Portugal and Timor-Leste
Portugal and Timor-Leste signed a strategic cooperation programme for 2024–2028 focused on education and strengthening the state. The relationship includes Portuguese language, justice, infrastructure and tourism, but also Timorese solidarity with Portugal in disasters, beyond the usual Portuguese assistance flow.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Portugal and Timor-Leste totalled 6 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Portugal to Timor-Leste, at 1.3 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 6.03 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Portugal to Timor-Leste | 5.96 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Timor-Leste to Portugal | 0.0658 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Portugal to Timor-Leste | 0.00666 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Timor-Leste to Portugal | ||
| Investment stock: Portugal in Timor-Leste | ||
| Investment stock: Timor-Leste in Portugal |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter PRT. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Portugal to Timor-Leste
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter PRT. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Timor-Leste to Portugal
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter PRT. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Export share: Portugal to Timor-Leste
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Portugal | Timor-Leste |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 346.64 billion USD2025 · WB | 1.9 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 32,081.81 USD2025 · WB | 1,340.96 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.86 %2025 · WB | 6.98 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.34 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 0.43 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.6 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · INE PT | |
| Unemployment | 6.16 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 1.59 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | 0.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -48 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 89.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 14.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 1.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -36.87 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 10,804,871World Bank est.2025 · WB | 1,418,5172025 · WB |
| Area | 92,230 km²2023 · WB | 14,870 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDPortugal: 2025 · World BankTimor-Leste: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personPortugal: 2025 · World BankTimor-Leste: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Portugal: 2025 · World BankTimor-Leste: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Portugal: 2026-09-16 · ECB: deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central Bank
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Portugal: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World BankTimor-Leste: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedPortugal: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Portugal INE · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionPortugal: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Timor-Leste: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Portugal: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Timor-Leste: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Portugal: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Timor-Leste: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPPortugal: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · Current-account balance as a percentage of GDP; IMF WEO estimate for PRT.Timor-Leste: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Population
- PeoplePortugal: 2025 · World Bank · World Bank est. · Extrapolated estimate identified by the World Bank; not a census count for 2025.Timor-Leste: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourcePortugal: 2023 · Area according to the series' coverage; does not determine sovereignty or effective control · World BankTimor-Leste: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Portugal to Timor-Leste
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 1.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.648 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.191 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.186 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.173 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.00106 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.000659 M USD2025 · Source |
Timor-Leste to Portugal
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Portugal to Timor-Leste | Timor-Leste to Portugal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.0168 |
| 2022 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 1.1 |
| 2023 | 5.9 | 4.3 | 1.6 |
| 2024 | 6.2 | 4.1 | 2.1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 6 | 0.0658 |
Connections between people
Education is its main pillar, with Portuguese-language teaching, learning centres and planned construction of a new Portuguese school in Dili. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Portugal living in Timor-Leste | ||
| Residents from Timor-Leste living in Portugal | ||
| Study and training: Portugal in Timor-Leste | ||
| Study and training: Timor-Leste in Portugal | ||
| Academic stays: Portugal in Timor-Leste | ||
| Academic stays: Timor-Leste in Portugal | ||
| Travel: Portugal to Timor-Leste | ||
| Travel: Timor-Leste to Portugal |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Portugal is 346.6 billion USD (2025), compared with 1.9 for Timor-Leste (2025). The reference populations are 10.8 and 1.42 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Portugal was 182.23 times that of Timor-Leste in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Bilateral context
Luís Montenegro and Xanana Gusmão met in Lisbon on 14 October 2024. Their governments signed the strategic programme for 2024–2028, allocated seventy-five million euros, five million more than the previous framework. [1]
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Education is its main pillar, with Portuguese-language teaching, learning centres and planned construction of a new Portuguese school in Dili. The package includes justice and was accompanied by an infrastructure agreement and a Revive tourism programme protocol. Announced construction must not be presented as a completed school. Montenegro also thanked Timor-Leste for 2.5 million dollars in aid for Madeira fires, an example of cooperation in the opposite direction. Contacts also occur in the CPLP and other multilateral forums, with Portugal’s network available to support Timorese interests. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Portugal and Timor-Leste) totalled 6 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 6 million; those in the opposite direction, 0.0658 million. The difference between the two flows was 5.9 million, in favour of Portugal. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Portugal to the partner represented 0.00666% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 4.5 million USD in 2021 and 6 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +33.1 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2024, at 6.2 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Portugal to Timor-Leste, at 1.3 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — PRT-TLS
portugal.gov.pt · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record; reused verified primary payload, not re-downloaded
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.