Mount Ramelau; national colors: red, yellow, black, white.
Title | "Patria" (Fatherland) |
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Lyric/music | Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO |
Date of Independence | 20 May 2002 (from Indonesia); note - 28 November 1975 was the date independence was proclaimed from Portugal; 20 May 2002 was the date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia |
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National holiday | Restoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975) |
Legal system | civil law system based on the Portuguese model; note - penal and civil law codes to replace the Indonesian codes were passed by Parliament and promulgated in 2009 and 2011, respectively |
International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
Constitution | |
History | Drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002 |
Amendments | Proposed by Parliament and parliamentary groups; consideration of amendments requires at least four-fifths majority approval by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by Parliament and promulgation by the president of the republic; passage of amendments to the republican form of government and the flag requires approval in a referendum |
Citizenship | |
Citizenship by birth | no |
Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Timor-Leste |
Dual citizenship recognized | no |
Residency requirement for naturalization | 10 years |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2022) |
Head of government | Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 1 July 2023) |
Cabinet | Council of Ministers; ministers proposed to the prime minister by the coalition in the Parliament and sworn in by the President of the Republic |
Elections/appointments | president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last election held on 19 March 2022 with a runoff on 19 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2027); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister |
Election results | 2022: José RAMOS-HORTA elected president in second round - RAMOS-HORTA (CNRT) 62.1%, Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 37.9% 2017: Francisco GUTERRES elected president; Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, António da CONCEICAO (PD) 32.5%, other 10.4% |
Legislative branch | |
Legislature name | National Parliament |
Legislative structure | Unicameral |
Number of seats | 65 (all directly elected) |
Electoral system | Proportional representation |
Scope of elections | Full renewal |
Term in office | 5 years |
Most recent election date | 5/21/2023 |
Parties elected and seats per party | National Congress for the Reconstruction of Timor-Leste (CNRT) (31); Revolutionary Front for an independent East Timor (FRETILIN) (19); Democratic Party (PD) (6); Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO) (5); People's Liberation Party (PLP) (4) |
Percentage of women in chamber | 35.4% |
Expected date of next election | May 2028 |
Judicial branch | |
Highest court(s) | Court of Appeals (consists of the court president and NA judges) |
Judge selection and term of office | Court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body chaired by the court president and that includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other judges serve for life |
Subordinate courts | Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military courts |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador José Luis GUTERRES (since 17 June 2024) |
Chancery | 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008 |
Telephone | [1] (202) 966-3202 |
FAX | [1] (202) 966-3205 |
Email address and website | info@timorlesteembassy.org |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Donna Ann WELTON (since 16 July 2024) |
Embassy | Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili |
Mailing address | 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 |
Telephone | (670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400 |
FAX | (670) 331-3206 |
Email address and website | ConsDili@state.gov https://tl.usembassy.gov/ |
Want to know more about Timor-Leste? Check all different factbooks for Timor-Leste below.