Timor-Leste Government

What is the capital of Timor-Leste?

Country Name	Timor-Leste
Full Country Name	Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste note: pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay
Local - Long	Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
Local - Short	Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
Former Name	East Timor, Portuguese Timor
Etymology- history of name	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"
Government Type	semi-presidential republic
Capital Name	Dili
Capital - geographic coordinate	8 35 S, 125 36 E
Capital Time Difference	UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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	history: drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002 amendments: proposed by Parliament and parliamentary groups; consideration of amendments requires at least four-fifths majority approval by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by Parliament and promulgation by the president of the republic; passage of amendments to the republican form of government and the flag requires approval in a referendum

Timor-Leste Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Timor-Leste Government and Politics

Who is the president of Timor-Leste?

Executive Branch:	chief of state: President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2022); note - the president is commander in chief of the military and can veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 1 July 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers; ministers proposed to the prime minister by the coalition in the Parliament and sworn in by the President of the Republic 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); last election held on 19 March 2022 with a runoff on 19 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2027); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister election results: 2022: José RAMOS-HORTA elected president in second round - RAMOS-HORTA (CNRT) 62.1%, Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 37.9% 2017: Francisco GUTERRES elected president; Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, António da CONCEICAO (PD) 32.5%, other 10.4%
Citizenship Criteria:	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
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
Suffrage:	17 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch:	description: unicameral National Parliament (65 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed, party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method to serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 21 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2028) election results: percent of vote by party - CNRT 41.5%, FRETILIN 25.8%, PD 9.3%, KHUNTO 7.5%, PLP 6%, other 9.9%; seats by party - CNRT 31, FRETILIN 19, PD 6, KHUNTO 5, PLP 4; composition - men 40, women 25, percentage women 38.5%
Judicial Branch:	highest court(s): Court of Appeals (consists of the court president and NA judges) judge selection and term of office: court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body chaired by the court president and that includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other judges serve 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 and being rolled out 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 reforms
Regions or States:	12 municipalities (municipios, singular municipio) and 1 special adminstrative region* (regiao administrativa especial); Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Covalima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Lospalos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oe-Cusse Ambeno* (Pante Macassar), Viqueque note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Political Parties and Leaders:	Democratic Party or PD [Mariano Assanami SABINO Lopes] National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO] National Unity of the Sons of Timor (Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO) [Armanda BERTA DOS SANTOS] People's Liberation Party or PLP [Taur Matan RUAK] Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Franciso GUTERRES]
International Law Organization Participation:	accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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 (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Antonito DE ARAUJO (since 24 February 2023) chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205 email address and website: info@timorlesteembassy.org http://www.timorlesteembassy.org/
Diplomatic Representation from US:	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant), Chargé d'Affaires Marc WEINSTOCK (since August 2023) embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili mailing address: 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 telephone: (670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400 FAX: (670) 331-3206 email address and website: ConsDili@state.gov https://tl.usembassy.gov/

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