# Demographics of Timor-Leste

This is a demography of the population of Timor-Leste including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

## Population size and structure

1,242,000 (2017)

### Age groups

| Age group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 601 112 | 582 531 | 1 183 643 | 100 |
| 0-4 | 77 896 | 72 410 | 150 306 | 12.70 |
| 5-9 | 80 377 | 75 705 | 156 082 | 13.19 |
| 10-14 | 80 721 | 75 548 | 156 269 | 13.20 |
| 15-19 | 69 839 | 67 033 | 136 872 | 11.56 |
| 20-24 | 52 759 | 54 244 | 107 003 | 9.04 |
| 25-29 | 45 486 | 47 464 | 92 950 | 7.85 |
| 30-34 | 35 934 | 36 461 | 72 395 | 6.12 |
| 35-39 | 24 245 | 24 645 | 48 890 | 4.13 |
| 40-44 | 29 097 | 26 779 | 55 876 | 4.72 |
| 45-49 | 25 044 | 22 274 | 47 318 | 4.00 |
| 50-54 | 18 661 | 16 776 | 35 437 | 2.99 |
| 55-59 | 14 436 | 12 867 | 27 303 | 2.31 |
| 60-64 | 13 864 | 14 516 | 28 380 | 2.40 |
| 65-69 | 14 611 | 16 427 | 31 038 | 2.62 |
| 70-74 | 8 949 | 9 204 | 18 153 | 1.53 |
| 75-79 | 4 862 | 5 009 | 9 961 | 0.84 |
| 80-84 | 2 399 | 2 798 | 5 197 | 0.44 |
| 85+ | 1 932 | 2 281 | 4 213 | 0.36 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0-14 | 238 994 | 223 663 | 462 657 | 39.09 |
| 15-64 | 329 365 | 323 059 | 652 334 | 55.11 |
| 65+ | 32 753 | 35 809 | 68 562 | 5.79 |
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 642 639 | 618 768 | 1 261 407 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 86 042 | 78 681 | 164 723 | 13.06 |
| 5–9 | 84 950 | 76 259 | 161 209 | 12.78 |
| 10–14 | 82 088 | 75 015 | 157 103 | 12.45 |
| 15–19 | 75 602 | 71 942 | 147 544 | 11.70 |
| 20–24 | 60 513 | 60 703 | 121 216 | 9.61 |
| 25–29 | 46 777 | 50 239 | 97 016 | 7.69 |
| 30–34 | 40 344 | 42 718 | 83 062 | 6.58 |
| 35–39 | 28 909 | 30 013 | 58 922 | 4.67 |
| 40–44 | 24 228 | 23 965 | 48 193 | 3.82 |
| 45–49 | 27 718 | 25 146 | 52 864 | 4.19 |
| 50–54 | 21 620 | 19 325 | 40 945 | 3.25 |
| 55–59 | 16 674 | 15 419 | 32 093 | 2.54 |
| 60–64 | 14 583 | 14 712 | 29 295 | 2.32 |
| 65-69 | 11 764 | 12 441 | 24 205 | 1.92 |
| 70-74 | 9 187 | 9 388 | 18 575 | 1.47 |
| 75-79 | 6 452 | 6 789 | 13 241 | 1.05 |
| 80+ | 5 188 | 6 013 | 11 201 | 0.89 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 253 080 | 229 955 | 483 035 | 38.29 |
| 15–64 | 356 968 | 354 182 | 711 150 | 56.38 |
| 65+ | 32 591 | 34 631 | 67 222 | 5.33 |

### Median age

In 2015 the median age of the population was 19.6 years old. The population living in rural areas is slightly younger (19.0) compared to the population living in urban areas (20.6). Ainaro Municipality has the lowest median age with 17.3 years, while Dili Municipality has the highest median age with 21.2 years.

## Vital statistics
### UN estimates

Registration of vital events is in Timor-Leste not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. Population estimates account for under numeration in population censuses.
| | Mid-year population (thousands) | Live births (thousands) | Deaths (thousands) | Natural change (thousands) | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Natural change (per 1000) | Total fertility rate (TFR) | Infant mortality (per 1000 live births) | Life expectancy (in years) |
| 1950 | 415 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 43.4 | 35.9 | 7.5 | 6.61 | 274.2 | 29.05 |
| 1951 | 418 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 43.7 | 34.2 | 9.5 | 6.59 | 271.8 | 29.30 |
| 1952 | 423 | 19 | 14 | 4 | 43.9 | 33.4 | 10.5 | 6.56 | 268.5 | 29.62 |
| 1953 | 427 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 44.2 | 32.9 | 11.2 | 6.54 | 265.8 | 29.89 |
| 1954 | 432 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 44.4 | 32.5 | 11.9 | 6.51 | 262.8 | 30.20 |
| 1955 | 437 | 20 | 14 | 5 | 44.6 | 32.1 | 12.5 | 6.48 | 259.7 | 30.52 |
| 1956 | 443 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 44.8 | 31.8 | 13.0 | 6.45 | 256.7 | 30.83 |
| 1957 | 449 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 45.1 | 31.6 | 13.5 | 6.42 | 254.0 | 31.12 |
| 1958 | 455 | 21 | 14 | 6 | 45.3 | 31.3 | 14.0 | 6.39 | 251.3 | 31.40 |
| 1959 | 462 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 45.5 | 31.1 | 14.4 | 6.36 | 248.6 | 31.70 |
| 1960 | 469 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 45.7 | 30.6 | 15.1 | 6.32 | 244.3 | 32.20 |
| 1961 | 476 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 45.7 | 30.2 | 15.5 | 6.27 | 241.1 | 32.57 |
| 1962 | 483 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 45.7 | 29.9 | 15.9 | 6.22 | 237.9 | 32.95 |
| 1963 | 491 | 22 | 15 | 8 | 45.6 | 29.5 | 16.1 | 6.16 | 235.4 | 33.26 |
| 1964 | 499 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 45.5 | 29.2 | 16.3 | 6.08 | 232.5 | 33.60 |
| 1965 | 507 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 45.2 | 28.3 | 16.9 | 6.01 | 226.4 | 34.36 |
| 1966 | 516 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 44.9 | 27.6 | 17.2 | 5.93 | 221.2 | 35.00 |
| 1967 | 525 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 44.5 | 26.9 | 17.6 | 5.86 | 215.3 | 35.73 |
| 1968 | 535 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 44.1 | 26.3 | 17.7 | 5.79 | 211.5 | 36.23 |
| 1969 | 544 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 43.6 | 25.8 | 17.8 | 5.72 | 207.8 | 36.71 |
| 1970 | 554 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 43.1 | 25.3 | 17.8 | 5.66 | 204.3 | 37.17 |
| 1971 | 564 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 42.4 | 24.6 | 17.7 | 5.58 | 200.2 | 37.72 |
| 1972 | 574 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 41.6 | 24.0 | 17.6 | 5.49 | 195.8 | 38.32 |
| 1973 | 584 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 40.7 | 23.2 | 17.5 | 5.39 | 190.7 | 38.99 |
| 1974 | 592 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 39.8 | 25.0 | 14.8 | 5.29 | 200.8 | 36.88 |
| 1975 | 600 | 23 | 24 | − 0 | 39.1 | 39.8 | −0.7 | 5.19 | 241.2 | 24.83 |
| 1976 | 610 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 38.3 | 37.9 | 0.4 | 5.12 | 229.8 | 25.96 |
| 1977 | 619 | 23 | 24 | −1 | 37.9 | 39.9 | −2.0 | 5.09 | 242.6 | 24.43 |
| 1978 | 628 | 24 | 27 | − 4 | 37.9 | 43.8 | −5.9 | 5.09 | 266.9 | 21.84 |
| 1979 | 635 | 24 | 27 | − 2 | 38.3 | 42.3 | −3.9 | 5.14 | 258.8 | 22.53 |
| 1980 | 642 | 25 | 21 | 3 | 39.0 | 33.6 | 5.4 | 5.22 | 203.3 | 28.45 |
| 1981 | 649 | 27 | 21 | 6 | 41.3 | 32.5 | 8.8 | 5.53 | 193.5 | 29.57 |
| 1982 | 655 | 27 | 21 | 7 | 41.6 | 31.3 | 10.3 | 5.56 | 183.4 | 30.82 |
| 1983 | 662 | 28 | 20 | 7 | 41.9 | 30.6 | 11.3 | 5.59 | 177.0 | 31.64 |
| 1984 | 671 | 28 | 19 | 9 | 42.2 | 28.4 | 13.7 | 5.61 | 161.5 | 33.75 |
| 1985 | 682 | 29 | 19 | 9 | 42.4 | 28.5 | 13.9 | 5.65 | 161.4 | 33.80 |
| 1986 | 694 | 29 | 19 | 10 | 42.5 | 28.1 | 14.5 | 5.67 | 157.4 | 34.34 |
| 1987 | 708 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 42.5 | 26.7 | 15.7 | 5.68 | 148.7 | 35.64 |
| 1988 | 723 | 31 | 19 | 11 | 42.5 | 26.6 | 15.8 | 5.72 | 148.4 | 35.75 |
| 1989 | 740 | 31 | 14 | 17 | 42.3 | 19.1 | 23.3 | 5.76 | 144.4 | 44.55 |
| 1990 | 758 | 32 | 14 | 18 | 42.2 | 18.7 | 23.5 | 5.81 | 142.6 | 44.95 |
| 1991 | 773 | 32 | 14 | 18 | 41.8 | 18.4 | 23.3 | 5.84 | 140.8 | 44.99 |
| 1992 | 784 | 33 | 14 | 19 | 41.6 | 17.5 | 24.1 | 5.87 | 134.2 | 46.28 |
| 1993 | 795 | 33 | 13 | 20 | 41.2 | 16.8 | 24.4 | 5.88 | 128.5 | 47.25 |
| 1994 | 807 | 33 | 13 | 20 | 40.9 | 16.1 | 24.8 | 5.91 | 123.6 | 48.25 |
| 1995 | 819 | 33 | 13 | 20 | 40.6 | 16.3 | 24.3 | 5.94 | 123.5 | 48.02 |
| 1996 | 831 | 34 | 13 | 20 | 40.2 | 15.8 | 24.4 | 5.94 | 118.7 | 48.82 |
| 1997 | 843 | 34 | 13 | 21 | 39.9 | 15.4 | 24.5 | 5.96 | 114.2 | 49.52 |
| 1998 | 855 | 34 | 13 | 21 | 39.6 | 15.7 | 23.9 | 5.96 | 115.1 | 49.12 |
| 1999 | 867 | 34 | 16 | 19 | 39.4 | 18.0 | 21.4 | 5.97 | 118.0 | 45.70 |
| 2000 | 878 | 35 | 9 | 26 | 39.1 | 10.2 | 28.9 | 5.98 | 77.0 | 58.57 |
| 2001 | 893 | 35 | 9 | 26 | 39.1 | 9.9 | 29.2 | 6.01 | 73.3 | 59.36 |
| 2002 | 910 | 36 | 9 | 27 | 39.0 | 9.6 | 29.4 | 6.02 | 69.7 | 60.15 |
| 2003 | 927 | 36 | 9 | 27 | 38.3 | 9.3 | 29.0 | 5.95 | 66.5 | 60.87 |
| 2004 | 946 | 36 | 9 | 27 | 37.6 | 9.1 | 28.5 | 5.85 | 63.1 | 61.63 |
| 2005 | 969 | 35 | 9 | 27 | 36.5 | 8.8 | 27.7 | 5.71 | 59.8 | 62.33 |
| 2006 | 995 | 35 | 8 | 27 | 35.4 | 8.5 | 26.9 | 5.56 | 56.7 | 63.07 |
| 2007 | 1 019 | 35 | 8 | 26 | 34.2 | 8.3 | 25.9 | 5.40 | 53.9 | 63.72 |
| 2008 | 1 043 | 35 | 8 | 26 | 33.2 | 8.1 | 25.1 | 5.23 | 51.4 | 64.33 |
| 2009 | 1 066 | 35 | 9 | 26 | 32.3 | 8.0 | 24.3 | 5.04 | 49.2 | 64.85 |
| 2010 | 1 088 | 34 | 9 | 26 | 31.4 | 8.0 | 23.4 | 4.85 | 47.3 | 65.30 |
| 2011 | 1 113 | 34 | 9 | 25 | 30.7 | 7.9 | 22.8 | 4.66 | 45.7 | 65.70 |
| 2012 | 1 138 | 34 | 9 | 25 | 29.8 | 7.7 | 22.1 | 4.44 | 44.1 | 66.08 |
| 2013 | 1 162 | 34 | 9 | 25 | 29.1 | 7.6 | 21.5 | 4.27 | 42.6 | 66.44 |
| 2014 | 1 185 | 34 | 9 | 25 | 28.4 | 7.6 | 20.9 | 4.09 | 41.2 | 66.79 |
| 2015 | 1 206 | 33 | 9 | 24 | 27.7 | 7.5 | 20.2 | 3.90 | 39.8 | 67.14 |
| 2016 | 1 225 | 33 | 9 | 24 | 27.0 | 7.3 | 19.7 | 3.74 | 38.5 | 67.45 |
| 2017 | 1 243 | 33 | 9 | 24 | 26.5 | 7.2 | 19.3 | 3.60 | 37.3 | 67.75 |
| 2018 | 1 262 | 33 | 9 | 24 | 25.9 | 7.0 | 18.9 | 3.45 | 36.2 | 68.02 |
| 2019 | 1 280 | 33 | 9 | 24 | 25.5 | 6.9 | 18.6 | 3.34 | 35.2 | 68.27 |
| 2020 | 1 300 | 33 | 9 | 24 | 25.3 | 6.8 | 18.4 | 3.25 | 34.2 | 68.48 |
| 2021 | 1 321 | 33 | 10 | 23 | 24.9 | 7.2 | 17.7 | 3.15 | 33.4 | 67.74 |

### Demographic and Health Surveys

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| Year | CBR (Total) | TFR (Total) | CBR (Urban) | TFR (Urban) | CBR (Rural) | TFR (Rural) |
| 2003 | 52.1 | 7.8 | 50.5 | 7.4 | | |
| 2009–2010 | 33.2 | 5.7 (5.1) | 33.1 | 4.9 (4.2) | 33.2 | 6.0 (5.4) |
| 2016 | 26.8 | 4.2 (3.5) | 28.4 | 3.5 (3.0) | 26.2 | 4.6 (3.8) |

### Fertility rate by municipality

Aileu Municipality and Ainaro Municipality have the highest fertility rate with 5.5 children per woman, followed by Ermera Municipality with 5.4 children per woman.
| Municipality | Fertility rate in 2004 | Fertility rate in 2010 | Fertility rate in 2015 | Decline between 2004 and 2015 |
| Dili | 6.7 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 2.8 |
| Liquiçá | 7.1 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 2.0 |
| Covalima | 7.0 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 2.3 |
| Manufahi | 7.3 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 2.4 |
| Manatuto | 6.7 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 2.1 |
| Aileu | 8.4 | 7.0 | 5.5 | 3.0 |
| Lautém | 7.7 | 6.4 | 5.2 | 2.5 |
| Bobonaro | 6.9 | 5.9 | 4.7 | 2.2 |
| Baucau | 6.9 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 2.2 |
| Viqueque | 6.3 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 1.7 |
| Ermera | 8.2 | 6.9 | 5.4 | 2.8 |
| Ainaro | 8.3 | 6.4 | 5.5 | 2.8 |
| Oecusse (SAR) | 6.9 | 5.2 | 4.2 | 2.7 |
| Timor-Leste | 7.2 | 5.9 | 4.7 | 2.5 |
Between 2014/15, around 43.5% of the births occurred in a health facility, up from 36.3% in 2010/11. This percentage varies widely from 77.5% in Dili Municipality to only 15.1% of all births in Ermera Municipality.

### Life expectancy at birth

Average life expectancy at age 0 of the total population.
| Period | Life expectancy in Years | Period | Life expectancy in Years |
| 1950–1955 | 30.0 | 1985–1990 | 46.5 |
| 1955–1960 | 32.5 | 1990–1995 | 50.5 |
| 1960–1965 | 35.0 | 1995–2000 | 57.0 |
| 1965–1970 | 37.5 | 2000–2005 | 61.5 |
| 1970–1975 | 40.0 | 2005–2010 | 66.4 |
| 1975–1980 | 31.2 | 2010–2015 | 67.7 |
| 1980–1985 | 39.9 | | |

## Ethnic groups

    Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese particularly Cantonese people and Europeans particularly Portuguese people descent.

## Religion

    Roman Catholic 97.6% (2015 est.)
    Protestant/Evangelical 2% (2015 est.)
    Islam 0.2% (2015 est.)
    Other 0.2% (2015 est.)

## Languages

    Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian (constitutionally defined as a 'working language') and English (constitutionally defined as a 'working language').
    Note: There are a total of about 16 indigenous languages, of which Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people. The Tetum language is partially influenced by European languages, particularly Portuguese, a legacy of Portuguese rule.