East Timor

[ eest tee-mawr, tee-mawr ]

noun

1. a republic on the E half of Timor; the only Asian country that lies entirely within the Southern Hemisphere: Portuguese colony 1702–1975, though occupied by Japan 1943–1945; independent 1975–1976; annexed by Indonesia 1976; independent since 2002. 5,743 sq. mi. (14,874 sq. km). : Dili.

East Timor

noun

1. a small country in SE Asia, comprising part of the island of Timor: colonized by Portugal in the 19th century; declared independence in 1975 but immediately invaded by Indonesia; under UN administration from 1999 and an independent state from 2002. It is mountainous with a monsoon climate; subsistence agriculture is the main occupation. Languages: Portuguese, Tetun (a lingua franca), and Bahasa Indonesia. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: US dollar. Capital: Dili. Pop: 1 172 390 (2013 est). Area: 14 874 sq km (5743 sq miles) Official nameTimor-Leste

Word History and Origins

Origin of East Timor¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The country trails only the Philippines and East Timor for the highest percentage of Christians in Asia.

From Ozy

Indochina, East Timor, the Shah, our brief covert support for the Khmer Rouge.

From The Daily Beast