What is the Population of Timor-Leste?

Population data for Timor-Leste is primarily obtained from population and housing censuses conducted in 2015. The East Timor census was conducted on a “de facto” basis — all people physically present in the country on the reference date are included, with the exception of diplomatic mission staff, as per standard census procedure.

Timor-Leste Population by District (2015 Census)

The last official census recorded a total population of 1,183,643. The table below breaks this down by district:

Data sourced from the General Directorate of Statistics of Timor-Leste. The concepts and definitions used are aligned with the United Nations Statistics Division publications: Handbook on Population and Housing Census: Concepts and Definition and Principles and Recommendations of the 2010 World Round of Population and Housing Censuses.

Estimated Population of Timor-Leste in 2019

Based on United Nations estimates as of May 2019:

• Total population: 1,348,232
• Share of world population: 0.02%
• Global ranking by population: 156th
• Population density: 91 per km² (236 per mi²)
• Total land area: 14,870 km² (5,741 sq. miles)
• Urban population: 32.9% (444,627 people)
• Median age: 17.5 years

Literacy Rate in Timor-Leste (2015 Estimates)

Definition: A person is considered literate if, aged 15 or over, they can read and write a short, simple statement about everyday life with understanding.

The literacy rate is calculated by dividing the number of literate individuals aged 15 and over by the total population of that age group, multiplied by 100.

Note: Some sources, such as Knoema, place the overall literacy rate for Timor-Leste at 64.1%.