MigrantoTimorese Diaspora
109.6K Timorese live abroad — the #151 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 100% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Indonesia | 95603 |
| Australia | 11546 |
| Portugal | 2215 |
| Greece | 231 |
| Norway | 9 |
| Cape Verde | 7 |
| Denmark | 2 |
| Iceland | 0 |
By destination region
Asia is the leading destination region at 87%
95.6K
11.5K
2.5K
7
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from East Timor.
Indonesia is the primary destination for emigrants
Indonesia attracts 87% of all emigrants from East Timor, while the second-largest destination receives just 11%.
Indonesia is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Indonesia has increased by 80% since 2015, rising from 53K to 95.6K in 9 years.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 98% to 87%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
The share of emigrants going to Oceania has grown since 1990
The share of emigrants going to Oceania has shifted from 0% to 10.5% since 1990.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 27505 |
| 1995 | 35137 |
| 2000 | 188495 |
| 2005 | 43229 |
| 2010 | 45740 |
| 2015 | 64935 |
| 2020 | 96759 |
| 2024 | 109613 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Indonesia | Australia | Portugal | Greece | Norway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 26838 | 0 | 654 | 0 | 2 |
| 1995 | 33706 | 0 | 1411 | 3 | 3 |
| 2000 | 184250 | 1991 | 2227 | 6 | 4 |
| 2005 | 30324 | 10733 | 2040 | 114 | 5 |
| 2010 | 33385 | 10587 | 1516 | 230 | 14 |
| 2015 | 52987 | 9992 | 1717 | 215 | 15 |
| 2020 | 84310 | 10247 | 1969 | 217 | 8 |
| 2024 | 95603 | 11546 | 2215 | 231 | 9 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
East Timor as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from East Timor
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Timorese move to?
Most Timorese have moved to Indonesia, Australia and Portugal — these three countries account for about 100% of all Timorese living abroad.
How many Timorese live abroad?
Around 109.6K Timorese live abroad, making it the #151-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of East Timor lives abroad?
About 8% of the population of East Timor lives abroad — that's 109.6K out of a total population of 1.4M.
How has emigration from East Timor changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from East Timor has grown from 64.9K to 109.6K people, a growth of about 69%.
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