East Timor is a remarkably diverse territory. It is certainly as diverse in ecological terms as it is in its linguistic and ethnic make-up. A long history of human settlement has contributed to this diversity, shaping the environment as it has the cultures of the territory. Any planning for the development of East Timor as a nation must take into account this significant diversity.

In this chapter, I want to outline some of the main features of East Timor's environmental, demographic and ethno-linguistic diversity. This outlining process is inevitably an exercise in simplification but it does provide a framework within which to examine issues of development. I then want to consider how historical developments have contributed to the patterning of livelihood strategies across the territory. Finally, I want to look at recent changes that have occurred in East Timor, strengthening certain of these local patterns and altering others. In this section of the chapter, I want to focus on the contemporary situation and on the problems and possibilities of differential local development.

THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF EAST TIMOR

Given its relatively small size, East Timor is comprised of a surprisingly diverse ecology. Much of this diversity is a product of the territory's complex landscape and variable seasonal rainfall. Based mainly on factors of altitude and rainfall, East Timor can be divided into six different ‘agro-climatic’ zones. Although further differentiation among these zones is possible, and indeed necessary, to a proper understanding of local agriculture, recognition of these zones provides a first step to comprehending East Timor's diversity.

The structure of these zones takes account of the fact that East Timor is divided by a mountainous spine that transverses the territory from west to east. In broad terms, 21 per cent of East Timor lies below 100 metres; 44 per cent between 500 and 1,000 metres; while the remaining 35 per cent is over 1,000 metres in elevation.