Situated in South-Eastern Asia, Timor-Leste 🇹🇱 (officially Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is one of the most interesting places you can land on when you spin the globe. With a population of about 1.4 million and a total area of 14,874 km², it offers far more than its statistics suggest.
Whether you discovered Timor-Leste through our random country spinner or searched for it directly, this guide covers everything you need to know: the flag, the capital city of Dili, population figures, languages, currency, geography and a collection of memorable facts.
Where is Timor-Leste located?
Geographically, Timor-Leste belongs to South-Eastern Asia within Asia. Its territory spans approximately 14,874 km², which makes it the 160th largest country or territory on Earth.
Timor-Leste has a coastline as well as land borders with Indonesia — a crossroads position that has influenced its culture and economy for centuries.
The capital city is Dili, the political and cultural heart of the country and usually the first stop for visitors who want to understand how east timorese life really works.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Who lives in Timor-Leste?
Around 1.4 million people live in Timor-Leste, making it the 155th most populous country or territory in the world. A person from Timor-Leste is called a East Timorese.
Timor-Leste is multilingual: the languages spoken include Portuguese and Tetum. This linguistic variety reflects the country's layered history and the many communities that shaped it.
Beyond the numbers, everyday culture in Timor-Leste — from markets and music to family traditions — is what makes discovering it through a random spin so rewarding.
Good to know before you go
The official currency is the United States dollar (USD, symbol $). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Timor-Leste is +670. Websites from the country typically use the .tl internet domain.
Quiz tip: the three facts most worth memorising about Timor-Leste are its flag, its capital Dili, and its approximate population of 1.4 million.
Neighbouring countries
Timor-Leste shares borders with 1 country:
Fun facts about Timor-Leste
- Timor-Leste's flag emoji is 🇹🇱 — its two-letter country code is TL and its three-letter code is TLS.
- Timor-Leste covers 14,874 km², ranking 160th in the world by area.
- With about 1.4 million people, Timor-Leste holds the 155th spot in the world population ranking.
- Timor-Leste is a member state of the United Nations.
- Timor-Leste shares borders with 1 country.
Timor-Leste — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Timor-Leste?
- The capital of Timor-Leste is Dili.
- What is the population of Timor-Leste?
- Timor-Leste has a population of approximately 1,400,638 people, ranking 155th in the world.
- Where is Timor-Leste located?
- Timor-Leste is located in South-Eastern Asia, part of the Asia region.
- What language is spoken in Timor-Leste?
- The languages spoken in Timor-Leste include Portuguese and Tetum.
- What currency is used in Timor-Leste?
- Timor-Leste uses the United States dollar (USD).
