 the economy of east timor is ranked as a low income economy by the world bank.timor leste â world bank it is placed 158th by human development index, indicating a low level of human development. 20% of the population is unemployed, and 52.9% lives on less than us $1.25 a day. about half of the population is illiterate. according to data gathered in the 2010 census, 87.7% of urban and 18.9% of rural households have electricity, for an overall average of 36.7%. the country continues to suffer the after effects of a decades-long independence struggle against indonesia, which damaged infrastructure and displaced thousands of civilians. in 2007, a bad harvest led to deaths in several parts of east timor. in november 2007, eleven subdistricts still needed food supplied by international aid.voice of america, 24.06.07, east timor facing food crisis and ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries of timor-leste there are no patent laws in east timor.{{cite web|url=http://www.billanderson.com.au/gazetteer-patents.htm |title=gazetteer - patents |publishe
Economy_of_East_Timor