East Timor (province)

East Timor
Timor Timur (Indonesian)
Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum)
1976–1999
Motto: Houri Otas, Houri Wain, Oan Timor Asswa'in (Tetum)
"From the past and from today, we are Timorese warriors"
Location of East Timor Province
StatusProvince of Indonesia (de facto)[1]
Overseas province of Portugal (de jure)
Capital
and largest city
Dili
Official languagesIndonesian
Recognised regional languagesTetum,Balinese, Fataluku, Javanese, Sundanese, Uab Meto, other indigenous languages
Governor 
 19761978 (first)
Arnaldo dos Reis Araújo
 19921999 (last)
José Abílio Osório Soares
Vice Governor 
 19761981 (first)
Francisco Xavier Lopes da Cruz
 19981999 (last)
Musiran Darmosuwito
LegislatureEast Timor Regional House of Representatives (DPRD Timor Timur)
Historical eraNew Order
17 July 1976
12 November 1991
30 August 1999
25 October 1999
Area
 Total
15,007 km2 (5,794 sq mi)
 Water (%)
negligible
Population
 1980
555,350
 1990
747,750
CurrencyIndonesian rupiah (Rp) (IDR)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Provisional Government of East Timor
United Nations Administered East Timor
Today part ofTimor-Leste
Notes
  1. ^ East Timor was legalized by Indonesian law as the 27th province, but seen by the UN and several countries (including Portugal) as a "military occupation" (see Indonesian occupation of East Timor). Thus, it was de jure a Portuguese territory under Indonesian occupation from the standpoint of international law, but operated de facto as an Indonesian province (and considered by Indonesia's own laws as a de jure province as well).

East Timor (Indonesian: Timor Timur) was a province of Indonesia between 1976 and 1999, during the Indonesian occupation of the country. Its territory corresponded to the previous Portuguese Timor and to the present-day independent country of Timor-Leste.

From 1702 to 1975, East Timor was an overseas territory of Portugal, called "Portuguese Timor". In 1974, Portugal initiated a gradual decolonisation process of its remaining overseas territories, including Portuguese Timor. During the process, a civil conflict between the different Timorese parties erupted. Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975 and formally annexed the territory in 1976, declaring it Indonesia's 27th province and renaming it "Timor Timur". The United Nations, however, declared this occupation illegal, continuing to consider Portugal as the legitimate administering power of East Timor. East Timor voted for independence in UN-sponsored referendum in August 1999. Following the end of Indonesian occupation in October 1999, as well as a United Nations administered transition period, East Timor became formally independent in May 2002 and adopted the official name of Timor-Leste.