Portuguese Timor

Colony of Timor (1642-1951), Province of Timor (1951-1975)

Portuguese Colony (1642-1951), Overseas Province of the Portuguese Empire (1951-1975)

Location: Timor Island

Capital City: Lifau (1642-1769), Dili (1769-1975)

Government type: Portuguese Territory

Main languages: Portuguese, Malay, Tetum

Main religions: Catholic Christianity

Chronology

1556: Portugal first establishes a presence in the Lesser Sunda Islands at Solor

1642: Portuguese control of Timor established

1661: Timor partitioned with the Dutch, Portugal keeping the east

1665-1844: Timor subordinated to Portuguese India

1941-1942: Dutch/Australian Occupation

1942-1945: Occupied by Japan

1951: Designated an Overseas Province

1975: Unilateral declaration of independence. Due to subsequent invasion by Indonesia, Portugal is recognized as de jure sovereign over East Timor until 2002

Currency

Pataca (1894-1959)

1 Pataca = 100 Avos

Escudo (1958-1976)

1 Escudo = 100 Centavos

Coins from Portuguese Timor in the collection

•1 Escudo, 1958 (nickel brass, Lisbon mint, KM#13)

Banknotes from Portuguese Timor in the collection

•20 Escudo, 1967 (P#26)