East Timor

   EAST TIMOR

A. THE COUNTRY

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is in Southeast Asia, comprising
the eastern half of the island of Timor, which is north of Australia. 
Government is a parliamentary republic.  Decades-long independence
struggle against Indonesia damaged infrastructure and displaced
thousands of civilians.  The aftereffects continue, and internal
tensions cause violence and unrest to persist despite the presence of
international peacekeepers.  This new nation (1999) faces major
rebuilding of the economy.  There is potential in agriculture,
sandalwood and minerals, but massive oil and gas deposits shared with
Australia will be major sources of revenue for the future.

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~1,200,000 and official languages Portuguese (13.5%
understand) and Tetum (91% understand). 
~95.9% are Timorese, ~3.5% Indonesian/Javanese, ~0.6% Other.
Timor appears caught in a descending spiral of poverty, poor health and
illiteracy.  Droves of children roam the streets, often forming
dangerous gangs.

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

East Timor is one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in
Asia.  Traditional spiritism remains, permeating Christianity and
rebounding as a religion in its own right.  There is some prejudice
against Protestants and Muslims.
~87.39% claim to be Christian, ~10.81% Ethnoreligionist, ~1.1% Muslim,
~0.5% Hindu, ~0.1% Buddhist, ~0.1% Chinese.
In the Christian category:
~81,5% are Catholic, ~3.64% Protestant, ~0.19% Independent, ~0.02% are
considered ‘marginal’.
Evangelicals represent ~2.3% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~2.6% and of those ~1.8% are Pentecostals. 

Donna Siemens

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org

Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.