| Economy overview |
In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth was held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of the international presence. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the workforce. One promising long-term project is the planned development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters, but the government faces a substantial financing gap over the next several years before these revenues start flowing into state coffers. |
| GDP |
purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate |
-3% (2003 est.) |
| GDP - per capita |
purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector |
agriculture: 25.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 57.4% (2001) |
| Investment gross fixed |
|
| Population below poverty line |
42% (2003 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share |
lowest 10%: na
highest 10%: na |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index |
38 (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate consumer prices |
8% NA (2003 est.) |
| Labor force |
NA |
| Labor force by occupation |
NA |
| Unemployment rate |
50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.) |
| Budget |
revenues: $36 million
expenditures: $97 million, including capital expenditures of na (2003 est.) |
| Public debt |
|
| Agriculture products |
coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla |
| Industries |
printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth |
| Industrial production growth rate |
8.5% |
| Electricity production |
NA kWh (2001) |
| Electricity production by source |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity consumption |
NA kWh (2001) |
| Electricity exports |
0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity imports |
0 kWh (2001) |
| Oil production |
|
| Oil consumption |
|
| Oil exports |
|
| Oil imports |
|
| Oil proved reserves |
|
| Natural gas production |
|
| Natural gas consumption |
|
| Natural gas exports |
|
| Natural gas imports |
|
| Natural gas proved reserves |
|
| Current account balance |
|
| Exports |
$8 million (2001 est.) |
| Exports commodities |
coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports |
| Exports partners |
NA |
| Imports |
$237 million (2001 est.) |
| Imports commodities |
mainly food (2001) |
| Imports partners |
NA |
| Reserves of foreign exchange gold |
|
| Debt external |
NA |
| Economic aid recipient |
$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.) |
| Currency |
US dollar (USD) |
| Currency code |
USD |
| Exchange rates |
the US dollar is the legal tender |
| Fiscal year |
1 July - 30 June |