Timor-Leste: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste conventional short form: Timor-Leste local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum); Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste (Portuguese) local short form: Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum); Timor-Leste (Portuguese) former: East Timor, Portuguese Timor etymology: "timor" derives from the Indonesian and Malay word "timur" meaning "east"; "leste" is the Portuguese word for "east", so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East"; the local (Tetum) name "Timor Lorosa'e" translates as "East Rising Sun" note: pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay |
|---|---|
| Government type | semi-presidential republic |
| Capital | Dili
Dili
geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions | 13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Independence | 20 May 2002 (from Indonesia); note - 28 November 1975 was the date independence was proclaimed from Portugal; 20 May 2002 was the date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia |
| National holiday | Restoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975) |
| Constitution | drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002 (2016) |
| Legal system | civil law system based on the Portuguese model; note - penal and civil law codes to replace the Indonesian codes were passed by Parliament and promulgated in 2009 and 2011, respectively |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Timor-Leste dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
| Suffrage | 17 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Taur Matan RUAK, aka Jose Maria de VASCONCELOS (since 20 May 2012); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is the commander in chief of the military and is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO - formerly Jose Alexandre GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007); Vice Prime Minister Fernando "Lasama" de ARAUJO (since 8 August 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 March 2012 with a runoff on 16 April 2012; following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister election results: Taur Matan RUAK elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Taur Matan RUAK (independent) 61.2%, Francisco GUTTERES (Frenti-Mudanca) 38.8% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Parliament (65 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: elections were held on 7 July 2012 (next to be held in July 2017) election results: percent of vote by party - CNRT 36%, FRETILIN 30%, PD 10%, Frenti-Mudanca 3%, others 21%; seats by party - CNRT 30, FRETILIN 25, PD 8, Frenti-Mudanca 2 |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the court president and NA judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other Supreme Court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body presided by the Supreme Court president and includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other Supreme Court judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military courts note: the UN Justice System Programme, launched in 2003 in 4 phases through 2018, is helping strengthen the country's justice system; the Programme is aligned with the country's long-range Justice Sector Strategic Plan, which includes legal reform |
| Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party or PD (Fernando "Lasama" de ARAUJO) Frenti-Mudanca (Jose Luis GUTERRES) National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT (Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO) Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN (Mari ALKATIRI) (only parties in Parliament are listed) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA |
| International organization participation | ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN (observer), CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Domingos Sarmento ALVES (since 21 May 2014) chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (1) (202) 966-3202 FAX: (1) (202) 966-3205 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Karen STANTON (since 16 January 2015) embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 telephone: (670) 332-4684 FAX: (670) 331-3206 |
| Flag description | red with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; a white star - pointing to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag - is in the center of the black triangle; yellow denotes the colonialism in Timor-Leste's past; black represents the obscurantism that needs to be overcome; red stands for the national liberation struggle; the white star symbolizes peace and serves as a guiding light |
| National symbol(s) | Mount Ramelau; national colors: red, yellow, black, white |
| National anthem | name: "Patria" (Fatherland) lyrics/music: Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO note: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal in 1975; the lyricist, Fransisco Borja DA COSTA, was killed in the Indonesian invasion just days after independence was declared |