Dili: the young capital of independent Timor

Capital of the world's youngest nation, independent since 2002, Dili houses one of the world's tallest Christ statues after Rio de Janeiro.

The center, young capital of independent East Timor, is comfortably explored by local taxi.

The Cristo Rei of Dili, a statue over twenty-seven meters tall atop a hill overlooking the bay, remains the most recognizable monument of East Timor's capital.

Steps away, the Museum of Resistance recounts the struggle for independence from twenty-five years of Indonesian occupation, concluded only in 1999.

Moving along the coast, divers explore the coral reef, part of the Coral Triangle, among the world's richest in marine biodiversity.

Towards evening, Dili's waterfront animates with restaurants serving fresh fish with views of the sunset over the Timor Sea.

East Timor gained full independence only in 2002, following a popular referendum in 1999 that was followed by violence and a period of United Nations administration, becoming Asia's youngest nation.

The coral reef off Dili is part of the Coral Triangle, a marine region that hosts the world's greatest diversity of coral species, still largely unexplored by international tourism.