GeoRealityMatch
A stunning aerial view of a beach in Timor-Leste with fishing boats and lush greenery.Serene ocean landscape with a vibrant sky, captured in Timor-Leste, showcasing nature's beauty.

Timor-Leste

Oceania · South-Eastern Asia

Very high safetyMedium development

It is one of the most peaceful countries. Incomes are low.

Safety

32nd most peaceful of 161

Global Peace Index
1.681lower is more peacefulVery high safety
#32 of 161
IEP GPI · 2026
Money

Incomes below the median country

GNI per person
$1,510national income per person, US dollarsVery low
World Bank · 2025

Income and inflation over time

Income per person rose 188% in current dollars from 2006 to 2025, and rose 35% after inflation.

GDP per person, current US$At purchasing power parityInflation

$0$4.0K$8.0K$4,809 PPP$1,341Inflation, % a year15%0200620102015202020252006, $465 a person, $1,377 at PPP, inflation 3.9%2007, $540 a person, $1,516 at PPP, inflation 10.3%2008, $628 a person, $1,675 at PPP, inflation 9.1%2009, $687 a person, $1,810 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2010, $813 a person, $1,955 at PPP, inflation 6.8%2011, $939 a person, $2,066 at PPP, inflation 13.5%2012, $1,023 a person, $2,386 at PPP, inflation 11.8%2013, $1,205 a person, $2,566 at PPP, inflation 11.1%2014, $1,225 a person, $2,860 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2015, $1,320 a person, $3,108 at PPP, inflation 0.6%2016, $1,336 a person, $3,391 at PPP, inflation -1.3%2017, $1,266 a person, $3,463 at PPP, inflation 0.6%2018, $1,219 a person, $3,561 at PPP, inflation 2.6%2019, $1,562 a person, $4,557 at PPP, inflation 1%2020, $1,631 a person, $6,132 at PPP, inflation 0.5%2021, $2,685 a person, $6,825 at PPP, inflation 3.7%2022, $2,343 a person, $5,729 at PPP, inflation 7%2023, $1,502 a person, $4,811 at PPP, inflation 8.4%2024, $1,332 a person, $4,429 at PPP, inflation 2.1%2025, $1,341 a person, $4,809 at PPP, inflation 0.4%$0$4.0K$8.0KInflation, % a year15%0200620102015202020252006, $465 a person, $1,377 at PPP, inflation 3.9%2007, $540 a person, $1,516 at PPP, inflation 10.3%2008, $628 a person, $1,675 at PPP, inflation 9.1%2009, $687 a person, $1,810 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2010, $813 a person, $1,955 at PPP, inflation 6.8%2011, $939 a person, $2,066 at PPP, inflation 13.5%2012, $1,023 a person, $2,386 at PPP, inflation 11.8%2013, $1,205 a person, $2,566 at PPP, inflation 11.1%2014, $1,225 a person, $2,860 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2015, $1,320 a person, $3,108 at PPP, inflation 0.6%2016, $1,336 a person, $3,391 at PPP, inflation -1.3%2017, $1,266 a person, $3,463 at PPP, inflation 0.6%2018, $1,219 a person, $3,561 at PPP, inflation 2.6%2019, $1,562 a person, $4,557 at PPP, inflation 1%2020, $1,631 a person, $6,132 at PPP, inflation 0.5%2021, $2,685 a person, $6,825 at PPP, inflation 3.7%2022, $2,343 a person, $5,729 at PPP, inflation 7%2023, $1,502 a person, $4,811 at PPP, inflation 8.4%2024, $1,332 a person, $4,429 at PPP, inflation 2.1%2025, $1,341 a person, $4,809 at PPP, inflation 0.4%

World Bank: GDP per person in current US dollars and at PPP, real GDP per person, consumer price inflation. Observed years only.

Health

Below-average life expectancy

Life expectancy
67.9years, at birthLow
#146 of 195
World Bank · 2024
Health coverage
48WHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100Very lowWHO · 2023
Air pollution
11.9PM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national averageLowWHO · 2023
Work and internet
Unemployment rate
1.6%share of the labour force without a jobWorld Bank · 2025
Serene ocean landscape with a vibrant sky, captured in Timor-Leste, showcasing nature's beauty.
How it changed

Timor-Leste's Human Development Index

0.634Medium human development

142nd of 193 in UNDP's 2023 ranking, 11th of 15 in Oceania.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. UNDP Human Development Report 2025.

Nearest countries by HDI

  1. #140Kiribati0.644
  2. #141São Tomé and Príncipe0.637
  3. #142Timor-Leste0.634
  4. #143Ghana0.628
  5. #143Kenya0.628
Full HDI ranking, all 193 countries

HDI since 2000

Year by year

Human development rose from 0.507 in 2000 to 0.634 in 2023.

0.450.570.700.6342000201020232000: 0.5072001: 0.5212002: 0.5342003: 0.5342004: 0.5472005: 0.5642006: 0.5882007: 0.6092008: 0.6342009: 0.6312010: 0.6452011: 0.6552012: 0.6502013: 0.6462014: 0.6372015: 0.6282016: 0.6182017: 0.6212018: 0.6242019: 0.6422020: 0.6502021: 0.6442022: 0.6332023: 0.6340.450.570.702000201020232000: 0.5072001: 0.5212002: 0.5342003: 0.5342004: 0.5472005: 0.5642006: 0.5882007: 0.6092008: 0.6342009: 0.6312010: 0.6452011: 0.6552012: 0.6502013: 0.6462014: 0.6372015: 0.6282016: 0.6182017: 0.6212018: 0.6242019: 0.6422020: 0.6502021: 0.6442022: 0.6332023: 0.634

UNDP Human Development Report, 2025 edition. 24 annual values, none interpolated.

Twenty years here

Year by yearThe world report
Life expectancy at birth
67.9 years2024at birthUp 6.6 years from 61.3 years in 2005
Internet users
35%2021of people onlineUp 35 points from 1% in 2006
Urban population
29%2025of people in towns and citiesUp 2 points from 27% in 2006
Births per woman
2.632024births per womanDown 2.98 from 5.61 in 2005
Renewable share of energy
11%2022of energy usedDown 33 points from 44% in 2004
Access to electricity
94%2024of people with electricityUp 61 points from 34% in 2005
Infant mortality
352024deaths before age one, per 1,000 birthsDown 31 from 66 in 2005
CO2 emissions per person
0.5 t2024of CO2 per person a yearUp 0.1 t from 0.4 t in 2005
Forest area
62%2023of land under forestDown 2 points from 63% in 2004

World Bank, from the first to the last observed year of each indicator; each has its own window.

Our take

Asia's youngest nation: oil revenue, developing infrastructure, unspoilt nature. The case for living here is peace. The case against is low incomes, patchy access to essential health services and short lives.

About Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste is one of the world's newest nations, a small half-island in Southeast Asia with a beautiful mountainous interior, a Portuguese and Indonesian colonial heritage, and a marine environment along its north coast that is considered among the most biodiverse in the world. The culture has a deep resilience shaped by a long struggle for independence. It suits adventurous divers and those who want to experience a country in the earliest stages of finding its own path.

Practical facts

  • CapitalDili
  • LanguagesPortuguese, Tetum
  • CurrencyUnited States dollar (USD)
  • Area14,870 km²
  • Plug typeType C/E/F/I
  • Drives on theleft
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Quick answers

What is Timor-Leste's Human Development Index?

Timor-Leste's Human Development Index is 0.634 for 2023 (UNDP Human Development Report 2025), ranked #142 of 193 by UNDP.

Is Timor-Leste safe?

Timor-Leste scores 1.68 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #32 of 161 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.

What is life expectancy in Timor-Leste?

Life expectancy at birth in Timor-Leste is 67.9 yrs (World Bank), ranked #146 of 195 countries.