Timor-Leste — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Timor-Leste, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Timor-Leste was 1.27% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 8.63% in 2001. The lowest was -12.15% in 1999 (about -9.6× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.28% per year.
Timor-Leste ranks 82 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 38%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so Timor-Leste sits above it. It peaked in 2001 and has fallen 85% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 35%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 7 of 37 economies; Mongolia (1.25%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 546% in 1999. That is 24% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 2001.
World ranking. Climbed: 157th of 216 in 1961 → 135th of 216 in 1970 → 123rd of 216 in 1980 → 102nd of 216 in 1990 → 217th of 217 in 2000 → 48th of 217 in 2010 → 59th of 217 in 2020 → 82nd of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.27% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 1.17% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 1.09% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 1.41% | -0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 1.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 1.91% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 1.94% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 1.92% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 1.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.91% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 1.98% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 2.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 2.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 2.52% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 2.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 2.94% | +0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 2.05% | +0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 1.32% | -2.9 pp |
| 2003 | 4.2% | -3.7 pp |
| 2002 | 7.92% | -0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 8.63% | +20.0 pp |
| 2000 | -11.36% | +0.8 pp |
| 1999 | -12.15% | -14.9 pp |
| 1998 | 2.73% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 2.75% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 2.74% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 2.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 2.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 2.73% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.67% | +0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 2.33% | +0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 2.06% | +0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 1.91% | +0.2 pp |
| 1988 | 1.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 1.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 1.43% | +0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 1.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 1.27% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 1.3% | -0.3 pp |
| 1981 | 1.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 1.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 1979 | 1.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 1.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 1.74% | +0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 1.57% | +0.3 pp |
| 1975 | 1.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 1.36% | -0.4 pp |
| 1973 | 1.71% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 1.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 1.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 1.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 1.76% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 1.74% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 1.72% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 1.69% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 1.67% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 1.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 1.6% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 1.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 1.52% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Timor-Leste’s Population growth in 1962?
1.56% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Timor-Leste’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -16.6% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.27%; 2024: 1.17%; 2023: 1.09%; 2022: 1.41%; 2021: 1.8%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.