Timor

Timor is a large island located at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia. It sits in the northern part of the Timor Sea. Mainland Australia is less than 500 km away from the island. The name Timor comes from the Malay word *timur*, which means "east." This name describes its position at the eastern end of the Lesser Sunda Islands.

The island is politically divided between two different sovereign states. The eastern part is the nation of Timor-Leste. The western part is part of Indonesia and is called West Timor. West Timor is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. Inside the territory of West Timor, there is a small piece of Timor-Leste called the Oecusse District. The total population of the island is over 3 million people. West Timor is home to about 2 million people. Timor-Leste has a population of around 1.3 million people.

Geologically, Timor is a very complex place. The island is the principal part of the Outer Banda Arc. This area is being uplifted by a collision between the Australian continent and the arc. Timor consists mostly of rocks from the Australian continental margin. These rocks have been added to the Banda Arc. The island sits in a forearc position. This means it is in front of the active volcanic arc found in the Flores region. This happens because the island is on the northern edge of the Indo-Australian Plate. This plate meets the Eurasian Plate and pushes into Southeast Asia.

Timor has a long history of international trade and colonial competition. The earliest Chinese records from the 13th century call the island Ti-wu. At that time, the island was famous for its aromatic sandalwood. It was also a source of honey, wax, and slaves. By the 14th century, the island was part of the Majapahit realm. European powers eventually arrived to claim the land. The Portuguese settled there at the end of the 16th century. The Dutch established themselves in Kupang during the mid-17th century. The two nations fought for control for many years. A treaty in 1859 divided the island between them.

The island experienced significant hardship during the 20th century. During World War II, Japanese forces occupied Timor in February 1942. A small force of Dutch and Australian soldiers fought a guerrilla campaign against them. This occupation was very difficult for the local people. Japanese forces burned villages and seized food supplies. It is estimated that between 40,000 and 70,000 Timorese people died during this time. Later, in 1975, Indonesia invaded East Timor. This led to a long period of resistance. After a UN-sponsored referendum in 1999, Timor-Leste finally became an independent nation in 2002.

Culture and language vary across the different regions of the island. Anthropologists have identified eleven distinct ethno-linguistic groups. The Atoni are the largest group in western Timor. The Tetum are the largest group in central and eastern Timor. Most indigenous languages belong to the Timor–Babar branch of the Austronesian languages. The official languages of Timor-Leste are Tetum and Portuguese. In West Timor, the official language is Indonesian. Religion is also widespread, with about 90% of the population being Christian. In Timor-Leste, 98% of people are Catholic. In West Timor, 58% are Protestant and 37% are Catholic.

Nature provides many resources for the people living on Timor. The island has high mountains that reach nearly 3,000 meters. Ramelau is the highest peak in Timor-Leste. Mutis is the highest mountain in West Timor. The climate includes a long dry season from April to November. During this time, hot winds blow from Australia. The island also has significant natural resources. There are gas and oil deposits in the Timor Sea. People also earn money through tourism and growing coffee.