Ainaro Municipality


Ainaro is one of 13 municipalities of East Timor, in the southwest part of the country. It has a population of 59,175 and an area of 804 km². Its capital is the city of Ainaro, a small mountain town.

Etymology

The word Ainaro is a Portuguese approximation of the local Tetum and Mambai language word Ainaru, which means "tall tree".

Geography

Ainaro has a great abundance of rivers and fertile terrain for agriculture. It has a coastal area, on the Timor Sea, but also mountainous zones, including the highest point in East Timor, Mount Ramelau, also known as Tatamailau, which lies near the border with Ermera.
The borders of the municipality are identical to that of the same in Portuguese Timor, with the following exceptions: during the Indonesian occupation, the then subdistrict of Turiscai became part of Manufahi from Ainaro, and the then subdistrict of Hato-Udo became part of Ainaro in exchange. The then subdistrict of Mape-Zumalai became part of Cova Lima in 2003.
The municipality borders Aileu to the north, Manufahi to the south, Cova Lima to the southwest, Bobonaro to the west, and Ermera to the northwest.

History

Ainaro played an important role during the brutal Indonesian occupation of East Timor, providing shelter for the mountain-based guerrilla resistance army. Former guerrilla leader and current President Xanana Gusmão spent many years directing the resistance from Ainaro.

Administrative posts

The municipality's administrative posts are:

Languages

In addition to the official languages of Tetum and Portuguese, a large number of inhabitants of Ainaro speak the Malayo-Polynesian language Mambai.

Religion

The inhabitants include catholics, protestants, and muslims living side by side.