South-East Asia.

GMT + 9.

14,609 sq km (5735 sq miles). Disputes over land boundaries have yet to be resolved so this figure may change.

857,000 (UN, 2005).

58.66 per sq km.

Dili. Population: 167,777 (2004).

East Timor makes up the eastern half of the island of Timor (the western half belongs to Indonesia) which is situated off the northern coast of Western Australia. Also included within East Timor is the Oekussi Ambeno enclave on the northwest coast of the island, as well as the islands of Ataúro (Pulo Cambing) and Jaco (Pulo Jako). East Timor is mountainous in the interior.

East Timor is governed according to a constitution agreed between UNTAET and the provisional East Timorese government in March 2002. This allows for an 88-member Parliament, the Assembleia Constituinte, which holds legislative authority and is elected to serve a five-year term – 75 members are elected by proportional representation, the other 13 in single-seat constituencies. Executive power is vested in the President, who is also elected for a five-year term.

Republic. Declared full independence on 20 May 2002 after the UN Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET) had run the country for nearly three years during its transition to independence. Prior to UNTAET, the country had been under Indonesian control since 1975. President: Xanana Gusmao since May 2002. Prime Minister : José Ramos-Horta since July 2006. Recent history: Former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri resigned in June 2006 following a wave of street violence and protests, widely believed to be caused by his decision to sack hundreds of soldiers.

Tetum is the main dialect and is the official language along with Portuguese; English is often used for administrative purposes (due to the high numbers of English-speaking relief and UN workers still working in East Timor). More than 30 other languages are also used in East Timor.

Christian majority with 86 per cent Catholic. Islam and animist beliefs are also practised.

Most social courtesies are fairly formal. Many conventions will be similar to those of Indonesia (despite their political and religious differences) and many old East Timorese conventions will doubtless come to the fore in the coming years.

220 V, 50 Hz. Electricity supplies may be erratic with many power cuts.