Country Information

Capital: Managua

Time zone: GMT – 6

Telephone services: Country Code: 505
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 118, Fire – 265 0162, Ambulance – 265 1761.

Tourist information: Instituto Nicaragüense de Turismo (Inturismo), Hotel Intercontinental, 1 cuadra al Oeste y L cuadra al Lago, Managua, Nicaragua Tel: (2) 281 137 or 227 185 Fax: (2) 281 187

Passport information: Valid passport required by all, valid for a further 6 months (minimum). Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and the UK for up to 90 days (all other nationals do require a visa) Nationals of Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hungary, Honduras, Liechtenstein, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists in the Vivax variety from June to Dec in the rural areas and the outskirts of towns
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by travellers over one year of age arriving from infected areas.
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: Nicaraguan Gold Córdobe (NIO) = 100 centavos.
Credit cards have limited use. Travellers cheques are accepted, preferably in US dollars.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive but accommodation is in short supply.

Languages: Spanish. English is also spoken along the Mosquito Coast.

Weather: Tropical climate. Raining season = June – Nov. The mountains in the North are much cooler

Electricity: 110 Volts AC, 60 Hz

Post: Up to 2 weeks. Poste Restante is available in Managua

Transport: ROADS: Tarred roads exist to San Juan del Sur and Corinto. CAR HIRE: Available in Managua or at the airport. This is the most convenient way of travelling because public transport if often over crowded. DOCUMENTATION: National licences are only valid for 30 days. BUS: There is a service to the main towns, booking seats in advance is recommended. TAXI: Fares should be agreed in advance.

Special information: HIGH RISK: Hurrican Keith in 2000 caused severe flooding. Travel is still affected but conditions are improving. Check with embassy on arrival. Violent outbursts and bandit like activities do take place preceding major political events. Be prepared for for pick pocketing during your stay. Do not walk alone at night. PHOTOGRAPHY: Avoid taking photos of military installations.

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: 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.