Balibo (film) takes place in a sovereign state in Maritime Southeast Asia called East Timor.
East Timor -LRB- -LSB- iːst ˈtiːmɔr -RSB- -RRB- or Timor-Leste -LRB- -LSB- tiˈmɔr ˈlɛʃteɪ -RSB- Tetum  : Timor Lorosa'e -RRB- , officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste -LRB- Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste , Republika Demokratika Timor-Leste -RRB- , is a sovereign state in Maritime Southeast Asia .. Tetum. Tetum language. sovereign state. List of sovereign states. Maritime Southeast Asia. Maritime Southeast Asia. Timor. Timor. Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor , the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco , and Oecusse , an exclave on the northwestern side of the island surrounded by Indonesian West Timor .. Timor. Timor. Atauro. Atauro Island. Jaco. Jaco Island. Oecusse. Oecusse. exclave. enclave and exclave. West Timor. West Timor. The country 's size is about 15,410 km -LRB- 5,400 sq mi -RRB- .. East Timor was colonised by Portugal in the 16th century , and was known as Portuguese Timor until 28 November 1975 , when the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor -LRB- FRETILIN -RRB- declared the territory 's independence .. Portuguese. Portuguese language. Timor. Timor. Portugal. Portugal. Portuguese Timor. Portuguese Timor. Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor. Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor. Nine days later , it was invaded and occupied by Indonesia and was declared Indonesia 's 27th province the following year .. Indonesia. Indonesia. invaded. Indonesian invasion of East Timor. occupied. Indonesian occupation of East Timor. 27th province. East Timor ( province ). The Indonesian occupation of East Timor was characterised by a highly violent decades-long conflict between separatist groups -LRB- especially FRETILIN -RRB- and the Indonesian military .. Timor. Timor. In 1999 , following the United Nations-sponsored act of self-determination , Indonesia relinquished control of the territory .. Indonesia. Indonesia. United Nations. United Nations. East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century on 20 May 2002 and joined the United Nations and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries .. Portuguese. Portuguese language. sovereign state. List of sovereign states. Timor. Timor. United Nations. United Nations. Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Community of Portuguese Language Countries. In 2011 , East Timor announced its intention to gain membership status in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -LRB- ASEAN -RRB- by applying to become its eleventh member .. Timor. Timor. intention to gain membership status. Accession of East Timor to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia , the other being the Philippines .. Christian. Christianity in Asia. Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia. Philippines. Philippines