Table 2.

1 Household population by age, sex, and residence

Percent distribution of the de facto household population by five-year age groups, according to sex and residence,
Timor-Leste 2009-10
Age
<5
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80+
Total
Number

Male

Urban
Female

14.8
16.1
12.7
11.1
8.4
7.4
5.4
6.2
4.7
3.6
3.2
2.1
1.9
1.1
0.6
0.3
0.3
100.0
8,072

14.7
15.0
13.0
11.0
10.0
7.7
5.7
5.1
4.7
3.4
3.3
1.5
2.0
1.2
0.7
0.2
0.6
100.0
7,618

Total

Male

14.8
15.6
12.8
11.1
9.2
7.6
5.5
5.6
4.7
3.5
3.3
1.8
2.0
1.1
0.6
0.3
0.4
100.0
15,689

15.3
16.3
14.4
10.4
6.2
5.1
4.0
5.1
4.6
4.1
3.4
2.6
4.1
2.3
1.0
0.6
0.5
100.0
25,555

Rural
Female
15.0
15.7
13.9
9.7
6.9
5.5
4.6
5.3
4.3
3.6
4.2
2.3
4.6
2.3
1.2
0.4
0.5
100.0
25,647

Total

Male

15.2
16.0
14.1
10.1
6.6
5.3
4.3
5.2
4.4
3.8
3.8
2.5
4.3
2.3
1.1
0.5
0.5
100.0
51,202

15.2
16.3
14.0
10.6
6.8
5.7
4.3
5.4
4.6
3.9
3.3
2.5
3.6
2.0
0.9
0.5
0.4
100.0
33,626

Total
Female
15.0
15.6
13.7
10.0
7.6
6.0
4.8
5.3
4.4
3.6
4.0
2.1
4.0
2.1
1.1
0.4
0.5
100.0
33,265

Total
15.1
15.9
13.8
10.3
7.2
5.8
4.6
5.3
4.5
3.8
3.7
2.3
3.8
2.0
1.0
0.4
0.5
100.0
66,891

Figure 2.1 Population Pyramid

Age
80 +
75-79
70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
50-54
45-49
40-44
35-39
30-34
25-29
20-24
15-19
10-14
5-9
<5

Female

10

Male

10

Percent
Timor-Leste 2009-10

2.2

HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION

The size and composition of households and the sex of the head of household are important
factors affecting the welfare of the household. Table 2.2 shows the information collected in the 200910 TLDHS on the sex of the head of household and the mean household size. More than four in five
(88 percent) households are headed by males, while one-eighth (12 percent) of households are headed
by females. The percentage of female-headed households is higher in rural areas (13 percent) than in
urban areas (11 percent).
The mean household size in Timor-Leste is 5.8 persons, with households in urban areas only
marginally larger (5.9 persons) than those in rural areas (5.8 persons). Three percent of all households
are single-person households, and the proportion of single-person households does not differ much
between urban and rural areas. A sizeable proportion of households (15 percent) have 9 or more usual
members, with urban households slightly more likely to be large than rural households.

12 | Household Population and Housing Characteristics