Updated
Overview
Indonesia has 201 times the population of Timor-Leste: 285.72 million people against 1.42 million (2025).
Indonesia's economy is 760 times the size of Timor-Leste's, at $1.45T versus $1.90B.
Per person, Indonesia is the wealthier of the two: $5,060 against $1,341 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Indonesia | Timor-Leste | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.45T | $1.90B | 2025 | $1.40T / $1.88B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $5,060 | $1,341 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 5.1% | Higher: 7.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 1.9% | Lower: 0.4% | 2025 | 3.7% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | Lower: 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 29 | 28 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $182 | Higher: $258 | 2023 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $320 | $115 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $2.38 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 285.72 million | 1.42 million | 2025 | 283.59 million / 1.40 million |
| Population growth | 0.8% | 1.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 30.4 yrs | 21.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.10 | 2.56 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 71.3 yrs | 67.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 59% | 29% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 73% | 35% | 2024 / 2021 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,904,569 km² | 14,874 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 150.0/km² | 95.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 812 Mt | Lower: 0.67 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 2.9 t | Lower: 0.5 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $11.04B | $46.40M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.8% | 2.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 676,000 | 2,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Timor-Leste is growing faster: 7.0% annual GDP growth versus 5.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.9% in Indonesia and 0.4% in Timor-Leste.
Average monthly earnings favour Timor-Leste: $258 against $182 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Timor-Leste is the far younger society: median age 21.7 versus 30.4 years.
Life expectancy is 3.4 years longer in Indonesia (71.3 vs 67.9).
Indonesia is considerably more urbanized: 59% of people live in cities, against 29%.
Internet adoption is higher in Indonesia (73% vs 35% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Indonesia is 128 times the size of Timor-Leste: 1,904,569 km² versus 14,874 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Indonesia spends 238 times as much on defence as Timor-Leste: $11.04B versus $46.40M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Timor-Leste carries the heavier military burden: 2.7% of GDP versus 0.8%.
Indonesia fields the larger armed forces: 676,000 personnel against 2,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Indonesia bigger than Timor-Leste?
- Indonesia is larger by land area. Indonesia covers 1,904,569 km² while Timor-Leste covers 14,874 km², so Indonesia is 128 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Indonesia or Timor-Leste?
- Indonesia has the larger population: 285.72 million versus 1.42 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Indonesia richer than Timor-Leste?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Indonesia is richer: $5,060 against $1,341. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.45T for Indonesia versus $1.90B for Timor-Leste.
- Who spends more on their military, Indonesia or Timor-Leste?
- Indonesia spends more: $11.04B versus $46.40M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).