Country Information

Capital: Gaborone

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 267
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 351161

Tourist information: Dept of Tourism, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Private Bag, 0047, Gaborone, Botswana Tel: 353 024 or 313 314 Fax: 308 675

Passport information: A valid passport is required by all and must be valid for 6 months. Return ticket required. May be subject to change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: No information available at present.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Falciparum variety present.
Other Health Risks: Rabies; Bilharzia; Cholera; Rabies; Ticks; Sleeping sickness 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: Pula (P) = 100 thebes Note: Export of local currency is limited to P500.
Credit cards are accepted on a limited basis. Travellers cheques are accepted, but the surcharge may be high.
ATM availability: 27 locations.

Cost of living: Comparable with western Europe.

Languages: English and Setswana.

Weather: Oct to Apr – Hot and Wet season. May to Sept – Cooler and Drier.

Electricity: 220/240 Volts AC, 50 Hz Plugs – 13 amp socket.

Post: 1 – 3 weeks by airmail

Transport: AIR, RAIL AND BUS: Major cities are linked by these networks. ROAD: tarmac roads are limited mostly being sand tracks. Reserves of water and fuel should always be taken. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended for stays up to 6 months, after which a Botswana driving license must be obtained.

Special information: Casual clothing is acceptable. Respect for the traditional way of life must be displayed. Do not take photographs of airports, official residences and military and defence establishments.

Capital: Minsk

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 375
Outgoing Code: International calls go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 02, Ambulance – 03, Fire – 01

Tourist information: Intourist, 219 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9FJ Tel: (020) 7538 8600 Fax: (020) 7538 5967.

Passport information: Passport must be valid for 6 months after departure. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of the CIS republics. Transit visas are required if crossing Belarus to reach Ukraine or the Baltic States but not if travelling to the Russian Federation.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Poliomyelitis, Rabies.

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

Currency: Belarusian Rouble
Exchange: Should only take place at authorised bureaux and the transaction must be entered on the currency declaration form which will be issued on arrival. Amex and Visa are accepted in larger towns. Travellers cheques are not widely accepted but are preferable to cash. It is advisable to take hard currency as well.
ATM availability: 5 locations.

Cost of living: An improving economy exists with cheap to moderately priced goods available.

Languages: Belarusian, but Russian is also spoken by 13% of the population.

Weather: Temperate continental climate.

Electricity: 220 volts AC 50 Hz, adapters are recommended.

Post: At least 10 days. Larger hotels offer Poste Restante facilities.

Transport: RAIL: 5590km of rail track is in use. ROAD: Tourists can only drive on approved routes. Valid visa and passport, insurance certificate and customs form guaranteeing the visitor will not take the car out of the country, Intourist documentation with the approved route and accommodation to be used must be carried at all times. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: The people of Belarus offer a welcoming and friendly hospitality to visitors. It is advisable to take warm clothing in winter and waterproofs throughout the year. Avoid dairy produce and mushrooms, which can carry high levels of radiation. Theft is a problem so exercise caution in major cities.

Capital: Belmopan

Time zone: GMT – 6

Telephone services: Country Code: 501

Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 911

Tourist information: Caribbean Tourism Organisation, 42 Westminster Gardens, Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RR Tel: (020) 7222 4335 Fax: (020) 7222 4325.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the High Commission before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all, but it is advisable to contact the High Commission before departure as regulations are subject to change.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists throughout the year excluding the urban areas predominately in the benign Vivax form.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Cholera.

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: Belizean Dollar (BZ$) = 100

Amex and Visa are widely accepted. MasterCard can also be used but to a more limited extent. US Dollars is the preferred currency for travellers cheques.

ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Caters for all travellers and budgets.

Languages: English is the official language but Spanish is spoken by over half the population.

Weather: Sub-tropical climate, hot and humid. Monsoon season June – September.

Electricity: 110/220 Volts Ac 60 Hz.

Post: Up to 5 days to Europe

Transport: FLIGHTS: Charter and scheduled flights operate between the main towns. ROAD: All weather roads link the main towns in the country although torrential rain during the monsoon season often makes these impassable. CAR HIRE: International companies exist in the main cities. DOCUMENTATION: A national driving licence is acceptable.

Special information: HIGH RISK. DUE TO DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANE KEITH THE FCO ADVISE AGAINST ALL HOLIDAY AND OTHER NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL TO AMBERGRIS CAYE AND CAYE CAULKER. Petty crime is common and mugging is a problem in major cities. Travel in groups if possible. Common sense rules should be applied. It is inadvisable to discuss politics with the locals.

Capital: Ottawa

Time zone: Canada has 6 time zones from GMT – 3.5 in Newfoundland to GMT – 8 on the Pacific Coast.

Telephone services: Country Code: 1
Outgoing Code: 011

Emergency telephone numbers: 911 or 0 (depending on province).

Tourist information: Visit Canada Centre, 62 – 65 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DT Tel: (0891) 715 000 (50p/min.) or (0891) 715 000 (general information)

Passport information: A passport valid for at least one day beyond the intended departure date from Canada is required. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of: Great Britain, Australia, USA, Japan, EU countries and others. NOTE: Visa regulations are subject to change at short notice, it is advisable to check with the nearest Canadian Consulate, Embassy or high commission prior to travel.

Health information: No information available at present.

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

Currency: Canadian Dollar (Can $) = 100 cents.
Credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques in Canadian dollars are preferred
ATM availability: Over 13 000 locations.

Cost of living: Prices are similar to Western Europe. They are also dependent on season and province.

Languages: English. Quebec – French.

Weather: Summers are warm and sunny whilst winters can be very cold, especially in the North.

Electricity: 110 Volts AC 60 Hz. American style flat, 2 pin plugs are standard.

Post: 5 – 7 days.

Transport: FLIGHTS: About 75 airlines operate national services. RAIL: Services are extensive across Canada. ROADS: Extensive covering vast distances. COACH: One of the cheapest and most convenient ways of travelling the country. Each region is well served by networks of coach-lines. CAR HIRE: Available in all cities and airports to drivers with full licences over 21 years of age. DOCUMENTATION: Visitors may drive with their national driving licences for up to 3 months in all provinces.

Special information: Smoking has been barred from most public places.

Capital: Bangui

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 236
Outgoing Code: Calls should go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not available at present.

Tourist information: Fonds du Developpment et Touristique, BP 2327, Bangui, Central African Republic Tel: 611 351 Fax: 610 975. Office National Centrafrican du Tourisme (OCATOUR) BP 655, Bangui, Central African Republic Tel: 614 566

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of:- France, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Monaco, Niger, Senegal, Togo and Zaïre holding a national ID card or passport expired for no longer than five years. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all, except nationals of France and Greece, providing they are carrying written proof that they are travelling on business. Also nationals of, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Israel, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Mauritius, Monaco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Switzerland, Togo, Zaïre and nationals of Lebanon providing they are carrying written proof of purpose of visit. Visas not required by those travelling to a third country on the same aircraft.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Precautions recommended falciparum form is prevalent. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required on arrival, by all travellers over one year of age. Other Health Risks: Cholera. A vaccination certificate is required by all travellers. Bilharzia, Meningitis and Rabies are also 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: CFA franc (CFA Fr) = 100 centimes.
Exchange: Us currency circulates freely.
Major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are widely welcomed
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Tourists can expect to pay high prices.

Languages: French is the official language and is essential for business. The native language is Sango

Weather: Hot all year round especially in the Northeast. The Monsoon in the south is May – Oct

Electricity: 220/380 Volts Ac 50 Hz

Post: Airmail takes 1 week although it is often much longer. Poste Restante is available in Bangui. Postal and telecommunication systems are currently being developed.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Domestic flights are limited to chartered planes. RIVER: River-boats operate along the Ubangi but can be very slow. ROAD: Good roads connect the main towns but are impassable during the raining season. Travellers must carry as much petrol as possible as deliveries to stations outside the towns are infrequent. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: HIGH RISK The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office strongly advise against travel unless essential. The border with Cameroon is closed and armed guards are targeting tourists. Visitors should dress modestly in Muslim areas and respect customs. Ensure you do not smoke or drink in public places during Ramadan. PHOTOGRAPHY: Be cautious and ask permission before taking photographs.

Capital: Kinshasa

Time zone: Kinshasa and Mbanaka GMT + 1 Haut Zaïre, Kasai, Kivu and Shaba GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 243 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Office Nationale du Tourisme, BP 9502, 2a/2b avenue des Orangers, Kinshasa-Gombe, Democratic Republic of Congo Tel: (12) 30070

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

Visa information: Visa required. Obtain prior to travel.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists all year round in the Falciparum variety throughout the country. Reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers over one year of age.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, Plague, 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: Zaïre (Z) = 100 makuta has been replaced by the Congolese franc (July 1999).
Exchange: There is a large market for exchanging money but this is illegal.
NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited. The purchase of airline tickets can only be made with officially exchanged money.
All major credit cards are accepted on a limited basis in Kinshasa, only. Travellers cheques are accepted in large towns and cities. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: All travellers are considered extremely wealthy by local people and will be charged accordingly

Languages: French and many local dialects.

Weather: North: Dry season = Dec – Mar. South: Dry season = May – Oct. It can be humid throughout the year.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz

Post: Takes 4 – 18 days to reach Europe.

Transport: There are indefinite restrictions on tourist travel within DRC. Overland journeys by hitchhiking or local public transport or foreign vehicle are forbidden. Nothing runs on time. Don’t take any roads marked on a map as anything other than a possibility. ROADS: These are amongst the worst in Africa. Drivers are required to move as far off the road as possible when the Presidential cavalcade approaches. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended. RIVER: This is one of the best ways to travel, although can be unreliable due to river shortages.

Special information: EXTREME RISK: Eastern Zaire should be considered a war zone. There is extreme risk in DRC and you are recommended not to travel there. If travel is essential this should only be to Kinshasa and you should only travel in daylight.