Tag Archives: East Timor

According to allcountrylist, the economy of East Timor is largely driven by the services sector, which accounts for around 70% of its GDP. This sector includes activities such as banking and finance, telecommunications, health care and tourism. The country is also known for its production of industrial goods, which are exported to other countries. The manufacturing sector makes up around 10% of East Timor’s GDP and includes industries such as automotive, electronics and food processing. Additionally, the agricultural sector makes up around 8% of the country’s total GDP with activities such as livestock production, fishing and forestry making up most of this sector. Tourism is an increasingly important component of East Timor’s economy with millions of tourists visiting each year due to its unique culture and natural beauty. Foreign direct investment has also been on the rise in recent years with investors seeking access to East Timorese markets and resources. Finally, energy is an important part of East Timor’s economy with oil making up most of the country’s energy sources followed by renewable sources such as geothermal power, biomass energy and solar power. The history of agriculture in East Timor is closely linked to the country’s long history of colonization. Prior to the arrival of Portuguese colonists in the 16th century, East Timor had a largely subsistence-based agricultural system. The Portuguese introduced new crops such as cotton and coffee which were grown on large plantations by local workers. Additionally other crops such as cassava, sweet potatoes, maize and yams were grown on smaller scale farms for local consumption. In 1975, East Timor declared its independence from Portugal but this was quickly followed by a period of intense conflict with Indonesia which lasted until 1999. During this period much of the country’s agricultural infrastructure was destroyed or abandoned leading to a decline in food production and widespread famine. Following the restoration of peace in 1999 there has been a concerted effort to rebuild East Timor’s agricultural sector. The government has invested heavily in infrastructure projects such as irrigation systems and improved roads which have allowed farmers to increase their yields significantly. Additionally efforts have been made towards promoting sustainable agricultural practices such as organic farming or environmentally friendly pest management systems which have been shown to have positive impacts on both yields and the environment in general. Today agriculture is an important part of East Timor’s economy with rice, maize and cassava being some of its main crops. Other important crops include coffee, cocoa, coconuts, bananas and vegetables which are either consumed locally or exported overseas for additional income. Livestock farming is also common with cattle, goats and pigs being kept for their meat and dairy products while fish is also harvested from coastal waters for sale at local markets or export abroad. Check topmbadirectory for how to get to East Timor.