ABSTRACT
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (also known as East Timor), in Southeast Asia, is made up of several islands, including the eastern half of Timor, Atauro, and Jaco. Australia is Timor-Leste’s neighbor to the south, separated by the Timor Sea. Timor-Leste’s predominantly mountainous terrain is home to 1.4 million people, with most living in the western portion of the country in or around the capital of Dili. The Timorese population is ethnically diverse, including groups such as Austronesian, Melanesia-Pauan, Bunak, Fataluku, Bakasai, Tetun, Mambai, Tokodede, Galoli, Kemak, and Baikeno. Because of this diversity, the population speaks a variety of languages including the official languages of Tetun and Portuguese alongside English, Indonesian, and 32 other indigenous languages. The vast majority of the population, as much as 98 percent, identifies as Roman Catholic.
