| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 9,225 (by birth, 2011)[1] 7,085 (by ancestry, 2011)[2] | |
| Languages | |
| Portuguese · Tetum · Indonesian · Australian English | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (mainlyRoman Catholicism) |
East Timorese Australians are Australian citizens of East Timorese descent or anEast Timor-born person who resides in theCommonwealth of Australia.
East Timorese people in Australia are one of the largest groups of the East Timorese diaspora. They mainly speak Tetum, Portuguese andother local languages.
East Timorese immigration to Australia began with the arrival of the first migrants from the thenPortuguese Timor in 1943 duringWorld War II. This migration wave consisted of approximately 600 people who were evacuated from the island, of whom only 35 settled permanently after the war ended.
During the Indonesian invasion of 1975, a significant number of East Timorese fled toDarwin, situated 656 km (408 mi) from Dili. The Australian government accepted 2,500 East Timorese refugees in 1975, primarilythose of Portuguese descent.[3]Fretilin was reported to have been active in Darwin during this time usinghigh frequency (HF) radio communication to contact comrades in Dili. Darwin proved an ideal base for Fretilin to operate its informalgovernment in exile given the city's significant East Timorese exile community who supported independence.[4]
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| Central Asia |  | |
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| East Asia | ||
| South Asia | ||
| Southeast Asia | ||
| History | ||
| Topics | ||
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