Country Information

Capital: Amsterdam

Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 31 (followed by 20 for Amsterdam, 10 for Rotterdam, and 70 for the Hague)
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services.

Tourist information: Netherlands Board of Tourism, PO Box 523, London SW1E 6NT Tel: (0891) 717 777- 50p/min

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of EU countries (except Finland and Sweden) who hold a valid national ID card. When required they must be valid for at least 3 months after the last day of the intended visit.

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Brunei, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, and Venezuela for up to 3 months. Nationals who do not require a visa to visit a country which is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement. The following do not require visas for any of the Schengen member states. a) EU nationals, b) Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, San Marino, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City.

Health information: No innoculations are compulsary, but please seek medical advice prior to travel.

Food & drink: Water is considered drinkable, normal precautions should be observed with food.

Currency: In common with12 Member States of the European Union (EU), here the Euro is the currency. There are seven different banknotes and eight coins of the Euro. Each participating EU country has coins with one common side and a reverse side specific to each country, while the banknotes look the same throughout the euro area. Exchange: Offices are indicated with the letters GWK. All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in any major international currency; are easily exchanged. ATM availability: Over 6000 locations

Cost of living: Similar to other Western European countries.

Languages: Dutch, English, French and German are also spoken.

Weather: Mild, maritime climate. Summers are generally warm with changeable periods but excessively hot weather is rare. Winters can be fairly cold with the possibility of some snow. Rainfall is prevalent all year.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Approx. 5 days within Europe.

Transport: RAIL: The highly developed rail network is efficient and cheap. ROAD: Excellent road system. BUS: Extensive regional bus services exist. Long distance coach services operate between cities. TAXI: It is less usual to hail a taxi in the street in Holland. They are usually metered. CAR HIRE: Available from airports and main hotels. DOCUMENTATION: An international driving licence is not required as long as the licence from the country of origin is held. A ‘green card’ is advisable but not compulsory.

Special information: English is widely spoken and many locals will willingly use it. Casual clothes are acceptable everywhere. Possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana could lead to a hefty fine or even a jail sentence. Possession of hard drugs will result in immediate imprisonment.

Capital: Oslo

Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 47
Outgoing Code: 095

Emergency telephone numbers: Police 112, Ambulance 113, Fire Department 110,

Tourist information: Norwegian Tourist Board, Charles House, 5 Lower Regent Street, London SW1Y 4LR Tel: (020) 7839 6255 Fax: (020) 7839 6014.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of the EU holding a valid national ID card. Nationals of Austria, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Switzerland, if holding a national ID card. NOTE: Expired passports can not be considered as valid travel documents. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before travelling.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Canada, USA, the EU and Japan. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland; Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Lithuania (for tourism only), Macau, Malawi, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Island, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies is present on the island of Savlbard.

Food & drink: Water is considered drinkable, normal precautions should be observed with food

Currency: Norwegian Krone (Nkr) = 100 øre NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to Nkr 25000.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars, can be exchanged in banks, hotels and shops.
ATM availability: Over 2000 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively expensive as in the other Scandinavian countries

Languages: Norwegian. Lappish is spoken by Sami people in the North. The majority of people also speak English.

Weather: Coastal areas have a moderate climate. Inland areas are more extreme with hot summers and cold winters.

Electricity: 220 volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs are the continental 2 pin type.

Post: 2 -4 days within Europe.

Transport: RAIL: Connects main cities and Sweden. Substantial reductions can be gained through a ‘Scanrail’ pass. ROAD: The road system is of variable quality especially in the North during freezing conditions. BUS: Efficient service. DOCUMENTATION: IDP or national driving licence is required along with the vehicles log book. A ‘green card’ is strongly recommended.

Special information: Punctuality is very important especially if invited to someone’s home. Lunch is the main meal of the day, but it is often eaten as late as 17.00. Casual dress is acceptable everywhere during the day.

Capital: Kathmandu

Time zone: GMT + 5.45

Telephone services: Country Code: 977
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism, Tripureshnawar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: (1) 211 286 Fax: (1) 227 758

Passport information: Valid passports are required by all except nationals of India holding proof of identity. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of India.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended Malaria: Exists in the vivax variety in many rural areas. The falciparum variety has also been reported and is highly resistant to chloroquine.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from infected areas Other Health Risks: Cholera. High Altitude sickness. Japanese encephalitis. Hepatitis A and B. Meningitis.

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: Nepalese Rupee (Rs) = 100 paisa Exchange: Obtain ‘Foreign Exchange Encashment’ receipts when changing currency and retain them as they may be needed when making transactions. NOTE: Import of local and Indian currency is prohibited. Export of local currency is prohibited. Import of foreign currency must be declared.
Amex is widely accepted while MasterCard has a more limited acceptance. Travellers cheques are accepted at banks and major hotels. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Caters for all travellers and budgets

Languages: Nepali, with Maithir and Bhojpuri.

Weather: June – Oct: Summer and monsoon. The remainder of the year is dry. Spring and Autumn is the most pleasant time. Temperatures drop dramatically in the winter

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz

Post: Services are available at most centres. Post boxes should not be used for important communications

Transport: FLIGHTS: A network of domestic flights links major towns. ROAD: The road system is of unpredictable quality. BUS Services operate, but poor state of roads and high incidence of accidents make long-distance bus travel inadvisable. CAR HIRE: Hertz and Avis are present. NOTE: Driving and vehicle maintenance is poor and the cause of frequent accidents. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is valid in Nepal for 15 days. A temporary licence can be obtained on presentation of a national licence.

Special information: FCO ADVISE AGAINST ALL TRAVEL TO NEPAL. Please check their site for latest information. In general travellers should seek local travel advise from the British Consul in Kathmandu. There have been recent outbreaks of political violence in the mid-west region. Do not travel in these areas at present and even on guided parties check that the agency have checked about where disturbances have occurred. The locals are superstitious and religious. Visitors are considered to be ‘polluted’ and are likely to be treated by the locals accordingly. Shoes should be removed before entering a local’s home. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: Do not trek on your own without a professional guide. Always check locally about disturbances. Even where you are in a party it is advisable to take a guide off regular routes regardless of the current security situation. Consider taking comprehensive insurance to cover all physical activities and include helicopter rescue and medical evacuation if you are trekking climbing or white water rafting. Beware of the dangers of high altitude sickness. Travellers should register their presence with their local embassy in Kathmandu. The Indian Airlines 814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hi-jacked on 24 December 1999. Although airport security is improving Nepal is not immune from global terrorism. As of 5th June the airport is closed to all traffic.

Capital: Fort-de-France

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 596
Outgoing Code: 19

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 17, Fire/Ambulance – 18

Tourist information: French West Indies Tourist Office, 178 Piccadilly, London, W1V 0AL Tel: (020) 7629 2869 Fax: (020) 7493 6594.

Passport information: Passport requirements as for France. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: As for France.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Tuberculosis.

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: French Franc (FFr) = 100 centimes Exchange: US and Canadian Dollars are widely accepted.
All major credit cards are accepted, as are travellers cheques, preferably in French francs US dollars. ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Expensive, especially in the tourist centres.

Languages: French (Creole dialect).

Weather: Warm all year round with most rain falling during the Autumn, although showers can occur all year round. Upland areas are cooler.

Electricity: 220/380 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: 1 Week. Airmail must be sent from post offices.

Transport: SEA: Scheduled ferries operate between the main ports. ROAD: The system is well developed and surfaced. BUS: A limited service operates. TAXI: Government controlled, plentiful and reasonably cheap if shared. CAR HIRE: Excellent car hire facilities are available. Bicycles can also be hired. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is recommended, but a national driving licence is sufficient providing the driver has at least one year’s experience.

Special information: The French influence is clearly evident. The usual social courtesies should be applied.

Capital: Nouakchott

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 222
Outgoing Code: International calls go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Société Mauritanienne de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie (SMTH), BP 552, Nouakchott, Mauritania Tel: 251 353 Fax: 253 351.

Passport information: Required by all except nationals of Burkina Faso, Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo Côte d’Ivoire Gabon Gambia Guinea Republic Italy Madagascar Mali Niger Senegal and Sierra Leone who may enter on a national identity card or passport which has expired for no longer than 5 years. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of France and Italy (all other EU member states do need a visa) Members of the league of Arab states (except nationals of Morocco who do need a visa) Burkina Faso Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo Côte d’Ivoire Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Romania Senegal Sierra Leone Togo and Tunisia.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Risk exists throughout the year in the falciparum variety.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for all travellers above one year of age, except travellers arriving from non-infected areas and staying less than two weeks in the country. Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, 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: Mauritanian Ougiya (U) = 5 Khoums NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited
Credit cards and travellers cheques (in French francs) have limited acceptance.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Very inexpensive.

Languages: Arabic and French. English is rarely spoken

Weather: Most of the country is dry and hot with little rain. South – Raining season is July to Sept. The deserts are cool and windy in March and April.

Electricity: 127/220 Volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs = round 2 pin usually used.

Post: 2 weeks to Europe. Postal facilities limited to main cities

Transport: RAIL: 1 line operates between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott which serves passengers for free, however this is not recommended as journeys are often long and arduous. ROADS: Adequate but require 4 wheel drives. Sand storms may obscure vision in the dry season and may be impassable in the wet season.

Special information: Respect should be paid to the Islamic traditions.

Capital: Castries

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 758 Outgoing Code: 011

Emergency telephone numbers: 999

Tourist information: St Lucia Tourist Board, 421A Finchely Road, London NW3 6HJ Tel: (020) 7431 3675 or 431 4045 Fax: (020) 7431 7920.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Canada and the USA with valid proof of identity ( for visits up to 6 months). Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of: Great Britain, Australia, Canada, the USA, EU countries, Japan. Commonwealth countries (except Namibia and South Africa). Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, South Korea, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, San Marino, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, China, Turkey, Uruguay and Venezuela. Transit visitor who continue their journey within 14 days do not require a transit visa. This does not apply to nationals of Cuba or East European countries

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink

Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents Exchange: US$ gain a better rate All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are preferred
ATM availability: 3 locations

Cost of living: Caters for all types of budgets, with deluxe to self-catering accommodation

Languages: English. Local French patois is spoken

Weather: Hot tropical climate with cool sea breezes. Most rainfall occurs during the summer

Electricity: 220 volts AC 50 Hz

Post: Up to 1 week

Transport: ROAD: All major centres are served by a reasonably good road network. BUS: Services connect rural areas with the capital. TAXI: Cheap and easy to use – tipping is unnecessary. CAR HIRE: Available in the towns or at the airport. DOCUMENTATION: On presentation of a national or IDP a local licence will be issued

Special information: St. Lucia is an island of contrasts with lush, green, volcanic vegetation in the interior, and long, unspoilt, white, sandy beaches. Beach wear should not be worn in towns