HOST:
Welcome, loving viewers,to The World Around Us.
Today, we will travel to a tropical island country where the Pacific and Indian Oceans meet.
Southeast of Indonesia and north of Australia, across the Timor Sea is the lovely country
of Timor-Leste, which consists of three islands and a separate exclave. These include the eastern half of the Timor island, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, as well as
the nearby two peripheral islands Atauro and Jaco. As the easternmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands,Timor-Leste is beautifully called the 『eastern rising sun』 in Tetum, one of the official languages of the nation. Timor-Leste beautifies our Earth with unique flora and fauna over her picturesque mountains and fields. Like her neighbor Indonesia,Timor-Leste is the home
of pristine rainforest that supports rich wildlife,with precious animal species including 250 kinds of birds of Asian and Australian origins.
In those forests,one can also find many precious native plants, such as sandalwood. Besides being a home to abundant wildlife,Timor-Leste also presents our world with an underwater wilderness.
The landscapes of Timor-Leste are decorated with waterfalls, tropical flowers,
as well as precious metals and stones such as gold, manganese and marble. Smooth beaches outline
the extended coast with soft white sand and volcanic black sand.
Resting off the north coast is an underwater precipice known as the Wetar Strait. This three-kilometer deep marine trench is a flowing ocean corridor welcoming the migrating whales, dolphins, tuna
and sailfish. Also along the north coast,Timor-Leste’s pleasant cities prosper,blending natural beauty with the amazing culture of her people. The largest city and the nation’s capital, Díli,is an important port in the region as well as a commercial center. Here, in the relaxing mild ocean breeze,life in Díli is vibrant and full of hope. Commerce, culture, art and other activities flourish.