Dili
Encyclopedia
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese
, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor
.
island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands
.
It is the seat of the administration of the district
of Dili
, which is the administrative entity of the area and includes the island of Atauro and some cities close to Dili city. The city is divided into the subdistricts of Nain Feto
, Vera Cruz
, Dom Aleixo
and Cristo Rei
and is divided into several sucos
, which are headed by an elected chefe de suco. 18 of the 26 sucos of the four subdistricts are categorized as urban.
There is no city administration beside the district administrator, who was appointed by state government. The Timorese government started to plan in 2009 to change the status of districts into municipalities. These will have an elected mayor and council.
classified as urban, with a population of 234,331 in the whole district including rural areas such as Atauro and Metinaro.
Dili is a melting pot of the different ethnic groups of East Timor, due partly to the internal migration of young men from around the country in search of work. This has led to a gender imbalance, with the male population significantly larger than the female. Between 2001 and 2004, the population of Dili district grew by 12.58%, with only 54% of the district's inhabitants born in the city. 7% were born in Bacau, 5% each in Viqueque and Bobonaro 4% in Ermera, and the remainder in other districts or overseas.
, who made it the capital of Portuguese Timor
in 1769. It was proclaimed a city in January 1864.
During World War II, Portugal and its colonies remained neutral, but the Allies saw East Timor as a potential target for Japanese invasion, and Australian and Dutch forces briefly occupied the island in 1941. In the night of the 19 February 1942, the Japanese attacked with a force of around 20,000 men, and occupied Dili before spreading out across the rest of the colony. On 26 September 1945, control of the island was officially returned to Portugal by the Japanese.
(See also Battle of Timor).
on 28 November 1975. However, nine days later, on 7 December, Indonesian forces invaded Dili. On 17 July 1976, Indonesia annexed East Timor, which it designated the 27th province
of Indonesia
, Timor Timur (Indonesian
for East Timor), with Dili as its capital.
A guerrilla war ensued from 1975 to 1999 between Indonesian and pro-independence forces, during which tens of thousands of East Timorese
and some foreign civilians were killed. Media coverage of the 1991 Dili Massacre helped revitalise international support for the East Timorese independence movement.
sparked by conflict between elements of the military caused significant damage to the city and led to foreign military intervention to restore order.
Most buildings were damaged or destroyed in the violence of 1999, orchestrated by the Indonesian military
and local pro-Indonesia militia
s (see Operation Scorched Earth). However, the city still has many buildings from the Portuguese
era. The former Portuguese Governor's office is now the office of the Prime Minister
. It was previously also used by the Indonesian-appointed Governor, and by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
(UNTAET).
Even under Indonesian rule, during which the Portuguese language
was banned, Portuguese street names like Avenida Marechal Carmona remained unchanged, although they were prefixed with the Indonesian
word Jalan or 'road'. The Roman Catholic Church at Motael became a focus for resistance to Indonesian occupation. Legacies of Jakarta
's occupation are the Church of the Immaculate Conception
, seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli, purportedly the largest cathedral in Southeast Asia, and the 'Integration Monument', commemorating the Indonesian annexation of the territory in 1976. Featuring a statue of a Timorese in traditional dress, breaking the chains round his wrists, the monument has not been demolished.
The Cristo Rei of Dili
is a 27 metre (88.6 ft) tall statue of Jesus situated on top of a globe at the end of a peninsula in Dili. It is one of the main tourist attractions in East Timor, and is claimed to be the second tallest statue of its kind. It was a gift from the Indonesian Government.
(Colégio de São José).
There are three International schools in Dili, an Australian managed school by the name of Dili International School
, an American government sponsored school called QSI (Quality Schools International) International School of Dili and the Maharlika International School (Formerly Dili Education & Development Center), a Philippine International School. East Timor's major higher education institution, the Universidade Nacional de Timor-Leste
, is based in Dili.
Dili is serviced by Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport
, named after independence leader Nicolau Lobato. This is the only functioning international airport in East Timor, though there are airstrips in Baucau, Suai and Oecusse used for domestic flights. Until recently, Dili's airport runway has been unable to accommodate aircraft larger than the Boeing 737
or C-130 Hercules
, but in January 2008, the Portuguese charter airline EuroAtlantic Airways
operated a direct flight from Lisbon
using a Boeing 757
, carrying 140 members of the Guarda Nacional Republicana
.
Under Portuguese rule, Baucau Airport, which has a much longer runway, was used for international flights, but following the Indonesian invasion this was taken over by the Indonesian military and closed to civilian traffic.
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
.
Geography and Administration
Dili lies on the northern coast of TimorTimor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
The Lesser Sunda Islands or Nusa Tenggara are a group of islands in the southern Maritime Southeast Asia, north of Australia. Together with the Greater Sunda Islands to the west they make up the Sunda Islands...
.
It is the seat of the administration of the district
Districts of East Timor
||East Timor is divided into thirteen administrative districts. The districts are divided into subdistricts, and further subdivided into sucos.The borders between Cova-Lima and Ainaro and between Baucau and Viqueque were changed in 2003.-References:...
of Dili
Dili (district)
Dili is the name of one of the 13 districts of East Timor, which includes the national capital Dili. It has a population of 167,777 , most of whom live in the capital city. The district has an area of 372 km2. The district is the same as what was the council of the same name in Portuguese...
, which is the administrative entity of the area and includes the island of Atauro and some cities close to Dili city. The city is divided into the subdistricts of Nain Feto
Nain Feto
Nain Feto is a town and subdistrict in the Dili District of East Timor. Its population at the 2004 census was 18,693.-Reference:*...
, Vera Cruz
Vera Cruz (East Timor)
Vera Cruz is a subdistrict in the Dili District of East Timor. Its population at the 2004 census was 28,178.-Reference:*...
, Dom Aleixo
Dom Aleixo
Dom Aleixo is a town and subdistrict in the Dili District of East Timor. Its population at the 2004 census was 71,489.-Reference:*...
and Cristo Rei
Cristo Rei
Cristo Rei is a town and subdistrict in the Dili District of East Timor. Its population at the 2004 census was 43,909.-Reference:*...
and is divided into several sucos
Sucos of East Timor
The subdistricts of East Timor are subdivided into 442 sucos and 2,336 towns, villages and hamlets . -District Aileu:* Subdistrict Aileu** Suco Aisirimou** Suco Bandudatu** Suco Fahiria** Suco Fatubosa** Suco Hoholau** Suco Lahae...
, which are headed by an elected chefe de suco. 18 of the 26 sucos of the four subdistricts are categorized as urban.
There is no city administration beside the district administrator, who was appointed by state government. The Timorese government started to plan in 2009 to change the status of districts into municipalities. These will have an elected mayor and council.
Demography
The 2010 census recorded a population of 193,563 in the areas of Dili districtDili (district)
Dili is the name of one of the 13 districts of East Timor, which includes the national capital Dili. It has a population of 167,777 , most of whom live in the capital city. The district has an area of 372 km2. The district is the same as what was the council of the same name in Portuguese...
classified as urban, with a population of 234,331 in the whole district including rural areas such as Atauro and Metinaro.
Dili is a melting pot of the different ethnic groups of East Timor, due partly to the internal migration of young men from around the country in search of work. This has led to a gender imbalance, with the male population significantly larger than the female. Between 2001 and 2004, the population of Dili district grew by 12.58%, with only 54% of the district's inhabitants born in the city. 7% were born in Bacau, 5% each in Viqueque and Bobonaro 4% in Ermera, and the remainder in other districts or overseas.
Colonial Period
Dili was settled about 1520 by the PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, who made it the capital of Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor was the name of East Timor when it was under Portuguese control. During this period, Portugal shared the island of Timor with the Netherlands East Indies, and later with Indonesia....
in 1769. It was proclaimed a city in January 1864.
During World War II, Portugal and its colonies remained neutral, but the Allies saw East Timor as a potential target for Japanese invasion, and Australian and Dutch forces briefly occupied the island in 1941. In the night of the 19 February 1942, the Japanese attacked with a force of around 20,000 men, and occupied Dili before spreading out across the rest of the colony. On 26 September 1945, control of the island was officially returned to Portugal by the Japanese.
(See also Battle of Timor).
Indonesian occupation
East Timor unilaterally declared independence from PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
on 28 November 1975. However, nine days later, on 7 December, Indonesian forces invaded Dili. On 17 July 1976, Indonesia annexed East Timor, which it designated the 27th province
Provinces of Indonesia
The province is the highest tier of local government subnational entity in Indonesia. Each province has its own local government, headed by a governor, and has its own legislative body...
of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Timor Timur (Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
for East Timor), with Dili as its capital.
A guerrilla war ensued from 1975 to 1999 between Indonesian and pro-independence forces, during which tens of thousands of East Timorese
East Timorese
East Timorese may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to East Timor, a country located on the island of Timor, in Southeast Asia* A person from East Timor, or of East Timorese descent. For information about these people, see Demographics of East Timor and Culture of East Timor...
and some foreign civilians were killed. Media coverage of the 1991 Dili Massacre helped revitalise international support for the East Timorese independence movement.
Independence
In 1999, East Timor was placed under UN supervision and on 20 May 2002, Dili became the capital of the newly independent Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. In May 2006, fighting and rioting2006 East Timor crisis
The 2006 East Timorese crisis began as a conflict between elements of the military of East Timor over discrimination within the military, and expanded to a coup attempt and general violence throughout the country, centred in the capital Dili...
sparked by conflict between elements of the military caused significant damage to the city and led to foreign military intervention to restore order.
Buildings and monuments
Military of Indonesia
The Indonesian National Armed Forces in 2009 comprises approximately 432,129 personnel including the Army , Navy including the Indonesian Marine Corps and the Air Force ....
and local pro-Indonesia militia
Pro-Indonesia militia
Pro-Indonesia militias were East Timorese paramilitary militia groups that formed to show loyalty to the Indonesian government during the movement for East Timorese independence in the late 1990s...
s (see Operation Scorched Earth). However, the city still has many buildings from the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
era. The former Portuguese Governor's office is now the office of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of East Timor
The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste is the head of government in East Timor. The President is the head of state. The Prime Minister is chosen by the political party or alliance of political parties with a majority in the national legislature and is formally appointed by the president...
. It was previously also used by the Indonesian-appointed Governor, and by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor, from its establishment on October 25, 1999 until its independence on May 20, 2002 following the outcome of the East Timor Special...
(UNTAET).
Even under Indonesian rule, during which the Portuguese language
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
was banned, Portuguese street names like Avenida Marechal Carmona remained unchanged, although they were prefixed with the Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
word Jalan or 'road'. The Roman Catholic Church at Motael became a focus for resistance to Indonesian occupation. Legacies of Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
's occupation are the Church of the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
, seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Díli, purportedly the largest cathedral in Southeast Asia, and the 'Integration Monument', commemorating the Indonesian annexation of the territory in 1976. Featuring a statue of a Timorese in traditional dress, breaking the chains round his wrists, the monument has not been demolished.
The Cristo Rei of Dili
Cristo Rei of Dili
Cristo Rei of Dili or Christ the King of Dili is a 88.6 foot tall statue of Jesus located atop a globe in Dili, East Timor. This statue was designed by Mochamad Syailillah, who is usually called Bolil. The statue was officially unveiled by Suharto in 1996 as gift from the Indonesian government to...
is a 27 metre (88.6 ft) tall statue of Jesus situated on top of a globe at the end of a peninsula in Dili. It is one of the main tourist attractions in East Timor, and is claimed to be the second tallest statue of its kind. It was a gift from the Indonesian Government.
Education
Schools in Dili include St. Joseph’s High SchoolSt. Joseph's High School, East Timor
St. Joseph’s High School is a high school in Dili, East Timor. It was founded by the Diocese of Dili in 1983/84, when East Timor was still part of Indonesia. In 1993 the school was entrusted to the Society of Jesus.In 1999 the school had 350 students and 42 teachers...
(Colégio de São José).
There are three International schools in Dili, an Australian managed school by the name of Dili International School
Dili International School
Dili International School is an international English-language school situated in Dili, the capital of East Timor.Dili International School, which is the only English-language and international school in the country, was conceived in 2002 by a group of parents whom were either visiting or living in...
, an American government sponsored school called QSI (Quality Schools International) International School of Dili and the Maharlika International School (Formerly Dili Education & Development Center), a Philippine International School. East Timor's major higher education institution, the Universidade Nacional de Timor-Leste
Universidade Nacional de Timor-Leste
The National University of East Timor , based in Dili, is the major institution of higher education in East Timor.-The University - UNTIM:The current university has its roots in the Universitas Timor Timur . UNTIM was a private university and was the only university in East Timor. It was housed in...
, is based in Dili.
Transportation
Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport
Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport , formerly known as Comoro International Airport, is an airport located in Dili, the capital of East Timor...
, named after independence leader Nicolau Lobato. This is the only functioning international airport in East Timor, though there are airstrips in Baucau, Suai and Oecusse used for domestic flights. Until recently, Dili's airport runway has been unable to accommodate aircraft larger than the Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
or C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
, but in January 2008, the Portuguese charter airline EuroAtlantic Airways
EuroAtlantic Airways
EuroAtlantic Airways - Transportes Aéreos S.A., operating and styled as euroAtlantic airways, is a charter airline based in Sintra, Lisbon, Portugal. It operates worldwide charter services, with an emphasis on the USA, Canada, Mexico, Pakistan and Australia, as well as ACMI and other wet lease...
operated a direct flight from Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
using a Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
, carrying 140 members of the Guarda Nacional Republicana
Portuguese National Republican Guard
The Portuguese National Republican Guard is the gendarmerie of Portugal. Members of the GNR are soldiers, who, unlike the agents of the Public Security Police , are subject to military law and organisation...
.
Under Portuguese rule, Baucau Airport, which has a much longer runway, was used for international flights, but following the Indonesian invasion this was taken over by the Indonesian military and closed to civilian traffic.
Sister cities
| City | State | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coimbra Coimbra Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the... |
 Coimbra MunicipalityCoimbra Municipality Coimbra is a municipality in central Portugal, whose core is the city of Coimbra. It is in the district of Coimbra, being the principal centre in the Centro region, the seat of the Baixo Mondego subregion and former capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages... |
 Portugal |
2002 |
| Darwin Darwin, Northern Territory Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities... |
 Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions... |
 Australia |
September 2003 |