Location
- Located in South-East Asia, 400km north of Australia
- Situated in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago
- Comprises:
- Eastern half of Timor Island
- Enclave of Oecusse in West Timor
- Small offshore islands of Atauro and Jaco
Land Characteristics
- Rugged, mountainous terrain
- Mountainous backbone rising over 2,000m
- Nearly half of 15,000 sq/km land area has slopes of 40 degrees or more
- Challenging terrain for road construction and agriculture
- Notable features:
- Highland plains west of Baucau
- Narrow coastal areas
- Rocky headlands
- White sand beaches
- Extensive fringing reefs
Water Resources
- Rivers mostly dry in dry season
- Can become raging torrents during rainy season
- Lake Ira Laloro (only significant lake)
- Smaller salt lakes and coastal marshes
- Geothermal hot springs in multiple locations
Climate
- Hot tropical climate
- Two distinct seasons:
- Dry season: May-November
- Wet season: December-April
- Temperature variations:
- Coastal areas: 25-35°C
- Mountain regions: Cooler, sometimes misty
- Diverse microclimates ranging from dry hillsides to lush forests
This content was extracted from the official Timor-Leste tourism website (www.timorleste.tl) as part of a comprehensive content preservation project.