EnglishEnglish
中文Chinese (Simplified)
EspañolSpanish
हिन्दीHindi
العربيةArabic
FrançaisFrench
PortuguêsPortuguese
РусскийRussian
DeutschGerman
日本語Japanese
United States
Poland
Maldives
Iraq ↑ 54
Austria vs Czechia
Samoa vs Timor-Leste
Side-by-side comparison of Samoa and Timor-Leste from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Timor-Leste
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 51 years
In short
Samoa scores 50.2 in the NationsTree Index (87th in the world) and Timor-Leste scores 34.8 (146th), a gap of 15.3 points. Their trees are 0.9 m and 1.4 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Timor-Leste has 6.5 times the population of Samoa. Timor-Leste is 5.2 times larger than Samoa by land area. Timor-Leste has an economy 3.3 times the size of Samoa (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Samoa 219,306 and Timor-Leste 1.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $9,319 in Samoa and $4,809 in Timor-Leste (2025, international dollars). People in Samoa live on average 3.9 years longer (71.8 vs 67.9 years).
Of 27 indicators reported by both countries, Samoa ranks higher in the world on 20 and Timor-Leste on 7. Samoa is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and trade. Timor-Leste is clearly stronger in natural resources and tourism.
As a nation, Samoa is the older of the two (statehood since 1962, 64 years), compared with Timor-Leste (since 1975). Over the last five years Samoa improved faster (direction score 96 vs 65 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Samoa and Timor-Leste.
Samoabetter
4.7%
8th of 192
Timor-Leste
-46.2%
192nd of 192
High-tech exportsTrade
Samoabetter
76.7%
2nd of 168
Timor-Leste
1.5%
142nd of 168
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Samoabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Timor-Leste
94.3%
156th of 215
Rule of lawInstitutions & safety
Samoabetter
76.1
33rd of 207
Timor-Leste
48.1
143rd of 207
UnemploymentEconomy
Samoa
5.0%
86th of 187
Timor-Lestebetter
1.6%
14th of 187
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Samoa overtook Timor-Leste in the NationsTree Index in 2023 and has stayed ahead since.
Samoa overtook Timor-Leste in GDP per person (PPP) in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Timor-Leste has been ahead of Samoa in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Samoa has been ahead of Timor-Leste in life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
SamoaTimor-Leste All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Samoa | Timor-Leste |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 2,840173rd/216 · 2024 | 14,870156th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 2,780171st/216 · 2024 | 14,870156th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 219,306182nd/217 · 2025 | 1.4 m154th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.59%130th/217 · 2025 | 1.27%82nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 78.4125th/216 · 2024 | 94.2112th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 17.5%215th/217 · 2025 | 28.8%199th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 38.1%32nd/217 · 2025 | 33.1%57th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.1%137th/217 · 2025 | 5.2%144th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.29 bn196th/210 · 2025 | $1.90 bn189th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $2.04 bn187th/199 · 2025 | $6.82 bn169th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.75 bn187th/199 · 2025 | $5.83 bn169th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $5,873131st/210 · 2025 | $1,341185th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $9,319142nd/199 · 2025 | $4,809169th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $5,640123rd/201 · 2025 | $1,510173rd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.2%75th/210 · 2025 | 7.0%20th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.2%66th/180 · 2025 | 0.4%23rd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.0%86th/187 · 2025 | 1.6%14th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 21.2%20th/189 · 2025 | 13.3%13th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 4.7%8th/192 · 2025 | -46.2%192nd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 9.1%74th/197 · 2025 | 20.2%36th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 10.2%183rd/200 · 2025 | 11.8%176th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.9%154th/192 · 2025 | 1.9%176th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 72.1%26th/200 · 2025 | 71.6%28th/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $355.7 m169th/182 · 2025 | $197.0 m174th/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $553.9 m175th/182 · 2025 | $1.58 bn164th/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 27.6%117th/183 · 2025 | 10.6%175th/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 43.0%94th/183 · 2025 | 84.9%18th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 70.6%112th/183 · 2025 | 95.4%68th/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 33.3%28th/170 · 2024 | 67.4%16th/170 · 2023 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 39.4%76th/171 · 2024 | 21.9%103rd/171 · 2023 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 24.8%57th/171 · 2024 | 10.5%114th/171 · 2023 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.3%125th/171 · 2024 | 0.1%165th/171 · 2023 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 76.7%2nd/168 · 2024 | 1.5%142nd/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 5.7%32nd/191 · 2025 | -35.8%188th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.2%169th/196 · 2025 | 13.3%11th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.3%146th/209 · 2021 | 34.7%6th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 5.30%26th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 29.38%1st/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.28%83rd/209 · 2021 | 0.05%128th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 4.1%146th/206 · 2024 | 7.5%116th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | — | 5,99964th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 23,900185th/194 · 2020 | 74,800173rd/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $23.1 m161st/175 · 2020 | $78.0 m146th/175 · 2018 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 19.8%34th/168 · 2020 | 64.0%11th/168 · 2018 |
| Outbound trips departures | 18,500104th/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 71.8139th/217 · 2024 | 67.9168th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 14.998th/196 · 2024 | 47.6164th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.56118th/174 · 2021 | 0.75111th/174 · 2020 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.02005 | 0.4140th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 85%132nd/193 · 2024 | 83%137th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 92.3%41st/153 · 2022 | 77.8%75th/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 87.4%2016 | 84.7%2020 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 33.6%2008 | 35.3%2011 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.9%124th/217 · 2025 | 8.5%143rd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.8%91st/193 · 2023 | 9.6%34th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.0%2019 | 69.4%81st/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 16.0%127th/150 · 2024 | 31.0%105th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.708122nd/193 · 2023 | 0.634142nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 38.72013 | 28.72014 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 4.5%2013 | 44.0%2014 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 94.3%156th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 62.5%100th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 44.1%91st/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 21.2%2014 | 35.0%161st/186 · 2021 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 62190th/210 · 2022 | 116103rd/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.9171st/208 · 2022 | 0.0205th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | — | 1.672007 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 42,120144th/161 · 2023 | — |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.6079th/203 · 2024 | 0.5041st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 35.9%67th/212 · 2022 | 11.4%140th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 4.69th/200 · 2023 | 12.061st/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 57.6%38th/214 · 2024 | 71.0%17th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3072007 | 612007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 56.588th/205 · 2025 | 41.3145th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 61.353rd/207 · 2025 | 40.2126th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 76.133rd/207 · 2025 | 48.1143rd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 89.011th/207 · 2025 | 76.969th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 54.2100th/205 · 2025 | 42.9157th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 74.544th/205 · 2025 | 65.775th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 6.32018 | 4.12015 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | — | $47.9 m143rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | — | 2.3%51st/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | — | 2.4%134th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | — | 2,000154th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | — | 0.36%137th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 7.0 m2019 | 14.0 m2011 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2021 | — |
| Scientific articles articles | 22171st/197 · 2023 | 21172nd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Samoa or Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste has the larger population: 1.4 m (2025) compared with 219,306 for Samoa (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Samoa or Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste is larger: 14,870 km² (2024) compared with 2,840 km² for Samoa (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Samoa or Timor-Leste?
Timor-Leste has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $6.82 bn intl. (2025) compared with $2.04 bn intl. for Samoa (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Samoa or Timor-Leste?
Samoa has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $9,319 intl. (2025) compared with $4,809 intl. for Timor-Leste (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Samoa or Timor-Leste?
Samoa has the higher life expectancy at birth: 71.8 years (2024) compared with 67.9 years for Timor-Leste (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Samoa or Timor-Leste?
Samoa: 50.2 points (87th in the world); Timor-Leste: 34.8 points (146th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Vanuatu
FijiSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Samoa vs Timor-Leste — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/samoa-vs-timor-leste. Data as of 26 October 2026.