Timor

I

Introduction

Timor, island, in the Malay Archipelago, the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. It is bordered on the north by the Savu and Banda seas and on the south by the Timor Sea.

II

Land and Resources

Timor is about 450 km (280 mi) long and up to 105 km (65 mi) wide, with an area of about 30,820 sq km (11,900 sq mi). It is traversed by parallel mountain ranges that are somewhat higher in the east, where the island's loftiest point, Mount Ramelau, or Tata Mailau (2,950 m/9,679 ft high), is located. The island receives almost all of its precipitation during the season of the north-western monsoon, which occurs from December to March. The soil is generally poor and natural vegetation is sparse, although there are valuable stands of eucalyptus, sandalwood, teak, bamboo, and rosewood. The economy of Timor is dominated by farming, pursued with traditional methods; the chief products are maize, rice, coffee, copra, and fruit. Deposits of gold and silver are found on the island.

III

Population

Most of the people of Timor are of mixed Malay, Polynesian, and Papuan descent; however, members of a small ethnic Chinese community play an important role in the island's commerce. The largest cities are Kupang (population, 1997, 209,290), the capital of East Nusatenggara Province; and Dili (2003, 48,731), capital of the territory of Timor-Leste. Traditional religions predominate on Timor, and there are small Muslim and Christian communities. Population 3,900,000 (1990 estimate).

IV

History

The Portuguese established settlements on Timor in the early 16th century, and Dutch traders first landed on the island in 1613. The Portuguese and Dutch competed for influence until a series of agreements (1859, 1893, 1898, 1914) established boundaries between their holdings. Dutch Timor, centred at Kupang, in the west, became part of the Republic of Indonesia in 1950. Portuguese Timor, including the region of Dili, in the east, and the small area of Oe-Cusse (Ocussi Ambeno), in the north-west, was forcibly annexed by Indonesia in late 1975, leading to an ongoing conflict in which it is estimated that as many as 200,000 people have died.

In May 1999 Portugal and Indonesia reached an agreement on a referendum for autonomy for Timor-Leste, with Indonesia approving that if the offer of enhanced autonomy under Indonesian rule was rejected, troops would be withdrawn from Timor-Leste and the territory would become fully independent. In the August 1999 referendum, voters overwhelmingly endorsed independence. Following the vote, violence between independence supporters and the militia, allegedly backed by the Indonesian military, increased significantly, and many civilians fled from the region. A United Nations-backed, Australian-led peacekeeping force was deployed to restore order in Timor-Leste in September 1999. In October the Indonesian government ratified the referendum results, making way for the establishment of a UN transitional administration in Timor-Leste to oversee the territory's move to independence. The administration included a force of over 10,000 soldiers, police, and military observers. The administrative body and associated forces were originally authorized to govern Timor-Leste until 2001, but this was extended for another year. Constituent Assembly elections were held in August 2001; the resulting assembly paved the way for independence, which the country achieved (as Timor-Leste) in May 2002. For further information on the territory, see Timor-Leste.