Economy East Timor
Economy - overview:
In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East
Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By
mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. The
country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of
infrastructure and the strengthening of the infant civil
administration. One promising long-term project is the planned
development of oil resources in nearby waters.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
18% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4% industry: 17.2% services: 57.4% (2001)
Population below poverty line:
42% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38 (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%