It has a population of 9,866 and is located 138 kilometres (86 mi) to the southwest of Dili, the national capital.

Suai is the capital of the Cova Lima District, which is in the southwest of the country.

It is located just a few kilometers from the Timor Sea, on the south side of the island.

It was one of a number of massacres perpetrated by a pro-Indonesia militia in the time of the Indonesian withdrawal of East Timor.

Following the events of 1999, Suai entered into a friendship program with the City of Port Phillip, a bayside municipality south of Melbourne, Australia.