Chapter 12 Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction in Timor-Leste

Abstract

Timor-Leste is a small, island country situated between South East Asia, Australia, and the Pacific, where it shares a unique mix of climates from all three neighboring regions (Kirono, 2010). The country achieved independence in 2002 having suffered over 400 years of colonialism and foreign occupation, first by the Portuguese and then by the Indonesians (Sandlund et al., 2001). The post-referendum troubles in 1999 left Timor-Leste with seriously damaged infrastructure and relatively little economic activity (Hill, 2001). However, since 1999, the country has made significant steps forward and despite some upheaval in 2006 has significantly developed in terms of infrastructure and economic activity. Nonetheless, Timor-Leste, as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) also has a number of other vulnerabilities and challenges to contend with including its mountainous region, relative isolation, dependence upon agriculture, and high levels of unemployment. Timor-Leste has a land mass of 14,874km2 with a population of approximately 1 million, which is rapidly increasing (Government of Timor-Leste, 2010). The country is dominated by the central Mountain range of Ramelau with as much as 44% of Timor-Leste's land having a slope of more than 40% and over 70% of the country's population dependent upon agriculture for their livelihood (Sandlund et al., 2001).