Why in the news?

• East Timor become 11th member of ASEAN grouping.

East Timor

• Location: East Timor, officially known as the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a small island nation in Southeast Asia.
• Capital: Dili
• Geography:
  • Lies in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago.
    Terrain: Mountainous and tropical, prone to monsoon rainfall and drought cycles.
  • Rich in oil and natural gas reserves under the Timor Sea.
• Bordering Countries: Bordered by Indonesia to the west and the Timor Sea to the south (across from Australia).
• Membership in International Bodies: ASEAN (member 2025), UN and CPLP