Regions of Timor-Leste: population and official figures
Timor-Leste is divided into 15 regions. The largest by population is Dili with 324,738 people (22.9% of the total); the smallest is Atauro with 10,295. Figures for the 12 municipalities, the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse and the island municipality of Atauro come from the 2022 census, the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health records published in Timor-Leste in Numbers 2023, the 2014 Survey of Living Standards and the Ministry of Finance Citizens' Budget 2025. Atauro has no separate DHS, school, health or poverty-survey figures.
Who governs Timor-Leste's regions?
Municipalities (12), the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno, and Ataúro (separated from Díli in 2022): Municipal administrators appointed by the government; Oe-Cusse has an appointed Authority. Deconcentrated administration of services; no elected municipal assembly yet.
How local power works in Timor-Leste · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide
All 15 regions, largest first
| # | Region | Population | Year | Growth (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dili | 324,738 | 2022 | +2.7% |
| 2 | Ermera | 137,750 | 2022 | – |
| 3 | Baucau | 134,878 | 2022 | – |
| 4 | Bobonaro | 106,639 | 2022 | – |
| 5 | Liquiçá | 83,658 | 2022 | – |
| 6 | Oecusse | 80,685 | 2022 | – |
| 7 | Viqueque | 80,176 | 2022 | +0.8% |
| 8 | Oecussi | 75,000 | 2016 | – |
| 9 | Cova Lima | 73,933 | 2022 | – |
| 10 | Ainaro | 73,115 | 2022 | – |
| 11 | Lautém | 70,022 | 2022 | – |
| 12 | Manufahi | 60,665 | 2022 | – |
| 13 | Aileu | 54,324 | 2022 | – |
| 14 | Manatuto | 50,859 | 2022 | – |
| 15 | Atauro | 10,295 | 2022 | – |
More on Timor-Leste: official statistics · government and power · local power
Sources
- National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.): Timor-Leste Population and Housing Census 2022, Main Report (Tables 4.3, 4.11, 4.12, 4.18, 4.20, 4.22), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd4177c7b2b0…)
- General Directorate of Statistics and Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste, with ICF (DHS Program): Timor-Leste Demographic and Health Survey 2016, Final Report (municipality tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5b18945332c9…)
- National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.), from Ministry of Education EMIS, Ministry of Health HIMS and the Agriculture Census 2019: Timor-Leste in Numbers 2023 (schools, health facilities and staff, agriculture census tables by municipality), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b424ff847790…)
- Ministry of Finance and General Directorate of Statistics of Timor-Leste (now INETL), with the World Bank: Poverty in Timor-Leste 2014 (Table 7: poverty indices and real per capita consumption by district, from the Timor-Leste Survey of Living Standards 2014), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 45e32bc95da5…)
- Ministry of Finance of Timor-Leste: Citizens' Budget 2025 (Orsamentu ba Sidadaun 2025): municipal budgets 2023-2025 and the RAEOA budget, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e7a0dab1c6fd…)
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