Manatuto Municipality

It is the least populated municipality of Timor-Leste.

• Name — Manatuto • Type — Municipality of Timor-Leste • Blank Emblem Type — Official map • Blank Emblem Size — 250px • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Timor-Leste • Parts Type — Administrative posts • Parts Style — para • P1 — * Barique-Natarbora • Laclo • Laclubar • Laleia • Manatuto • Soibada • Seat Type — Capital • Seat — Manatuto • Unit Pref — Metric • Area Total Km2 — area • Area Rank — 2nd • Population Rank — 13th • Population Density Km2 — auto • Population Density Rank — 13th • Demographics1 Title2 — Rank • Demographics1 Info2 — 12th • Time Zone — timezone • Iso Code — TL-MT • Custom Label Sec2 — HDI (2017) • Custom Data Sec2 — 0.614 medium · 5th

The word Manatuto has been said to be a Portuguese approximation of the local Tetun and Galoli language word Manatutu, which means 'pecking birds'. According to another source, the word is a portmanteau of the Tetun words Mana and tutu, which mean 'old woman' and 'peak' or 'summit', respectively. The legend goes that two groups of people were each living on the summit of a hill, one of them named Sau Raha (now Soraha) and the other Sau Lor (now Saulidun). The two groups were engaged separately in their own daily activities, but each was accompanied by one of two Liurai, who were brothers.

The borders of the municipality of Manatuto are identical to those of the council of Portuguese Timor with the same name. The municipality borders the municipalities of Baucau and Viqueque to the east and Manufahi, Aileu, and Dili to the west. It reaches both the south and north coasts of the island and is only one of two municipalities to do so (the other is Lautém in the far east), and has the most geographical diversity. To the north is the Strait of Wetar, to the south is the Timor Sea. * • Illustration — Administrative posts of Manatuto — • Illustration — Cities of Manatuto

According to a list prepared by Afonso de Castro (colonial administrator), governor of the colony of Portuguese Timor from 1859 to 1863, Manatuto was one of 47 kingdoms in that colony at the time.

The municipality's administrative posts (formerly sub-districts) are: • Barique-Natarbora (pop. 4,900) • Laclo (pop. 6,400) • Laclubar (pop. 10,100) • Laleia (pop. 3,200) • Manatuto (pop. 11,500) • Soibada (pop. 2,950) The administrative posts are divided into 29 sucos ("villages") in total.

In addition to the official languages of Timor-Leste (Tetun and Portuguese), a large part of the population of the municipality speaks the Malayo-Polynesian language Galoli, which is designated as a "national language" by the constitution.

The municipality is known as the birthplace of Xanana Gusmão, later to become the nation's first president. He was born in the village of Laleia (19 km East of Manatuto town).