Population growth rate in East Timor
East Timor: Population growth rate was 1.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in East Timor, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
East Timor recorded 1.1% for population growth rate in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and down 46.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in East Timor peaked at 8.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, -29.1%, in 1999.
East Timor ranks 109th of 236 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 rate in East Timor, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.7% | — |
| 1951 | 0.9% | +27.8% |
| 1952 | 1.0% | +10.2% |
| 1953 | 1.1% | +7.1% |
| 1954 | 1.2% | +6.0% |
| 1955 | 1.2% | +4.7% |
| 1956 | 1.3% | +4.4% |
| 1957 | 1.3% | +4.3% |
| 1958 | 1.4% | +4.0% |
| 1959 | 1.4% | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 1.5% | +3.3% |
| 1961 | 1.5% | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 1.6% | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 1.6% | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 1.7% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 1.7% | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 1.7% | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 1.7% | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 1.8% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 1.8% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 1.8% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 1.8% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 1.7% | -4.3% |
| 1974 | 1.0% | -37.5% |
| 1975 | 1.4% | +35.3% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | +21.3% |
| 1977 | 1.8% | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | -10.4% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 1.9% | +22.9% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | -29.7% |
| 1982 | 1.3% | -5.6% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | +8.2% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +8.4% |
| 1988 | 1.7% | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 2.1% | +19.8% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 2.6% | +29.0% |
| 1992 | 2.7% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 2.7% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 2.7% | -2.3% |
| 1999 | -29.1% | -1179.1% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | -128.6% |
| 2001 | 8.9% | +7.5% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | -21.8% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -78.0% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | -28.0% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | +168.2% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 2.1% | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -8.7% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -35.8% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | -2.5% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 1.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.7%, 63% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 1.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%, 1.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate 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 | -1179.1% | 2.7% | -29.1% |
| 2005 | +168.2% | 1.1% | 3.0% |
| 2000 | +128.6% | -29.1% | 8.3% |
| 2003 | -78.0% | 7.0% | 1.5% |
| 1974 | -37.5% | 1.7% | 1.0% |
| 2022 | -35.8% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.2% | 0.7% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.6% | 1.0% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | 1.3% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.5% | -29.1% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 1.1% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More population data for East Timor
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5654 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2427 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 97,537 people (2100)
- Population density 132.68 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3779 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.7121 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in East Timor?
- Population growth rate in East Timor was 1.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 8.9% in 2001.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was -29.1% in 1999.
- How does East Timor rank for population growth rate?
- East Timor ranks 109th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Timor data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.