Capital: Yerevan
Time zone: GMT + 4
Telephone services: Country Code: 374
Outgoing Code: Outgoing calls to countries outside the CIS must be made through the operator. Long waits are inevitable
Emergency telephone numbers: Not present
Tourist information: Intourist, 219 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9PD Tel: (020) 7538 8600 Fax: (020) 7538 5967.
Passport information: Valid passport required by all and must be valid for 3 months from the point of departure. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before travelling.
Visa information: Visa required
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Other Health Risks: Rabies.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: The official currency is the Armenian Dram introduced to replace the Rouble in 1993.
The exchange rate is stabilising but rapid inflation is possible. US Dollars and Russian Roubles are sometimes used in official transactions. NOTE: The import and export of local currency is prohibited for non-residents. Import and export of foreign currency is unlimited by non-residents if declared on arrival.
Neither credit cards or travellers cheques are generally accepted.
ATM availability: 2 locations.
Cost of living: High inflation: all luxury goods are very expensive and in short supply.
Languages: Armenian and Russian.
Weather: Continental climate: Summers are hot and dry but temperatures fall at night. Winters are very cold with heavy snowfalls.
Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz. Power cuts are frequent.
Post: International services are severely disrupted and extremely erratic with infrequent deliveries made. Letters may be more efficiently handled if posted via Paris but may still be subjected to considerable delay.
Transport: ROAD: Surfaces can be very poor even in the case of major highways. Supplies of fuel and parts are limited. Driving standards are poor. COACHES: Run between major centres of population.
Special information: NOTE: A cease-fire has been in place since May 1994 but the dispute over Nagrony Karabakh remains unresolved and border areas with Azerbaijan should still be avoided. Travel at night outside the capital Yerevan should be avoided if possible. It is not clear whether maintenance procedures for local aircraft are observed. Visitors are advised to travel by an International airline departing from outside Armenia. Visitors should avoid discussing politics with the local population.