Aileu is the primary township located within the Aileu District of Timor-Leste. It is situated approximately 47 kilometers (29 miles) southwest of Dili, which serves as the nation's capital. As of 2015, the township had a recorded population of 2,788 residents.
The name Aileu translates to "bent tree" in the Mambai language. Historically, during the period of Portuguese Timor, the city was known as Vila General Carmona, named after the Portuguese dictator António Óscar Carmona; however, it was renamed following World War II.