Timor-Leste is a State in Southeast Asia, northwest of Australia and at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago. The country is surrounded by pristine waters that are rich in biodiversity.

The country sits in the Coral Triangle, a region with the highest concentration of marine species on the entire planet and that includes according to estimates, 30% of the world’s coral reefs.

The Coral Triangle covers an area of approximately 6,000,000 km2, and spans from Indonesia, to Malaysia, to Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste’s waters are blessed with rich coral reefs, while its coastlines are covered in mangrove forests. The national maritime space is rich in marine resources that the Timorese have depended on since times immemorial.

Timor-Leste and the Timorese have a deep-rooted cultural, social, and economic relationship with the ocean.

The Bue Economy Policy for Timor-Leste will allow the country to promote the sustainable use of the ocean and coastal zones for economic growth, to improve social conditions, and ensure environmental preservation for future generations of Timorese to come.