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Capital: Doha

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 974
Outgoing Code: 0

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999

Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism and Culture, PO Box 1836, Doha, Qatar Tel: 831 333 Fax: 831 518.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket and sufficient funds for stay are required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate will be required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: 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: Qatar Riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams All credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. US dollars and pound sterling are the preferred CURRENCY in travellers cheques
ATM availability: Over 30 locations.

Cost of living: Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world. Accommodation is hotel-based only, ranging from international to standard.

Languages: Arabic. Some English may be spoken

Weather: Summers (June – Sept) are very hot with low rainfall. Spring and autumn are warm and pleasant

Electricity: 240/415 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Up to a week to Europe.

Transport: ROAD: Conditions can be poor when it rains. TAXI: Have black and yellow number-plates and are metered. CAR HIRE: Available from hotels and at the airport. DOCUMENTATION: A 90 day temporary driving permit will be granted on presentation of a national driving licence or IDP.

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 Qatar is more liberal than Saudi Arabia but not as liberal as Dubai or Bahrain. Extra care has to be taken on the roads. It is important to respect Muslim traditions and local customs – dress modestly and behave courteously. There is heavy censorship of pictorial material. Men should not remove shirts in public. Strict Muslim rules apply to all women. Single women may find they are unwelcome in some restaurants and hotels but problems are unlikely for single women in the international hotels. Women should cover shoulders. Swimware is acceptable at hotel pools and on beaches away from the city. Women should dress conservatively and only travel in the back seat when taking a taxi.

Capital: Khartoum

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 249 Outgoing Code: International calls must go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Public Corporation of Tourism and Hotels P.O.Box 7104, Khartoum, Sudan Tel: (11) 781 764. AND Ministry of Environment and Tourism P.O.Box 13226, Khatoum, Sudan Tel: (11) 471 329 Fax: 471 437

Passport information: Passport must have been valid for 6 months. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of Central African republic, Libya, Syria and Tanzania. Required by transit passengers

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the Falciparum variety throughout the year, throughout the country. High resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for passengers over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas and may be required from travellers leaving Sudan. Vaccination is strongly recommended to everyone arriving in Sudan planning to travel outside the urban areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, Rabies and Visceral leishmaniasis

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: Sudanese Pound (Sud £) = 100 piastres and Sudanese Dinar NOTE: Exchange rates are subject to great change and import and export of local currency is prohibited Amex is widely accepted but all other major credit cards are not accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted in sterling only.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Inexpensive, apart from the larger hotels in Khartoum

Languages: Arabic, English, Local dialects are widely spoken

Weather: Extremely hot with sandstorms from Apr – Sept in the Sahara region. Wet season in the south from May – Oct

Electricity: 240 Volts AC, 50 Hz

Post: Up to 1 week to Europe

Transport: Travelling outside the capital requires permission from the Sudanese government. FLIGHTS: Sudan Airways runs services to 20 national airports. ROADS: Outside the main towns roads are usually in very poor condition and unsuitable for travelling during the raining season. Vehicles must be in good condition, with a supply of spare parts, water, food, fuel on board. RAIL: There is an extensive rail network but services are very slow and uncomfortable. NOTE: Travellers must register with the Police headquarters within 3 days of arrival, and Police permission must be obtained before moving to another location within Sudan. DOCUMENTATION: Carnet de Passage, adequate finance and a road worthiness certificate (from embassy) are required. IDP is recommended. Trailers and cars less then 1500cc are refused entry

Special information: EXTREME RISK. British Government can only provide limited Embassy support. However we advise against all but essential travel to Sudan It is inadvisable to travel to any of Sudan’s Southern provinces due to civil war. Contact the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice Unit for up to date information. The Arab culture predominates in the North and in the South the people belong to a number of tribes

Capital: Stockholm

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 46 Outgoing Code: 009

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:-All services – 90 000 / 112

Tourist information: Swedish Travel and Tourism Council, 11 Montagu Place, London W1H 2AL Tel: (020) 7724 5868 or (01476) 578 811 (24 hour brochure request line) Fax: (020) 7724 5872.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, providing they hold a valid national ID card. (for a stay of up to 3 months). Nationals of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway holding travel documents issued for travel between these countries. Nationals of Liechtenstein and Switzerland providing they hold valid national ID cards (for a stay of up to 3 months). Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Canada, USA, EU, and Japan. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (UK Passport holders), Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Malawi, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

Health information: No information is available at present. Please seek medical advice prior to travel.

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

Currency: Swedish Krone (Skr) = 100 øre Personal cheques can be cashed in Swedish banks through the Eurocheque system.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars, are widely accepted.
ATM availability: Over 2 000 locations.

Cost of living: Expensive – similar to other Scandinavian countries.

Languages: Swedish. Lapp and English are also spoken.

Weather: The climate is mild, which varies according to its great length. Summers can be very hot but get shorter further North. The midnight sun can be seen between mid- May and mid-June above the Arctic circle. Winters can be bitterly cold particularly in the North.

Electricity: 220 volts 3 phase AC, 50 Hz. 2 pin plugs are used.

Post: 3 -4 days. Poste Restante is widely available.

Transport: RAIL: There is an extensive rail system. The network is more frequent in the South where there are more people. ‘Scanrail’ cards etc can be purchased. ROAD: Sweden’s roads are well maintained and relatively uncrowded. BUS: Cheap and efficient services are available to all towns. TAXI: Available in all towns and airports. CAR HIRE: Available in most towns and cities.

Special information: Normal social courtesies should be observed. Casual dress is acceptable for social occasions. Sweden is regarded as one of the safest countries in the world and crimes against foreigners are rare.

Capital:

Time zone: GMT + 8

Telephone services: Country Code: 65
Outgoing Code: 005

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999

Tourist information: Singapore Tourism Promotion Board, 1st Floor, Carrington House, 126 – 130 Regent Street, London W1R 5FE Tel: (020) 7437 0033 Fax: (020) 7734 2191.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Passport should be valid for at least six months even for those in transit to neigbouring countries. Return ticket required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the Embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa Required only by the following: Nationals of Afghanistan, Algeria, Cambodia, China, CIS, India, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Vietnam, and Yemen. All other visitors require a 14-day social visit pass which is issued on arrival providing they have a valid passport and return tickets and sufficient funds to cover their expenses during their stay. This may be extended to 3 months on application to the Singapore immigration department at their discretion. For stays of 2 week or longer the passport must be valid for 6 months after departure from Singapore. Visitors from Thailand and the Philippines require a visa if their stay is longer than 14 days.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended, There may be a risk of Typhoid
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Hepatitis A, B and E, Dengue fever.

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

Currency: Singapore Dollar (Sing $) = 100 cents The currency of Brunei is also legal tender.
All credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted, US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 1000 locations

Cost of living: Much more expensive than other S E Asian countries. Hotels range from the new high-class to international standard. Prices start at US$ 100. Singapore is known as the shopping capital, where all types of luxury items can be purchased inexpensively.

Languages: Chinese (Mandarin). English, Malay and Tamil

Weather: Warm and humid throughout the year. No particularly wet or dry seasons. Most rain falls during the Northeast monsoon (Nov – Jan) and showers can be sudden and heavy.

Electricity: 220/240 Volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs are flat 3 pin.

Post: Up to 1 week.

Transport: SEA: Ferry runs frequent service. ROAD: DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required. BUS: Cheap and efficient. TAXI: Numerous and cheap. METRO: Cheap and efficient.

Special information: Singapore has a very low crime rate and very severe penalties for those who break the law. Smoking is widely discouraged and is illegal in public places. The death penalty is applied to some drug offences.

Capital: Ljubljana

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 386 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 94, Fire – 93, Police – 92

Tourist information: Slovenian Tourist Office, 2 Cranfield Place, London NW6 3BT Tel: (020) 7372 3767 Fax: (020) 7372 3763.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of EU countries with a valid ID card. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: These can be issued at border points and are required by all except: Nationals of Australia, Canada, USA, EU, Japan. Nationals of Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Israel, South Korea, Liechtenstein, FYR of Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, Vatican City.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Other Health Risks: Rabies, Tick borne encephalitis

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

Currency: Slovene Tolar (SIT) = 100 stotins Major credit cards are accepted in tourist hotels and restaurants. Travellers cheques can be exchanged. Deutsche Mark or US dollar cheques are preferred.
ATM availability: Over 70 locations

Cost of living: With the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991 and the change to a western type economy, Slovenia is marginally more expensive than the other former states.

Languages: Slovene which is closely related to the Serb-Croat. Some Hungarian and Italian may be spoken.

Weather: The climate is continental. Summers are warm and winters are cold. There is a Mediterranean climate along the coast.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Reasonable internal service.

Transport: RAIL: Intercity trains operate and are relatively cheap. ROAD: There is a good network of high quality roads. However because of the civil war they now effectively end at Zagreb. DOCUMENTATION: Full national driving licences are accepted. International insurance is mandatory for all foreign vehicles with a small number of exceptions.

Special information: Normal social conventions apply. Informal dress is acceptable. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS: Travellers can become targets of pick pockets and purse snatchers, especially at railway stations and airports.

Capital: Freetown

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 232
Outgoing Code: International calls must be made through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: 223 961/5 (Embassy)

Tourist information: National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone, International Conference Centre, Aberdeen Hill, PO Box 1435, Freetown, Sierra Leone Tel: (22) 272 520 or 272 396 Fax: (22) 272 197.

Passport information: Valid passport required. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the Embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Republic, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo ( a return ticket is required by these nationals for visits of less than 90 days.)

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists all year throughout the country in the Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: Vaccination is strongly recommended to all visitors if planning to journey into rural areas. A vaccination certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected areas. 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: Leone (Le) = 100 cents NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to Le 50000.
Amex is accepted, but all other credit cards are unacceptable. Travellers cheques are accepted, in US dollars or sterling, preferably.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Expensive.

Languages: English Krio (widely spoken) other local dialects.

Weather: Climate is tropical and humid all year round. May – Nov = the raining season.

Electricity: 220240 Volts AC 50 Hz Supply subject to variations.

Post: 5 days to Europe.

Transport: ROADS: Secondary roads are impassable during the rainy season. There are many road blocks at night on major roads near the centres of populations. There is a major petrol shortage with up to 48 hour waits at petrol stations. DOCUMENTATION IDP is required.

Special information: EXTREME RISK: The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel. All foreign nationals are being evacuated. A curfew 23:00 to 06:00 is strictly enforced. Due to the coastal curfew small boats must be off the sea by 18:00. People breaking curfew risk being shot. There is little or no cunsular assistance in Sierra Leone.