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East Timor

Timór Lorosaʔe / Timor-Leste / Timor Timur

Last modified: 2005-12-24 by antonio martins
Keywords: east timor | timor-leste | timór lorosaʔe | star: 5 points (white) | arrow head | triangle (black): hoist | leitão (natalino) | law | rdtl | constitution | honra, pátria e povo | república de |
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Flag of East Timor
image by Manuel Gabino, 28 Sep 2002
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About the flag

Following the (overwhelming) victory of FRETILIN in the parliamentary elections, the constitutional assembly restored all the symbols from the 1975 independence, including the name, the flag, the hymn, etc. The hymn is causing some uproar, and will probably have its lyrics changed, but the version sang in the independence ceremony was the 1975 one. In the ceremony, by the way, what was declared was the «restoration of the independence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor»…
Jorge Candeias, 20 May 2002

In East Timor only the national flag is prescribed by the Constitution, while all other national symbols must be described by special laws.
Jan Zrzavy, 17 May 2002

The constitutional assembly finally approved East Timor’s constitution on 22 March 2002. As for the flag, the community consultations on the draft constitution produced some wishes to add the colour green to the flag. However, in the final revision of the constitution’s section 15, only a minor linguistic change was made, a revision that removes the confusing reference to the colour red as «vermelho-púrpura» (purple-red). The constitution is now clear, the colour is simply called «red».

In the final document a change was also made to the official symbolism of the yellow colour. Whereas golden-yellow was said in the draft to represent «the wealth of the country», the official meaning is now that this colour stands for «the traces of colonialism». Black still represents «the obscurantism that needs to be overcome», red is for «the struggle for national liberation» and white symbolizes «peace».

Jan Oskar Engene, 03 May 2002

The East Timor national flag will be raised tomorrow (20 May 2002) at the nation’s independence celebrations. (Darwin based manufactor Ron Strachan who has had made and supplied the new flag for East Timor, informed me earlier today that eyelets have been placed along the top of the large 7,2 m × 3,6 m flag so that it may be raised or displayed horizontally depending upon the conditions on the day.
Ralph Bartlett, 19 May 2002

The 2002 Corr. Nº2 [pay02] to the Album [pay00] shows a 1:2 red flag with a five-pointed white star on a black triangle at hoist superimposed on a yellow triangle, and marks it for all uses: CSW/CSW
Željko Heimer, 30 Mar 2003

In Tetum language, the territory is called Timór Loro Saʔe, meaning «Timor of the rising sun». This is the name adopted for the new state. In the other two official languages of the country, portuguese and bahasa indonesian, it’s spelled "Timor-Leste" and "Timor Timur", respectively (both meaning "east-east" because "Timor" is a portuguese (or local) corruption of "timur", "east").
Jorge Candeias, 29 Oct 1999

From the UN web page (http://www.un.org/News/):

27 September — The General Assembly will admit Timor-Leste, formerly East Timor, as the 191st Member State of the United Nations today.
Interesting, isn’t it? It seems that Timor-Leste will be listed as UN member under its Portuguese, not English name («formerly»!!!), like Cote d’Ivoire and Myanmar.
Jan Zrzavy, 27 Sep 2002

Flag law in the Constitution

Section 15
(National Flag)

  • 1. The National Flag is rectangular and is formed by two isosceles triangles, the bases of which are overlapping. One triangle is black and its height is equal to one-third of the length overlapped to the yellow triangle, whose height is equal to half the length of the Flag. In the centre of the black triangle there is a white star of five ends, meaning the light that guides. The white star has one of its ends turned towards the upper right end of the flag. The remaining part of the flag is red.
  • 2. The colours mean:
    • Yellow: the traces of colonialism;
    • Black: the obscurantism that needs to be overcome;
    • Red: the struggle for national liberation;
    • White: peace.

Jan Oskar Engene, 03 Mar 2002,
quoting from http://www.etan.org/etanpdf/pdf2/constfnen.pdf

My translation and comment from the Portuguese language original:

1. The national flag consists of two isosceles »(i.e. symmetrical)« triangles with superimposed bases »(the odd side of each trangle)«, being one triangle black, and as high as one third of the length »of the flag, supposedly,« which is set over the yellow »triangle«, whose height is half of the length of the flag. On the center of the black triangle there is a white five-pointed star, standing for the guiding light. The white star is pointed to the upper left corner of the flag »(meaning supposedly top hoist)«. The rest of the flag is red.

I had expect to find a disposition that a more detailed law would set all remaining details, as constitutions often do, but there is none. The text is almost untouched (comparing with the 1975 version), even in those points it would need some revision — namely in the evident misplacement of the meaning of the star within the geometric details, and not in the symbolics section. The construction prescription, however verbose, is ambiguous as flag laws tend to be — the part about the triangles could be describing St. Lucia instead.

António Martins, 08 Jan 2003


Differences respective to 1975

Ratio?

The 1:2 ratio is not prescribed in the constitution, only in the UNTAET specifications. (As also the darker color shades.)
António Martins, 25 Sep 2002

I was in Timor Leste (East Timor, Timor Lorosae) in the end of June 2002; the flags, made of cotton, are 1:2, maybe because they were produced in Australia (I heard it here). Paper flags and flags on T-Shirts are 2:3. They seem to be as official as the 1:2, because in Timorese parliament, the representatives has paper flags on their table.
J. Patrick Fischer, 07 Aug 2002

Why did all or nearly all the East Timorese flags in use all these years have been 2:3 or whereabouts?
Jorge Candeias, 26 May 2002

Though the ratio was not fixed in the 1975 constitution, 2:3 has been in consistent use ever since. I cant’ see any valid reason for the new 1:2 ratio — but apparently it is the law. (I just hope it was not “imposed” by some kind of manufacturing constraints made in Australia…)
António Martins, 22 May 2002

My point is that the recently re-approved DRET constitution of 1975 should have caused the approval of the 2:3 ratio established by tradition based upon that very document. Any contrary opinions should prove either that there was no such tradition or that the original constitution prescribed 1:2 after all.
António Martins, 10 Jun 2002

In 1978, Vexilologie 27 [vex] has presented some details on the East Timorese national flag (i.e. that of 1975). As a source, FB XVI:4 [tfb] is mentioned. According to this article, the 1975 flag is exaclty the same as the present day, including the flag ratio 1:2. As an author of the flag is mentioned Natalino Leitão, and description of the flag is reported as in Article No. 20 of the (former) constitution.
Jan Zrzavy, 26 May 2002

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste has been admited in the UN. The flag shown in this photo is 2:3 as all those hoisted outside the UN building.
Manuel Gabino, 27 Sep 2002

It’s interesting to note that the very same UN who come up with a never-heard-of prescription for 1:2 national flag ratio, now uses a 2:3 flag at its flag yard in New York.
António Martins, 30 Sep 2002

Orientation of the star?

The only variarion was (in 1975-1999) ever the orientation of the star, mostely depicted pointing up. Unlike the ratio and color shades, though, the orientation of the star (to upper hoist) is specified in the constitution.
António Martins, 27 May 2002 and 25 Sep 2002


National emblem

Emblem of East Timor click to enlarge
image by Manuel Gabino, 11 Sep 2002

The central emblem is the well known C.N.R.T. shield and the motto is also based on Falintil’s.
António Martins, 11 Sep 2002

Behind the shield there is a yellow sun with 14 rays. All surounded by a light blue circle with the black text "REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE" and between two white stars "RDTL". Under the circle is a red banner with the black words "HONRA, PÁTRIA E POVO".
J. Patrick Fischer, 13 Aug 2002


Flag on stamps

The stamps issued by East Timor on 20 May 2002, with the inscription "Independência 2002" include a $2 value showing this very flag.
Mike Oettle, 26 Jun 2002

Australia Post has designed and printed the first postage stamps for newly independent East Timor. One of the four stamps shows the national flag, as also the First Day Cover.
Ralph Bartlett, 23 May 2002