Timor-Leste: Net acquisition of financial assets (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Timor-Leste's net acquisition of financial assets (current LCU) rose 319.84 million on 2021 (from -122.66 million to 197.18 million).

Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2011 to 2021), the average change was −160.57 million and a typical year strayed about 818.3 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 843.39 million in 2011 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.64 billion in 2014. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 the straight-line trend is downward, about 198.9 million a year. A straight line explains 31% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

Closest to Timor-Leste in the 2022 ranking

• Lao PDR — 2nd of 6: 1.84 trillion
• Australia — 3rd of 6: 50.08 billion
• Ecuador — 4th of 6: 2.56 billion
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 6th of 6: -1.25 trillion

What this measures

Net acquisition of government financial assets includes domestic and foreign financial claims, SDRs, and gold bullion held by monetary authorities as a reserve asset. The net acquisition of financial assets should be offset by the net incurrence of liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 13 values

Net acquisition of financial assets (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Australia — 50.08 billion (2022)
• Cambodia — -939.83 billion (2023)
• Fiji — 364.09 million (2024)
• Kiribati — -19.05 million (2023)
• Korea, Rep. — 5.57 trillion (2024)
• Lao PDR — 1.84 trillion (2022)
• Macao SAR, China — 27.87 billion (2024)
• Malaysia — -3.26 billion (2024)
• Marshall Islands — 11.88 million (2020)
• Micronesia, Fed. Sts.

More public sector data for Timor-Leste

• Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score (scale 0-100) — 80 (2024)
• Military expenditure (current USD) — 47.92 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 47.92 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.25% (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 2.38% (2025)
• CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high) — 2.5 (2025)
• CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3.5 (2025)
• CPIA economic management cluster average (1=low to 6=high) — 2.83 (2025)
• CPIA policy and institutions for environmental sustainability rating (1=low to 6=high)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Timor-Leste's net acquisition of financial assets (current LCU)?

197.18 million in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2010?

It is down 88% from 1.64 billion in 2010 (16.2% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2.99 billion in 2013 and the lowest -848.08 million in 2016.

Is the latest change in net acquisition of financial assets (current LCU) unusual for Timor-Leste?

In 2022, Timor-Leste's net acquisition of financial assets (current LCU) rose 319.84 million on 2021 (from -122.66 million to 197.18 million). Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2011 to 2021), the average change was −160.57 million and a typical year strayed about 818.3 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.AST.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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