DILI, East Timor -- Tiny East Timor, counting down to its independence in a few days, is Asia's poorest country and will need considerable international assistance in the years ahead, the United Nations said on Monday.

The UN Development Program (UNDP) said in a report that East Timor was Asia's poorest nation in terms of financial and human development, with annual per capita GDP of just $478.

Its human development indicators put it among the world's 20 poorest countries -- alongside nations such as Rwanda and Angola, Reuters reported.

East Timor will declare independence in the early hours of May 20 following centuries of Portuguese colonization and more recently 24 years of brutal Indonesian rule.

"Now that independence is achieved, the problems of poverty and economic growth still remain to be tackled and considerable international assistance will be needed in the years ahead," said the report, released on the eve of a two-day meeting of foreign donors in the capital Dili.

The UNDP said war-ravaged Afghanistan did not fall under its definition of Asia.

East Timor, home to some 740,000 people, has been under UN administration since late 1999 after an overwhelming vote to break free from Indonesian control triggered an orgy of violence and looting from pro-Jakarta militias who opposed the move.