Portuguese East Indies

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Timor, also the Estado de Timor, is a Southeast Asian country, autonomous from Portugal since 1975 and independent since 1990, but retaining the Portuguese Monarch in a commonwealth-type arrangement. It does not control the whole island, the western part being a province of Malucos. The Portuguese, however, kept their troops to defend the young country from an attempted Malucan invasion in 1976. The Malucos, a former Spanish colony, wanted all of Timor to be annexed, but the Portuguese authorities stood firm. The threat from the then-SNORist Filipinas also sobered the Malucan leaders attempts to invade the country.

The continued presence of Portugal proved to be a blessing in hindsight, as there was brewing tensions between the majority UDT government, who prefer independence but with continued links with Portugal, and the minority but very vocal pro-Bornei and Malucos FRETILIN, who prefer complete independence. In 1983, serious clashes between supporters of these two parties erupted into riots in the capital, Dili, with 23 people being killed. The FRETILIN's support declined due to its support for Bornei in the Bornei Filipinas War; however, it survived as a socialist party.

In 1990, voters voted for independence with 87% vote, and with 61% keeping the Portuguese monarch. In 1999, Jose-Ramos Horta, of the FRETILIN, now reverted to its original name, Associação Social Democrática Timorense, became the country's first prime minister who was not UDT.

The main problem of Timor is how to encourage tourists to go to the region, especially Australasians. The country is also trying to raise the standard of living though with mixed success.