How did East Timor became free from Indonesia?
In 1999, in a UN-sponsored referendum, an overwhelming majority of East Timorese voted for independence from Indonesia. Immediately following the referendum, anti-independence Timorese militias – organised and supported by the Indonesian military – commenced a scorched earth campaign.
Is East Timor rich or poor?
East Timor continues to be one of the world’s poorest countries, with GDP per capita standing at $3,949 (2011). It is ranked 147 out of 187 (2011) countries in the UN’s Human Development Index. As of 2015, Timor-Leste had a population of 1.17 million and an annual growth rate at 1.8\%.
Does East Timor have oil?
East Timor is heavily dependent on petroleum and gas. Over US$20 billion has been funneled from Bayu Undan into the country’s Petroleum Fund. TimorGap, the country’s state oil company, bought out ConocoPhillips and Royal Dutch Shell to gain a majority ownership of the oil and gas fields.
What is the difference between Oecusse and Ambeno?
Oecusse and Ambeno are the names of the two original kingdoms, of which Ambeno existed before the colonial period. Oecusse was among the first parts of the island of Timor on which the Portuguese established themselves, and is thus usually considered the cradle of East Timor.
Where is the Oecussi-Ambeno enclave?
The Oecussi-Ambeno enclave is an isolated district of East Timor on the north shore of Indonesian West Timor. Seventy kilometres west of East Timor proper, it is 2700 square kilometres in size, with nearly 50,000 inhabitants. Its citizens find themselves inside Indonesia.
Should Portuguese Timor join Republic of Indonesia?
One of Portuguese Timor political parties, the APODETI, run on a platform that Portuguese Timor should join Republic of Indonesia because of close ethnic relationship to the people of Indonesian Timor (part of Indonesian Province of East Nusa Tenggara) and various economic reasons (Timor Leste is a relatively poor in resource).
Why did Timor Leste want to secede from Indonesia?
This is just an personal opinion, but it is because a significant amount of Timor Leste people didn’t view themselves as Indonesian. When Indonesia was down because of the late 1990s Asian Financial Crisis and political & social turmoil, this faction taking the opportunity for seceded from Indonesia.