Following the end of Indonesian occupation in 1999, as well as a United Nations administered transition period, East Timor became formally independent of Portugal in 2002 and adopted the official name of Timor-Leste.

During the process, a civil conflict erupted between several Timorese political parties, with the left-wing Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) prevailing and gaining control the capital Dili, obliging the Portuguese governor and his staff to move his seat to Atauro Island.

On 28 November 1975, Fretilin unilaterally declared the independence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor (Portuguese: República Democrática de Timor-Leste) from Portugal.

Portugal did not recognize the declaration and the Portuguese governor continued to formally administer the province from Atauro, albeit with limited authority over the rest of East Timor.

[citation needed] As with all provinces of Indonesia, executive authority was vested in a Governor and Vice-Governor elected by the Regional Representative Council (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah, DPRD) every five years.