History: At midnight on May 19, 2002 East Timor became an independent country, after 450 years of Portuguese rule, 24 of brutal Indonesian occupation and two-and-a-half under the supervision of the UN. East Timor became a member of the United Nations in Sept. 2002.

Trade & Economy: East Timor's economy is dominated, by agriculture with 75% of the country's population engaging in this activity. The major industries include coffee, oil and natural gas, logging, fisheries, spices, coconuts and cocoa.

People Most of the people of Timor are of mixed Malay, Polynesia and Papuan descent. Members of a small ethnic community play an important role in the island's commerce.