Timor Leste

East Timor, officially known as Timor-Leste, is a Southeast Asian nation located on the eastern half of the island of Timor, north of Australia, with additional small islands including Atauro and Jaco. The country has a more diverse ecology than many small island states, with tropical forests, mangroves, coral reefs, and mountainous interiors that support varied plant and animal life, though deforestation and land degradation are ongoing concerns. Timor-Leste has a long and turbulent history, shaped by centuries of Portuguese colonial rule, a brief declaration of independence in 1975, followed by Indonesian occupation, and finally full independence in 2002 after a UN-backed transition. Its population is ethnically and linguistically diverse, with strong local identities, deep Catholic influence, and social structures rooted in extended families and customary law. The economy remains underdeveloped and heavily dependent on oil and gas revenues from the Timor Sea, alongside subsistence agriculture, with widespread poverty and limited employment opportunities. Climate change poses growing risks, including rising temperatures, irregular rainfall, droughts, floods, and coastal erosion, which threaten agriculture, water security, and livelihoods, particularly in rural and coastal communities.

In 2017, we habe been for three days on Timor Leste, coming from Bali and spent a weekend here. On Sunday we drove around, had a look at coffee and other things.