History of Timor-Leste

Portuguese Timor, 1702–1975 Draft, not yet reviewed

Portuguese Timor was a Portuguese colony on the territory of present-day Timor-Leste from 1702 until 1975. The first Europeans to arrive in the region were the Portuguese in 1515. Dominican friars established a presence on the island in 1556, and the territory was declared a Portuguese colony in 1702. Following the beginning of the Carnation Revolution, a civil war broke out and then East Timor was invaded by Indonesia.

Seat of power: Dili

Indonesian occupation of East Timor, 1975–1999 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Indonesian occupation of East Timor began in December 1975 and lasted until October 1999. Indonesian military forces invaded East Timor on 7 December 1975, and by 1979 they had all but destroyed the armed resistance to the occupation. On 17 July 1976, Indonesia formally annexed East Timor as its 27th province and declared the province of Timor Timur (East Timor). A 1999 vote to determine East Timor's future resulted in an overwhelming majority in favour of independence, and in 2002 East Timor became an independent nation.

Seat of power: Dili

United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor, 1999–2002 Draft, not yet reviewed

UNTAET provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor, from its establishment on 25 October 1999, until its independence on 20 May 2002, following the outcome of the East Timor Special Autonomy Referendum. A rarity for United Nations peacekeeping missions, UNTAET involved the United Nations directly administering the territory of East Timor. The transitional administration was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1272 in 1999. UNTAET was abolished on 20 May 2002, with most functions passed to the East Timor government.

Seat of power: Dili

Timor-Leste, 2002 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. That same year, relations with Indonesia were established and normalised, with Indonesia also supporting Timor-Leste's accession into ASEAN. The national government is a semi-presidential system, with the popularly elected president sharing power with a prime minister appointed by the National Parliament.

Seat of power: Dili

Rulers

• Xanana Gusmão, President of East Timor, 2002–2007
• José Ramos-Horta, President of East Timor, 2007–2012
• Taur Matan Ruak, President of East Timor, 2012–2017
• Francisco Guterres, President of East Timor, 2017–2022
• José Ramos-Horta, President of East Timor, 2022 to today