Timor-Leste – מילון אנגלי-אנגלי
Timor-Leste
n.
East Timor, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, republic on the eastern side of the Indonesian Timor island, area that was formerly a Portuguese colony and in May 2002 became an independent nation
East Timor
East Timor or
Timor-Leste ,
Tetum:
Timór Lorosa'e, officially the
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (Portuguese:
República Democrática de Timor-Leste, Tetum:
Repúblika Demokrátika Timór-Leste), is a
sovereign state in
Maritime Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of
Timor, the nearby islands of
Atauro and
Jaco, and
Oecusse, an
exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within
Indonesian West Timor. The country's size is about 15,410 km (5,400 sq mi).
East Timor
Flag of East Timor
Background
The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state.
Map of East Timor
More about East Timor:
People
Geography
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
Timor-Leste
Chief of state: President Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2007); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections
Head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007), note - he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO; Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis GUTERRES (since 8 August 2007)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 April 2007 with run-off on 8 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012); following elections, president appoints leader of majority party or majority coalition as prime minister
Election results: Jose RAMOS-HORTA elected president; percent of vote - Jose RAMOS-HORTA 69.2%, Francisco GUTTERES 30.8%
Timor-Leste
President ….. Jose RAMOS-HORTAPrime Minister ….. Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAOFirst Dep. Prime Min. ….. Jose Luis GUTERRESMin. for Agriculture, Fisheries, & Forestry ….. n.a.Min. for Development ….. Joao GONCALVESMin. for Education ….. Joao CANCIOMin. for Finance ….. Emilia PIRESMin. for Foreign Affairs ….. Zacarias DA COSTAMin. for Health ….. Nelson MARTINSMin. for Infrastructure ….. Pedro LAYMin. for Justice ….. Lucia LOBATOMin. for Social Solidarity ….. n.a.Min. for State Admin. ….. Arcangelo LEITEMin. for Tourism, Commerce, & Industry ….. Gil da Costa ALVESAmbassador to the US ….. n.a.Permanent Representative to the UN, New York ….. Nelson SANTOS
