Travel to East Timor
East Timor (officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecussi-Ambeno, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor. The small country of 15,410 km²[1] (5,400 sq mi) is located about 640 km (400 mi) northwest of Darwin, Australia.
East Timor was colonized by Portugal in the 16th century, and was known as Portuguese Timor until Portugal’s decolonization of the country. In late 1975 East Timor declared its independence but was invaded and occupied by Indonesia later that year, and declared that country’s 27th province the following year. In 1999, following the United Nations-sponsored act of self-determination, Indonesia relinquished control of the territory and East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the twenty-first century on May 20, 2002. Alongside the Philippines, East Timor is one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia.
Travel to East Timor
East Timor, southeast Asia’s newest nation. Independence has brought mixed fortunes to this recovering conflict zone, and it remains a country in transition. But it has fine beaches, colonial towns, rugged mountains and a lush interior, with Dili a taste of Portugal in the tropics. Travel Warning: Political Unrest
The security situation in East Timor is more fragile than ever following an assassination attempt on President Ramos Horta. A state of emergency has been declared by the government, and a night-time curfew imposed. Protests and gatherings are banned. Travellers should exercise extreme caution, avoid any demonstrations or protests and heed local advice regarding safety. The border with West Timor has been temporarily shut; travellers should check news services before attempting to enter East Timor via this frontier. LP/Wiki