Timor is medium. Risks include general crime particularly in urban areas such as Dili, occasional protests with associated stone throwing and vandalism, as well as gang violence. Other risks include those related to poor infrastructure and limited safety.