Net migration in East Timor
East Timor: Net migration was -2,550 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Net migration in East Timor, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
Analysis
East Timor recorded -2,550 for net migration in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 12,650.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net migration in East Timor peaked at 49,159 in 2001 and was at its lowest, -262,940, in 1999.
That places East Timor 122nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net migration in East Timor, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1961 | 0 | — |
| 1962 | 0 | — |
| 1963 | 0 | — |
| 1964 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1966 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | -278 | — |
| 1974 | -2,222 | +699.3% |
| 1975 | 9,542 | -529.4% |
| 1976 | 9,662 | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 10,657 | +10.3% |
| 1978 | 10,967 | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 8,924 | -18.6% |
| 1980 | 5,457 | -38.9% |
| 1981 | -482 | -108.8% |
| 1982 | -1,125 | +133.4% |
| 1983 | -1,032 | -8.3% |
| 1984 | -1,436 | +39.1% |
| 1985 | -495 | -65.5% |
| 1986 | -316 | -36.2% |
| 1987 | -106 | -66.5% |
| 1988 | 587 | -653.8% |
| 1989 | -2,246 | -482.6% |
| 1990 | -2,881 | +28.3% |
| 1991 | 1,803 | -162.6% |
| 1992 | 1,794 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 1,795 | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 1,794 | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 1,806 | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 1,796 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 1,804 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 1,806 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | -262,940 | -14659.2% |
| 2000 | 40,272 | -115.3% |
| 2001 | 49,159 | +22.1% |
| 2002 | 35,935 | -26.9% |
| 2003 | -12,810 | -135.6% |
| 2004 | -16,447 | +28.4% |
| 2005 | 1,759 | -110.7% |
| 2006 | 2,184 | +24.2% |
| 2007 | 2,103 | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 1,009 | -52.0% |
| 2009 | 117 | -88.4% |
| 2010 | 470 | +301.7% |
| 2011 | -159 | -133.8% |
| 2012 | -609 | +283.0% |
| 2013 | -1,206 | +98.0% |
| 2014 | -958 | -20.6% |
| 2015 | -20 | -97.9% |
| 2016 | 208 | -1140.0% |
| 2017 | 1,666 | +701.0% |
| 2018 | 3,062 | +83.8% |
| 2019 | 3,942 | +28.7% |
| 2020 | 3,793 | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 3,111 | -18.0% |
| 2022 | -5,519 | -277.4% |
| 2023 | -5,620 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | -2,552 | -54.6% |
| 2025 | -2,550 | -0.1% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's -2,550 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -10,230, 25% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- East Timor's -2,550 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -462, 5.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net migration 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 | -14659.2% | 1,806 | -262,940 |
| 2016 | +1140.0% | -20 | 208 |
| 1974 | -699.3% | -278 | -2,222 |
| 2017 | +701.0% | 208 | 1,666 |
| 1988 | +653.8% | -106 | 587 |
| 1975 | +529.4% | -2,222 | 9,542 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1970s | 4,725 | -2,222 | 10,967 | 10 |
| 1980s | -119.4 | -2,246 | 5,457 | 10 |
| 1990s | -25,142 | -262,940 | 1,806 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,328 | -16,447 | 49,159 | 10 |
| 2010s | 639.6 | -1,206 | 3,942 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1,556 | -5,620 | 3,793 | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More financial sector data for East Timor
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0031 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 4.2 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0023 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 3.07 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0031 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 4.2 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net migration in East Timor?
- Net migration in East Timor was -2,550 in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest net migration recorded in East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 49,159 in 2001.
- What is the lowest net migration recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was -262,940 in 1999.
- How does East Timor rank for net migration?
- East Timor ranks 122nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net migration rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12,650.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Timor data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Net migration. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens.