Dili is the capital of which Southeast Asian country?

Dili is the capital of East Timor, officially known as Timor-Leste. The city sits on the north coast of Timor island and is also the country’s largest city and principal port.

Dili became the capital of Portuguese Timor in 1769, when the Portuguese administration moved there from Lifau. Its location offered coastal access, nearby flat land, and routes toward the island’s interior. The city was heavily damaged during World War II and later endured conflict surrounding Indonesia’s occupation, the 1999 independence referendum, and the United Nations transition.

Timor-Leste became fully independent in 2002, with Dili as its national capital. Tetum and Portuguese are official languages, while Indonesian and English are also widely encountered. A common mix-up is the name: “East Timor” is the familiar English name, while “Timor-Leste” is the official name used by the independent state. Dili is not Delhi, the capital of India.