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General Information
Area: 14,609 sq km (5641 sq miles).
Population: 750,000 (official estimate 1999).
Population density: 51.3 per sq km.
Capital: Dili. Population: N/A.
GEOGRAPHY: East Timor makes up the eastern half of the island of Timor (the western half belongs to Indonesia) which is situated off the northern coast of Western Australia. Also included within East Timor is the Oekussi Ambeno enclave on the northwest coast of the island, as well as the islands of Ataśro (Pulo Cambing) and Jaco (Pulo Jako). East Timor is mountainous in the interior.
Government: Republic. Declared full independence 20 May 2002 after the UN Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET) had run the country for nearly three years during its transition to independence. Prior to UNTAET, the country had been under Indonesian control since 1975. President: Xanana Gusmao since May 2002. Prime Minister: Mari Alkatiri since May 2002.
Language: Tetum is the main dialect and is the official language along with Portuguese; English is often used for administrative purposes (due to the high numbers of English-speaking relief and UN workers still working in East Timor). More than 30 other languages are also used in East Timor.
Religion: Christian majority with 86 per cent Catholic. Islam and Animist religions are also practised.
Time: GMT + 8.
Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz. Electricity supplies may be erratic with many power cuts.
Telephone
International calls can be made from and to Dili. The code for Dili is 390.
Mobile telephone
It may be possible to use the Telstra network (website: www.telstra.com.au/mobilenet) in and around Dili and other main urban areas. In some parts of the country, however, telephone communication is at present only possible with satellite telephones.
Fax
Facilities exist in Dili in major organisations and hotels.
Internet
Facilities are not available to the public at the present time.
Post
A limited postal service does exist.
Press
The Timor Post is published daily in English; Tais Timor is published every fortnight in English.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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