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Capital: Montevideo

Time zone: GMT – 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 598
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999 (Police – 109, Ambulance – 105, Fire – 104, in Montevideo only)

Tourist information: Ministerio de Turismo, Avenida Libetador 1409, Montevideo, Uruguay Tel: (2) 904 148

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of Uruguay who arrive from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay with a valid ID card, and foreign residents of Uruguay arriving from Argentina with an ID card or residence permit valid for 3 years. Nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay with appropriate identification for stays of up to 90 days. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except the following for stays not exceeding 3 months: Nationals of Great Britain, EU countries, USA, Japan, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Seychelles and Switzerland, and holders of re-entry permits.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Recommended for Typhoid, incidents of Polio have not been reported
Other Health Risks: Rabies

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

Currency: Uruguayan Peso = 100 centesimos
Exchange: Hotels not recommended as they tend to give unfavourable rates – use gambios and banks. NOTE: Inflation tends to lead to wide fluctuations in exchange rates All credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are acceptablec
ATM availability: Over 60 locations

Cost of living: The coastal resorts tend to be more expensive than the capital. Travellers are advised to book well in advance if visiting Uruguay. More people visit Uruguay than any other South American country.

Languages: Spanish. English may also be spoken.

Weather: Mild summers and winters. Summer is Dec – Mar and the most pleasant time. Nights are often cool.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs are continental flat 3 pin or round 2 pin.

Post: Airmail to Europe takes 3 – 5 days. Postal rates are reasonable but the service can be unreliable. It is recommended that important items are sent by registered mail.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Domestic flights are operated between major centres but can be very expensive compared to other modes of transport. RAIL: Services operate between the capital and the major towns. Buffet service is available, air conditioning isn’t. ROAD: 80% of roads are suitable for all weather. BUS: Services connect all the main towns and border points. CAR HIRE: Available in Montevideo. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended but not required. A temporary driving licence must be obtained from the town hall.

Special information: Although Uruguay is relatively peaceful, visitors should be wary of street crime, especially in Montevideo. Shaking hands is the usual social greeting. Normal social courtesies should be applied.

Capital: Mbabane

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 268 Outgoing Code: International calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Ministry of Broadcasting, Information and Tourism, PO Box 338, Mbabane, Swaziland Tel: 42761 Fax: 42774 or 46 953

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Recommended though not essential. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of: Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Cyprus, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Ghana, Guyana, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay, W. Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in certain areas in the Falciparum variety. resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Meningitis (recommended), 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: Lilangeni (E) = 100 cents South African Rand is also accepted as legal tender Amex and MasterCard are widely accepted. Visa is accepted on a more limited basis. Travellers cheques are accepted in Pound sterling preferably
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Hotels and recreational facilities in the Holiday Valley complex in Ezulwini are expensive

Languages: English and Siswati

Weather: Weather can be changeable due to the high altitude. Lowlands are the hottest and the higher lands have the most rain between Oct – march

Electricity: 20 Volts AC 50 Hz Plugs = 15amp round pin

Post: Up to 2 weeks

Transport: ROADS: Generally in good condition. BUS: Numerous buses connect various parts of the country some of which are non – stop. CAR HIRE: A number of companies operate. DOCUMENTATION: National driving licences are valid for up to 6 months provided they are printed in English. IDP is recognised

Special information: Those wanting to camp in villages should see the village chief. PHOTOGRAPHY: Permission should be asked. Photos of national buildings and the royal family are prohibited. Do not camp near houses or graveyards without being granted permission. Avoid downtown areas of Mbabane and Manzini after dark

Capital: Cockburn Town

Time zone: GMT – 5 (GMT -4 from first Sunday in April to Saturday before the last Sunday in October)

Telephone services: Country Code: 1649
Outgoing Code: 01

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 911

Tourist information: Turks and Caicos Tourist Information Office, International House, 47 Chase Side, Enfield, EN2 6NB Tel: (020) 8364 45188 Fax: (020) 8367 9949.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Canada and the USA if holding proof of identity. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU countries, Japan. Nationals of commonwealth countries. Nationals of Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Quatar, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Yemen and Zaire. Transit visas are not required except for nationals of communist countries.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Drinking water should be filtered and boiled and visitors should avoid eating food purchased from local street vendors. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: US Dollar (US$) = 100 cents.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques are widely accepted, preferably in US dollars.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Extremely expensive. Hotels range from standard to 2 luxury and 2 deluxe, with private beaches and moorings.

Languages: English

Weather: Tropical climate with cool winds. Nights are cool with rain in the winter.

Electricity: 110 volts AC

Post: 5 days

Transport: ROAD: Less than a quarter of the roads are tarred. TAXI: Available at the airport but may be scarce meaning they may have to be shared. CAR HIRE: Limited selection available from local firms. DOCUMENTATION: A local licence is obtainable on presentation of a national or IDP licence.

Special information: The islands consist of 30 in total, forming the southern eastern Bahamas chain. Access is primarily by boat, although the larger islands have airports. Turks and Caicos are a British Dependant Territory.

Capital: Tashkent

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (3712 for Tashkent).
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 03

Tourist information: Uzbektourism, 13 Marylebone Lane, London W1 Tel: (020) 7935 1899 Fax: (020) 7935 9554

Passport information: Passports required by all and must be valid for 6 months prior to departure date. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure

Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of CIS countries and some of the former Eastern block countries. All visitors are advised to contact the relevant authority for a full list of regulations

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Risk exists near the Afghan border
Other Health Risks: Diphtheria is endemic. Rabies and Cholera are also health risks. Vaccinations for Hepatitis are also recommended

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 Som is now the official currency, which was introduced in 1994
Cash is the only real form of currency, US Dollars are the preferred foreign currency. Exchan ge: use banks and official bureau de change. NOTE: The import and export of local currency is prohibited
Credit cards and travellers cheques are not accepted
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: The limited variety of goods that are available are extremely inexpensive

Languages: Uzbek. Russian, Tajik, Kazakh and English are also spoken

Weather: Continental Climate. South is the warmest. Summer temperatures can be very hot. The most comfortable time to visit is during the spring or Autumn

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Round 2 pin continental plugs are standard

Post: Letters to Western Europe and the USA take between two weeks and two months

Transport: ROAD: A reasonable road network exists. BUS: Services connect the major towns and cities. TAXIS: Can be found in all major centres. Many licences are unlicensed which should be avoided. Travellers are advised to agree the fare in advance and not share with strangers. Use the old and new (since independence) street names when asking for directions. DOCUMENTATION: IDP will be required when car hire is introduced

Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers should exercise extreme
caution and make only necessary journeys to this country. If you intend to travel depite this advice you should be aware that due to recent bombings in Tashkent tourists are advised to exercise caution. Although the situation is returning to normal; there is still a possibility of further bombing. Keep valuables out of sight. There is terrorist activity and kidnappings in some areas of the country. Long distance travel by train should be avoided. Do not leave the compartment unattended and lock the door. It is not recommended to use local airlines as they are not always regularly maintained. Shorts are rarely worn and women should be prepared for unwelcome attention from the local male population if they wear them.

Capital: Dodoma

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 255 Outgoing Code: International Calls must go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Tanzania Tourist Board, PO Box 2485, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Tel: (51) 113 145 Fax: (51) 116 420

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 by all except nationals of: Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Brunei, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Grenada, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, São Tomé, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tonga, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and holders of Tanzania re-entry pass.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists all year round throughout the country in the Falciparum variety. High resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for all travellers over 1 year of age travelling from infected countries.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia; Rabies. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

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: Tanzanian Shilling (Tsc) = 100 cents Exchange: Authorised dealers or bureaux de change NOTE: The import and export of local currency is prohibited.
MasterCard and Visa have only limited acceptance. Travellers cheques can be cashed at authorised exchange bureaux, such as Forex. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Hotels and accommodation generally are expensive.

Languages: Swahili and English. Other languages are also spoken.

Weather: Tropical climate. The raining season is Mar – May along the coast. Highlands raining season is from Nov – Dec and Feb – May. Cooler season: June – May.

Electricity: 240 Volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs may be round or square 3 pin, fused or unfused.

Post: 5 days by airmail to Europe.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Air Tanzania runs regular flights between the main towns. RAIL: Regular trains run between the main cities. ROADS: The roads network is good, although the rainy season makes minor roads impassable. It is inadvisable to drive at night because of the wild animals. There are often petrol shortages and a lack of spare parts. BUS TRAVEL: Is often hazardous. CAR HIRE: Companies operate but are extremely expensive. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended.

Special information: HIGH RISK: in Zanzibar. Travel is usually problem free but the incidence of robberies and muggings is rising and travellers should exercise caution on beaches; public transport and in stationary vehicles in Dar es Salaam; especially after dark. Beware of bogus policemen. Bus travel can be hazardous because of frequent fatal accidents. Travellers should avoid border areas. Visitors should register with the High Commission.

Capital: Kampala

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 256
Outgoing Code: International calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Uganda Tourist Board, PO Box 7211, Parliament Avenue, Kampala, Uganda, Tel: (41) 242 196 fax: (41) 242 188 Uganda National Parks and Wildlife Authority Office Tel 232 971

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 by all except nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Cyprus, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Hong Kong, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Kuwait, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Madagascar, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Vanuatu; Zambia, Zimbabwe. Transit passenger with a connecting flight. With effect from 1 March 1999, British nationals require a visa to enter Uganda. British nationals travelling up country should consult the British High Commission in Kampala (Tel: 257 054/9)

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists all year throughout the country. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: Vaccination is strongly recommended to all passengers and a vaccination certificate is required by passengers arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Meningitis, Rabies. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

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: Uganda Shilling (Ush) = 100 cents
Exchange: central bank, commercial banks and exchange bureaux. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited
Visa is widely accepted, but other credit cards have limited acceptance. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars are accepted
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Since a new privatisation programme was introduced in the last few years, the cost of living has risen

Languages: English and Luganda and Kiswahili is also widely spoken

Weather: The higher altitudes can be quite cool. There is heavy rain: Mar – May, Oct – Nov

Electricity: 240 Volts Ac 50 Hz

Post: Airmail to Europe can take 3 days to several weeks

Transport: FLIGHTS: Domestic flights operate regularly between major cities. ROAD: Vary in quality and are sparse in the North. DOCUMENTATION: A national driving licence or IDP is required. RAIL: Passenger facilities are limited and timetables can be erratic although regular services operate. BUS: Services are often overcrowded and unreliable

Special information: HIGH RISK Consult the Embassy before travelling. The South and West are not safe for travel after recent kidnapping. Safety can not be guaranteed in the North and Northeast. Risk remains elsewhere of armed robbery and car-jackings. Do not travel after dark. Taking photos of anything connected to the military is prohibited.