Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in East Timor
East Timor: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 1.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in East Timor, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in East Timor is 1.2%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 7.9% on the previous year and down 40.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in East Timor peaked at 8.6% in 2001 and was at its lowest, -12.1%, in 1999.
East Timor ranks 96th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in East Timor, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.8% | — |
| 1971 | 1.8% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 1.7% | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 1.4% | -20.6% |
| 1975 | 1.2% | -9.2% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | +27.3% |
| 1977 | 1.7% | +11.2% |
| 1978 | 1.7% | -3.9% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | -6.5% |
| 1980 | 1.7% | +10.3% |
| 1981 | 1.6% | -6.3% |
| 1982 | 1.3% | -19.7% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 1.4% | +7.5% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +4.8% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +5.7% |
| 1988 | 1.7% | +6.9% |
| 1989 | 1.9% | +13.0% |
| 1990 | 2.1% | +7.6% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | +13.3% |
| 1992 | 2.7% | +14.4% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 2.7% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | -12.1% | -545.7% |
| 2000 | -11.4% | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 8.6% | -176.0% |
| 2002 | 7.9% | -8.3% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | -46.9% |
| 2004 | 1.3% | -68.5% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | +55.1% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | +43.4% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | -5.6% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 1.4% | -21.7% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | -22.7% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | +7.9% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 1.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 66% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 1.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%, 1.7× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in East Timor changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | -545.7% | 2.7% | -12.1% |
| 2001 | +176.0% | -11.4% | 8.6% |
| 2004 | -68.5% | 4.2% | 1.3% |
| 2005 | +55.1% | 1.3% | 2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | -12.1% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | -11.4% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More population data for East Timor
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2427 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.2427 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5654 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3779 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.238 (2100)
- Population density 132.68 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 97,537 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.238 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.4267 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in East Timor?
- Population growth in East Timor was 1.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 8.6% in 2001.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was -12.1% in 1999.
- How does East Timor rank for population growth?
- East Timor ranks 96th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Timor data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release