Country explorer: East Timor
EXPERIMENTAL
2024
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Overview
East Timor is a mountainous, lower-middle-income country in Southeast Asia with a small population. Its economy has grown rapidly in recent decades, and is based on agriculture, oil and gas and tourism.
East Timor has been rapidly developing its infrastructure to support economic growth.
Economy
East Timor's economy has shown significant yet fluctuating growth in GDP per capita and has seen a modest reduction in unemployment rates, but challenges remain with managing inflation and improving living standards amidst persistent poverty, reflecting a common struggle among lower-middle-income countries yet underlining its gradual progress post-independence.
Demographics
East Timor has experienced significant demographic changes, highlighted by a steady population growth, a sharp decline in net migration losses, a decrease in fertility rates from high to moderately high levels, and an improvement in life expectancy, reflecting common developmental trajectories observed in many lower-middle-income countries.
Basic needs
East Timor has made considerable progress in improving basic needs by steadily increasing access to clean cooking fuels and electricity, yet it still lags significantly behind regional peers like Indonesia and Malaysia, reflecting the ongoing challenges of development in one of the world's newest countries.
Human development
East Timor has experienced significant improvements in human development indicators, including a steady rise in the Human Development Index, a reduction in child mortality rate, an increase in literacy rate among adults, and advancements in learning-adjusted years of schooling, though its pace of development in these areas aligns closely with regional trends among lower-middle-income countries.
Environment & energy
East Timor has experienced notable fluctuations in CO₂ emissions per capita, a gradual decline in per capita freshwater resources and forest area, alongside a slow increase in electricity production, particularly from renewable sources, reflecting its growing focus on sustainability while facing challenges common among its lower-middle-income peers and Southeast Asian neighbors.
Technology & innovation
East Timor has seen gradual but significant progress in technological adoption and innovation, characterized by steady increases in internet usage, mobile phone subscriptions, and scientific output, reflecting a broader journey towards digital integration shared by lower-middle-income countries.
Culture & society
East Timor's society has evolved, marking a gradual decrease in gender inequality and a stable share of the population born abroad, distinguishing this nation with its commitment to improving gender equality faster than some peers, despite facing challenges common to lower-middle-income countries.
Governance
East Timor has demonstrated a progressive improvement in governance metrics, such as rule of law and political civil liberties, distinguishing it from many of its regional peers by showing a comparative resilience in nurturing democratic principles and reducing corruption perceptions.