# Timor

> island bordering the south of maritime Southeast Asia and the north of the Australian continental plate

**Wikidata**: [Q83067](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83067)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timor)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/timor

## Summary
Timor is an island located in Southeast Asia, bordering the southern part of maritime Southeast Asia and the northern part of the Australian continental plate. It is part of Indonesia, the world's largest archipelagic state, and shares borders with Timor-Leste and other neighboring countries.

## Key Facts
- **Location:** Situated between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, part of the Indonesian archipelago.
- **Parent Country:** Indonesia, a sovereign state in Southeast Asia and Oceania.
- **Geographical Features:** Includes major islands such as Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and portions of Borneo and New Guinea.
- **Borders:** Shares land borders with Timor-Leste, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea.
- **Maritime Borders:** Adjacent to Australia, India, Palau, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- **Population:** Approximately 28 million (2020 census) and 3.4 million (2021 estimate).
- **Coordinates:** Latitude -9.083333333333334, Longitude 125.08333333333333.
- **Wikipedia Title:** Timor.
- **Description:** Island bordering the south of maritime Southeast Asia and the north of the Australian continental plate.

## FAQs
**What is the political structure of Indonesia, which includes Timor?**
Indonesia functions as a unitary presidential constitutional republic where the President serves as both the head of state and head of government. The legislative branch is bicameral, consisting of the People's Consultative Assembly and the People's Representative Council, while the judiciary is headed by the Supreme Court.

**What are the major religious and ethnic demographics in Indonesia?**
Islam is the dominant religion, practiced by approximately 87.2% of the population, followed by Protestantism (6.9%), Catholicism (2.9%), Hinduism (1.7%), Buddhism (0.7%), and Confucianism (0.5%). The largest ethnic groups include Javanese (40.1%), Sundanese (15.5%), Malays, Batak, Madurese, and Betawi.

**What international organizations is Indonesia a member of?**
Indonesia is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a member of the G20, United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and MIKTA. It is also a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and joined BRICS.

**What is the geography of Indonesia, including Timor?**
Located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Indonesia comprises over 17,000 islands including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. It shares land borders with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste, and maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Palau, Australia, and India.

## Why It Matters
Timor is significant as part of Indonesia, a critical geopolitical anchor in Southeast Asia, controlling key maritime choke points that facilitate global trade between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. As the world's third-largest democracy and the most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia plays a pivotal role in bridging diverse civilizations and promoting moderate Islamic discourse. Its membership in the G20 underscores its economic significance, driven by a large consumer market and rich natural resources, making it a key player in global economic stability and climate change initiatives, particularly regarding rainforest conservation.

## Notable For
- **Archipelagic Status:** The largest archipelagic state in the world, comprising thousands of islands.
- **Motto:** "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika," meaning "Unity in Diversity," reflecting its ethnic and cultural variety.
- **Biodiversity:** Recognized as one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries.
- **Economic Ranking:** Consistently ranks within the top 20 economies globally by nominal GDP.
- **Strategic Location:** Situated along the Equator and between major oceans, holding vital maritime routes.
- **UN Membership History:** Notable for withdrawing from the UN in 1965 under Sukarno and rejoining in 1966.
- **Historical Replacements:** Succeeded the Dutch East Indies and the United States of Indonesia.
- **Volcanic Activity:** Home to Puncak Jaya, the highest point in Oceania (located in Papua), and numerous active volcanoes.
- **Cultural Exports:** Known for Batik, Gamelan music, and the tourism slogan "Wonderful Indonesia."

## Body

### Geography and Location
Timor is part of the Indonesian archipelago, spanning Southeast Asia and Oceania, situated between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its geographical coordinates are approximately 2°S 118°E. The archipelago includes major islands such as Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and portions of Borneo (Kalimantan) and New Guinea (Papua and West Papua). It also includes smaller island groups like the Maluku Islands, Lesser Sunda Islands (including Bali), and Riau Islands.

The country shares land borders with Timor-Leste (on the island of Timor), Malaysia (on Borneo), and Papua New Guinea (on New Guinea). Maritime borders exist with Australia, India, Palau, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Significant bodies of water surrounding or within Indonesia include the Java Sea, South China Sea, Celebes Sea, Arafura Sea, Banda Sea, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The lowest point is the Indian Ocean (0 meters), while the highest elevation is Puncak Jaya in Papua at 4,884 meters.

### Government and Politics
Indonesia is a unitary state organized as a presidential system and constitutional republic. The executive branch is led by the President, currently Prabowo Subianto, who serves as both the head of state and head of government. The office of the president is held at the Istana Merdeka in Jakarta. The legislative body is the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat). The judiciary is independent, with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia serving as the highest judicial authority.

The capital city is Jakarta (special capital region), though historically, the capital has moved to Yogyakarta and Bukittinggi during the early revolutionary period. The nation replaced the Dutch East Indies in 1945 and the United States of Indonesia in 1950.

**Head of State Timeline:**
- **Sukarno:** 1945-08-18 to 1967-03-12
- **Suharto:** 1967-03-12 to 1998-05-21
- **B. J. Habibie:** 1998-05-21 to 1999-10-20
- **Abdurrahman Wahid:** 1999-10-20 to 2001-07-23
- **Megawati Soekarnoputri:** 2001-07-23 to 2004-10-20
- **Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono:** 2004-10-20 to 2014-10-20
- **Joko Widodo:** 2014-10-20 to 2024-10-20
- **Prabowo Subianto:** 2024-10-20 to present

### Demographics and Society
Indonesia has a large and diverse population. The 2020 census recorded a population of 270,203,917, while estimates for 2021 placed the figure at approximately 275,439,000. Demographic indicators include a life expectancy at birth of around 69 years (2016) and a total fertility rate of 2.04 (2021). The literacy rate was recorded at 95.7% in 2018.

**Ethnic Groups:**
The population is ethnically diverse, with significant groups including:
- Javanese (40.1%)
- Sundanese (15.5%)
- Malays (0.99% - ethnic group data varies)
- Batak (3.6%)
- Madurese (3.0%)
- Betawi (2.9%)
- Minangkabau (2.7%)
- Buginese (2.7%)
- Chinese Indonesians (1.2%)

**Religion:**
Religious composition (approximate proportions):
- Islam (87.2%)
- Protestantism (6.9%)
- Catholicism (2.9%)
- Hinduism (1.7%)
- Buddhism (0.7%)
- Confucianism (0.5%)

### Economy and Development
Indonesia operates an emerging market economy with a nominal GDP of $1.319 trillion USD (2022). The currency used is the Rupiah (IDR), regulated by the central bank, Bank Indonesia. The economy is diversified, with significant contributions from agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Notable companies include Gojek, a technology company and online taxi service founded in 2010.

**Economic Indicators:**
- **Gini Coefficient:** 37.9 (2021)
- **Human Development Index (HDI):** 0.705 (2021)
- **Government Debt to GDP:** 39.86% (2025)
- **Unemployment Rate:** 6% (2014)
- **VAT Rate:** 10%

### International Relations and Diplomacy
Indonesia maintains diplomatic relations with numerous countries globally, including Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is a member of several major international organizations:

- **United Nations:** Member since 1950 (with a withdrawal from 1965 to 1966).
- **Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):** Founding member (joined 1967-08-08).
- **G20:** Member.
- **Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC):** Member (joined 1989-11-06).
- **World Trade Organization (WTO):** Member.
- **Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC):** Member (joined 1969).
- **MIKTA:** Member.
- **BRICS:** Member.

Indonesia also participates in specialized agencies like UNESCO, Interpol, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

### Administrative Divisions
Indonesia is administratively divided into provinces. The country contains 38 first-level administrative divisions, including:
- **Java:** Special Capital Region of Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Banten, Special Region of Yogyakarta.
- **Sumatra:** Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, Jambi, South Sumatra, Bengkulu, Lampung, Bangka Belitung Islands.
- **Kalimantan (Borneo):** West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan.
- **Sulawesi:** West Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Gorontalo.
- **Lesser Sunda Islands:** Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara.
- **Maluku:** Maluku, North Maluku.
- **Papua (Western New Guinea):** Papua, West Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, Southwest Papua.

### Infrastructure and Technical Standards
**Time Zones:**
Indonesia spans three time zones:
- **Indonesia Western Standard Time (WIB):** UTC+7 (covers Sumatra, Java, West/Central Kalimantan).
- **Indonesia Central Standard Time (WITA):** UTC+8 (covers Sulawesi, Bali, East/South Kalimantan).
- **Indonesia Eastern Standard Time (WIT):** UTC+9 (covers Maluku, Papua, West Papua).

**Utilities and Transport:**
- **Driving Side:** Left.
- **Railway Traffic Side:** Right.
- **Mains Voltage:** 127V and 230V at 50Hz.
- **Electrical Plug Types:** Europlug and Schuko.
- **Telephone Country Code:** +62.
- **Trunk Prefix:** 0.
- **Emergency Number:** 112.
- **Internet TLD:** .id
- **GS1 Country Code:** 899.
- **Maritime Identification Digits:** 525.

**Standard Codes:**
- **ISO 3166-1:** ID, IDN, 360.
- **ITU Letter Code:** INS.
- **IOC Country Code:** INA.
- **WIPO ST.3:** ID.
- **UN M49 Code:** 360.

### Culture and Symbols
The national motto is "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika," often translated as "Unity in Diversity." The national anthem is "Indonesia Raya." The official name is "Republik Indonesia" or "Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia" (Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia). The tourism slogan is "Wonderful Indonesia."

**Symbols:**
- **Flag:** A bicolor of red and white (Sang Saka Merah Putih).
- **Coat of Arms:** The Garuda Pancasila.
- **Unicode Character:** 🇮🇩.

Public holidays include Independence Day (August 17), Islamic holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and international holidays like New Year's Day and International Workers' Day.

### Related Entities and Organizations in Indonesia
Various entities and platforms are associated with Indonesia:
- **Government Services:** The "Indonesian People's Online Aspiration and Complaint Service" provides a channel for citizens to lodge complaints with government agencies.
- **Cultural Archives:** "Irama Nusantara" serves as an online music database and social music cataloging site for Indonesian music, established in 2013.
- **Technology:** "Gojek" is a prominent Indonesian technology company headquartered in Indonesia, operating as a super-app for ride-hailing and logistics.
- **Data Portals:** The "Indonesian Data in One Portal" acts as the open data portal for the government.

### External Identifiers and Technical Data
Indonesia is cataloged in numerous international databases and systems:
- **Library/Authority IDs:** VIAF (125405737), BnF (15323043s), GND (4026761-1), NLA (n80083633), NLI (vtls001144465).
- **Geographic IDs:** GeoNames (1643084), Getty TGN (1000116), WHO's on First (85632203).
- **Legal/Trade IDs:** UNDP country code (INS), WIPO ST.3 (ID), ITU/ISO/IEC OID (2.16.360).
- **Archive Links:** The National Archives of Indonesia holds official historical records.

## References

1. Gazetteer of the Republic of Indonesia, Island Landform Elements, Volume 3, 2024 Edition
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. [Source](https://www.britannica.com/place/Timor)
4. GEOnet Names Server
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Czech National Authority Database
7. [Source](https://www.britannica.com/facts/East-Timor)
8. [Source](https://academic-accelerator.com/encyclopedia/west-timor)
9. GeoNames