Country Information

Capital: Yangon (Rangoon)

Time zone: GMT + 6.30

Telephone services: Country Code: 95
Outgoing Code: 0

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Myanmar (Burma) Travel Ltd., 95 Lillie Rd., London, SW6 7SX. Tel (020) 7610 3779 or Burma (Myanmar) Travel Services, 36c Sisters Avenue, London SW11 5SQ, Tel/Fax: (020) 7223 8987.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return ticket required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in certain areas especially below 1000m in the Falciparum variety, which is reported as being highly resistant to chloroquine with resistance to Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate will be required if arriving from an infected area.

Other Health Risks: Cholera is a serious risk, Japanese Encephalitis, Plague, Filariasis, Dengue fever and Rabies. Trachoma is present.

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: Kyat (MMK) = 100 pyas NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited. Only 25% of foreign currency changed to Kyats can be re converted on exit. Keep receipt for customs checks on exit.
Credit cards are not accepted, but travellers cheques can be exchanged.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Can be high when compared with South East Asian countries standards especially when considering the low cost tourism facilities Myanmar has to offer.

Languages: Burmese. Over 100 district languages are spoken. English is often spoken in business circles.

Weather: Monsoon climate with 3 main seasons: Feb – May = hottest season with little or no rain. May – Oct = Rainy season. Oct – Feb = cooler.

Electricity: 220/230 Volts Ac 50 Hz

Post: Up to 1 week to Europe. It is recommended that correspondence is taken to the post office and registered for which a small fee will be charged.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Is the most efficient way to move around Myanmar, but delays are frequent and scheduled flights are limited. Following two fatal crashes in 1998 British Government employees have been instructed NOT to use Myanma Airways (NOTE: this is a different company from Myanma Airways International) SEA/RIVER: Regarded as the best way to see Myanmar but as delays are frequent allow plenty of time. ROAD: DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required. BUS: There are long distance buses but these are not recommended due to their condition and the condition of the roads. RAIL: Several good services operate. Tickets should be purchased 2 hours in advance.

Special information: HIGH RISK: in travel to Tachilek and Mai Sai border areas. Keep to officially designated tourist areas. All internal travel must be by train road or air. Cycling and hitchhiking are strongly discouraged. Do not photograph military personnel or installations. Political tension is high causing risk of sectarian violence. Avoid discussion of politics. Respect towards religious beliefs should be shown.

Capital: Ulan Bator

Time zone: GMT + 9 (GMT + 8 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 976 (Followed by 1 for Ulan Bator).
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Mongolian Tourism Association PO Box 10/195, Ulan Bator, Mongolia.- 1 Prime Minster Amar Street, Ulan Bator 13, Mongolia Tel: (1) 323 363 or 320 219 Fax: (1) 323 363 or 320 219.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of Kazakhstan (up to 90 days), nationals of Malaysia (for up to 28 days), nationals of the Philippines (up to 21 days), nationals of Singapore, Poland, Romania and North Korea (up to 14 days).

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: Tugrik (MNT) = 100 mongos Exchange: Commercial banks in Ulan Bator and bureau de change at certain hotels.
Credit cards are accepted by main commercial banks and large hotels. US dollars are the preferred currency in travellers cheques.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Very cheap for Mongolians although visitors are expected to pay ten times the prices charged to locals. Ask the price before you eat. Independent travel can be relatively cheap although tour groups may be charged very high prices.

Languages: Khalkha Mongolian. Many dialects are spoken

Weather: Cool climate with short, mild summers and longer severe winters.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Airmail to Europe takes up to 2 weeks

Transport: FLIGHTS: Internal flights are operated by Air Mongol. NOTE: It is not known whether maintenance procedures are properly carried out on internal flights. RAIL: The main route runs from North to South. ROAD: Paved roads can only be found in or near major cities. Most of the roads are unpaved. BUS: Services run between towns. CAR HIRE: Available through tourism companies.

Special information: NOTE: As communications within Mongolia are poor, providing consular assistance can be difficult. Visitors may only enter Mongolia by air or train. Entry overland by other means is not permitted. Religious customs should be respected. Do not talk about death, divorce or accidents as mentioning these is considered a bad omen and will be taken seriously. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: Street crime is on the increase in Ulan Bator and visitors should exercise caution, do not go out on foot after dark.

Capital: Macau

Time zone: GMT + 8

Telephone services: Country Code: 853
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999 (subject to change)

Tourist information: Macau Tourist Information Bureau, 6 Sherlock Mews, Paddington Street, London W1M 3RH Tel: (020) 7224 3390 Fax: (020) 7224 0601.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: May be obtained on arrival in Macao. Nationals of countries, which do not maintain diplomatic links with Portugal must obtain their Visas in advance from Portuguese consulates overseas, and may not obtain them on arrival in Macao. Visas are required by all except: Nationals of Brazil. India, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland and Thailand for stays of less than 20 days. Residents of Hong Kong holding a Hong Kong Identity card. for a visit up to 90 days. Nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU, Japan for stays of less than 20 days. Narcotics, firearms, endangered species of animal and plants and pesticides.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis A and B, Oriental liver and oriental lung fluke and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome may occur in this area.

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: Pataca (MOP) = 100 avos MasterCard is accepted. Travellers cheques may be changed at hotels, banks and bureau de change. Cheques in US dollars are the preferred CURRENCY.
ATM availability: Over 20 locations.

Cost of living: Visitors may expect to pick up a variety of bargains since Macau is a free port. A wide range of accommodation, suitable for all budgets, is available.

Languages: Portuguese and Chinese (Cantonese). English may be spoken by those involved in tourism.

Weather: Sub – tropical climate with very hot summers. There is a raining period during the summer months. Winds can reach gale force and typhoons are not unheard of.

Electricity: Usually 220 Volts AC 50 Hz.

Post: 3 – 5 days

Transport: ROAD: There are 5 bus routes in he city. CAR HIRE: Available. TAXI: Fares should be agreed in advance. DOCUMENTATION: IDP not required from drivers from the UK.

Special information: Macau is a mixture of Portuguese, Chinese and Western culture, the visitor can experience all of these in one location. Violent crime is quite rare although residential burglaries and pick-pocketing is a problem.

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: Rome

Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 in summer)

Telephone services: Country Code:39 Note the leading zero IS required for city codes eg. 06 for Rome; 02 for Milan; 011 for Turin; 081 for Naples; 041 for Venice and 055 for Florence including when dialling locally. Mobile phones DO drop the zero. IDD: International Direct Dialling is avilable-NOTE telephone codes changed in December 1998. From then, the leading zero is required when calling both within Italy and from abroad; even within the same telephone district. For example, to call the British Embassy in Rome, previously 482 5441 from within Rome; 06 482 5441 from the rest of Italy; and +39 6 482 5441, has now become 06 482 5441 from anywhere in Italy (including Rome) and +39 06 482 5441 from outside Italy. This does not apply to mobile phones (for which there are many “area” codes), which still drop the leading zero. Outgoing Code:00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:-Police – 112, Ambulance – 113, Fire – 115

Tourist information: Italian State Tourist Office (ENIT), 1 Princes Street, London W1R 8AY Tel: (020) 7408 1254. Press 1 to bypass recorded message. Fax: (020) 7493 6695.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden with a valid national ID card. Nationals of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, and Switzerland if carrying national ID cards. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before travelling.

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada, USA, Japan. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (British Nationals), Hungary, Iceland, Jamaica, Kenya, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City, Serbia and Montenegro, for stays not exceeding 3 months. Nationals of Venezuela for visits not exceeding 60 days. Nationals of Israel for stays not exceeding 30 days.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies.

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

Currency: In common with 12 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. Mastercard, Visa and Diners Club are all widely accepted. ATM availability: Over 20 000 locations.

Cost of living: Cities and tourist centres can be very expensive, especially at centres of historical or religious importance.

Languages: Italian with dialects in different regions. French (in border areas from the Riviera to the area North of Milan. Slovenian spoken in provinces. German, French and English may be spoken in cities and resorts.

Weather: Summer is hot, especially in the South. Spring and Autumn are mild. Winter is much drier in the South. Mountain regions are colder with heavy snowfalls.

Electricity: 220 volts Ac, 50 Hz.

Post: 7 – 10 days but may be subject to delays. Letters for Poste Restante should be addressed to Fermo Post and the Town. When sending mail underline the destined country and write the person’s surname in capitals.

Transport: RAIL: Simple, but cheap and efficient. ROADS: BUS: Services connect main towns and local services also operate. CAR HIRE: Available in all the main towns. DOCUMENTATION: A ‘Green Card’ must be carried or other insurance. A UK licence is valid but ‘Green’ licences will need to be translated.

Special information: Considerable seismic activity is continuing on Mt. Etna (Eastern Sicily.) Climbing Mt. Etna is prohibited without a guide. The Roman Catholic church holds a high position in Italian society. Visitors must dress conservatively when visiting religious buildings and smaller traditional communities. Theft is quite common, especially in the cities. It is advisable to remain extremely alert at all times. The Mont Blanc Tunnel will be closed for the forseeable future due to an accident early in 1999.