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Digital Divide Country Profile · Asia

TL

Timor-Leste

Closing the digital divide, expanding meaningful connectivity, and advancing digital education and workforce participation.

Location in the world

Timor-Leste

Flag of Timor-Leste

Asia

World map showing the location of Timor-LesteTimor-Leste
🇹🇱
Population (2024)
1,400,638
Total area
14,874 km²
Area in square miles
5,742.88 mi²
Coastline
706 km
Base map adapted from Wikimedia Commons. Population: World Bank (2024); geography: CIA World Factbook.

National digital inclusion context

A portfolio-based view of access, capability, and outcomes.

This profile organizes the initiatives directly connected to Timor-Leste in the global research inventory. It follows the study's country-profile framework: national context, broadband infrastructure, inclusion practices, education and workforce connections, implementation actors, and intended contribution.

The documented portfolio emphasizes Community Access / Computing Infrastructure, Fiber / Fixed Broadband Infrastructure, Last-Mile / Access Infrastructure, Computer / Desktop PC, Fiber/Fiber Optic. The profile treats infrastructure, affordability, capability, institutions, support, and outcomes as an interconnected system.

Portfolio pattern

What the documented response contains.

Counts reflect source-workbook tags. One initiative may appear in multiple infrastructure or technology categories.

Infrastructure and access

  1. Community Access / Computing Infrastructure2
  2. Fiber / Fixed Broadband Infrastructure2
  3. Last-Mile / Access Infrastructure2
  4. Submarine / International Cable Infrastructure2
  5. Backbone / Backhaul / Middle-Mile Infrastructure1

Specific technologies

  1. Computer / Desktop PC2
  2. Fiber/Fiber Optic2
  3. Submarine Fiber-Optic Cable2
  4. Digital Identity / e-ID1
  5. Internet Exchange Point (IXP)1

Intervention classification

  1. Neither explicitly identified7
  2. Infrastructure and Specific Technology5
  3. Infrastructure only3
  4. Specific Technology only1

Education and workforce

Connectivity becomes consequential through participation.

6 initiatives explicitly connect to education, K–12, or college/university contexts, and 2 connect to workforce development. Other investments may enable these outcomes indirectly.

Access

Networks, service availability, devices, and connection quality.

Capability

Skills, confidence, accessibility, navigation, and support.

Participation

Education, work, health, government, and civic opportunity.

Sustainability

Governance, operations, maintenance, funding, and learning.

Project and initiative portfolio

16 documented records

Every directly tagged record is shown with details and supporting URLs preserved from the research workbook.

01

Rural/local government broadband

450 Suco Headquarters Internet Connectivity Programme

2026–ongoing · 450 village/suco headquarters nationwide
View details
Status / period2026–ongoingLocation450 village/suco headquarters nationwidePopulationRural residents and local administrationsOrganizationsMinistry of Transport and Communications; Vorakai

Extends Internet connectivity to hundreds of village headquarters across the country.

Activities and approach: Fixed/wireless broadband

Mobile / Wireless InfrastructureLast-Mile / Access Infrastructure
02

Internet exchange / local traffic

Carrier-Neutral Internet Exchange Point Initiative

Planned/implementation objective · Dili / national network
View details
Status / periodPlanned/implementation objectiveLocationDili / national networkPopulationISPs and Internet usersOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; ANC; ISPs

Keeps local traffic domestic, improves performance and supports lower-cost interconnection.

Activities and approach: Carrier-neutral IXP

Internet Exchange / Interconnection InfrastructureInternet Exchange Point (IXP)
03

Digital public infrastructure / one-stop government

Dalan ba Digital – Balkaun Úniku Integrated Government Platform and Interoperability

2025–2028 implementation · Timor-Leste
View details
Status / period2025–2028 implementationLocationTimor-LestePopulationCitizens and government agenciesOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; EU; UNDP

Builds an integrated service platform and interoperability layer to reduce fragmented agency-by-agency access.

Activities and approach: Balkaun Úniku; interoperability; shared service platform

Digital Public Infrastructure
04

Digital literacy / adoption

Dalan ba Digital – Citizen Digital Literacy and Inclusion

2025–2028 implementation · Timor-Leste
View details
Status / period2025–2028 implementationLocationTimor-LestePopulationCitizens with low digital literacy, including rural residents and older peopleOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; EU; UNDP

Ensures new digital services are usable by groups who could otherwise be excluded.

Activities and approach: Citizen digital literacy; awareness; assisted adoption; inclusive design

Education
05

Public-sector digital skills

Dalan ba Digital – Civil-Service Digital Literacy and Skills

2025–2028 implementation · Public administration
View details
Status / period2025–2028 implementationLocationPublic administrationPopulationCivil servants and local-government staffOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; EU; UNDP

Builds capability needed to operate new digital systems and support citizens.

Activities and approach: Digital-literacy and digital-governance training; institutional capacity

Education
06

National digital transformation / inclusion

Dalan ba Digital – Digital Citizenship Programme

Launched Oct 2025; three-year implementation · Timor-Leste
View details
Status / periodLaunched Oct 2025; three-year implementationLocationTimor-LestePopulationCitizens, public servants, rural communities and people with low digital literacyOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; European Union; UNDP

Creates a coordinated national programme for more connected, transparent and inclusive digital government.

Activities and approach: €3 million programme; governance reform; infrastructure; services; skills; inclusion

Education
07

Inclusive service design / accessibility

Dalan ba Digital – Inclusive, Rights-Based and Gender-Sensitive Digital Public Service Delivery

2025–2028 implementation · Government digital services
View details
Status / period2025–2028 implementationLocationGovernment digital servicesPopulationWomen, vulnerable groups, rural users and people at risk of exclusionOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; EU; UNDP

Builds inclusion and rights protections directly into digital service design.

Activities and approach: Gender-sensitive and rights-based design; accessibility; user-centred services

08

Digital governance / enabling environment

Dalan ba Digital – Legal and Institutional Framework for Digital Governance

2025–2028 implementation · Whole of government
View details
Status / period2025–2028 implementationLocationWhole of governmentPopulationCitizens, agencies and service providersOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; EU; UNDP

Creates legal and institutional rules for trusted, sustainable and interoperable digital services.

Activities and approach: Digital-governance policy; legal framework; institutional roles

09

Citizen-facing digital public services

Dalan ba Digital – Online Passport, ID Card and Birth Certificate Services

2025–2028 implementation · Justice and civil-registration services
View details
Status / period2025–2028 implementationLocationJustice and civil-registration servicesPopulationCitizens needing identity and civil-status documentsOrganizationsMinistry of Justice; Ministry of State Administration; EU; UNDP

Moves high-demand legal and identity services online through a single platform.

Activities and approach: Online passport, ID-card and birth-certificate workflows

10

Digital identity

Dalan ba Digital – Unique Digital ID for Citizens

2025–2028 implementation · Timor-Leste
View details
Status / period2025–2028 implementationLocationTimor-LestePopulationCitizens accessing public and private servicesOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; EU; UNDP

Creates a reusable identity foundation so people can prove who they are remotely.

Activities and approach: Unique digital ID; authentication; public-service integration

Digital Identity / e-ID
11

School ICT / youth digital skills

ICT Skills and Knowledge for Youth (iSKY-TL)

Completed 2021–2024; scale-up model · Oé-Cusse foundation with wider scale-up
View details
Status / periodCompleted 2021–2024; scale-up modelLocationOé-Cusse foundation with wider scale-upPopulationGeneral secondary and TVET students and teachersOrganizationsMinistry of Education; UNDP; Government of Timor-Leste

Expands school-based ICT infrastructure and human capacity so young people gain practical digital skills tied to education and employment.

Activities and approach: Computer labs; robotic labs; mobile labs; teacher training; basic applications; web design

Telecommunications / Broadband InfrastructureCommunity Access / Computing InfrastructureRoboticsComputer / Desktop PC
EducationK–12Workforce
12

National fiber backbone

National Terrestrial Fiber Optic Network Expansion

2026–ongoing · Nationwide
View details
Status / period2026–ongoingLocationNationwidePopulationMunicipalities, public institutions and operatorsOrganizationsMinistry of Transport and Communications; Cabos de Timor-Leste

Extends TLSSC capacity inland through a national terrestrial fiber network.

Activities and approach: Terrestrial fiber backbone

Submarine / International Cable InfrastructureFiber / Fixed Broadband InfrastructureBackbone / Backhaul / Middle-Mile InfrastructureLast-Mile / Access Infrastructure
13

Digital employment services

SIMU-Web National Job Portal

Handed over Feb 2026; operationalization · SEFOPE employment services
View details
Status / periodHanded over Feb 2026; operationalizationLocationSEFOPE employment servicesPopulationJob seekers, employers and labour-market institutionsOrganizationsSEFOPE; UNDP; KOICA; YEES Project

Improves job matching and makes employment information more transparent and accessible.

Activities and approach: Online job portal; job matching; vacancy information; labour-market data

Workforce
14

School digital access / resilient infrastructure

Solar-Powered ICT Labs in 15 Schools

Completed/operational Nov 2025 · Ainaro, Manatuto and Manufahi
View details
Status / periodCompleted/operational Nov 2025LocationAinaro, Manatuto and ManufahiPopulationMore than 6,000 students and teachersOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; UNDP; Government of Japan

Combines reliable electricity with computers and internet access so rural schools can deliver hands-on digital learning.

Activities and approach: Solar power; batteries; ICT labs; computers; digital-learning tools

Community Access / Computing InfrastructureComputer / Desktop PCSolar Power
EducationK–12
15

Research and education broadband

Timor-Leste Research and Education Network (TLREN) Broadband Strengthening

Planned/implementation objective · Universities and research institutions
View details
Status / periodPlanned/implementation objectiveLocationUniversities and research institutionsPopulationStudents, faculty and researchersOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste

Provides dedicated broadband capacity for higher education and research.

Activities and approach: Dedicated research/education network bandwidth

Infrastructure Planning / Mapping / Funding
EducationCollege / university
16

International submarine cable

Timor-Leste South Submarine Cable (TLSSC)

Landed 2024; operationalization 2026 · Dili–Darwin, Australia
View details
Status / periodLanded 2024; operationalization 2026LocationDili–Darwin, AustraliaPopulationNational Internet usersOrganizationsGovernment of Timor-Leste; Cabos de Timor-Leste; ASN

Creates the country's first direct submarine fiber connection, reducing latency and satellite dependence.

Activities and approach: 607 km submarine fiber; 27 Tbps design capacity

Submarine / International Cable InfrastructureFiber / Fixed Broadband InfrastructureFiber/Fiber OpticSubmarine Fiber-Optic Cable

Evidence boundary

Read the portfolio as a starting point, not a final verdict.

Project records document interventions and intended contributions; they do not alone prove nationwide coverage, causal impact, or durable closure.

Profiles will deepen as national statistics, policy documents, evaluations, and implementation evidence are incorporated. Source links allow inspection of underlying evidence.

Evidence and contextProfile Sources

These sources support the country-level demographic, geographic, and connectivity context. Sources tied to individual projects remain with their project records and are not repeated here.

  1. Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). Timor-Leste. The World Factbook. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/timor-leste/
  2. International Telecommunication Union. (n.d.). ITU DataHub: Country ICT data. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://datahub.itu.int/
  3. World Bank. (n.d.). Individuals using the Internet (% of population): Timor-Leste. World Development Indicators. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?locations=TL
  4. World Bank. (n.d.). Population, total: Timor-Leste. World Development Indicators. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=TL

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