Timor-Leste was colonized by Portugal in the 16th century, and was known as Portuguese Timor until Portugal's decolonization of the country. In late 1975 East Timor declared its independence but was invaded and occupied by Indonesia later that year, and declared that country's 27th province the following year. In 1999, following the United Nations-sponsored act of self-determination, Indonesia relinquished control of the territory and Timor-Leste became the first new sovereign state of the twenty-first century on May 20, 2002. Timor-Leste is one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Southeast Asia, the other being the Philippines.
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