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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: Beijing

Time zone: GMT + 8

Telephone services: Country Code: 86
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 110, Fire – 119.

Tourist information: China National Tourist Office, 4 Glentworth Street, London NW1 5PG Tel: (020) 7935 9787 Fax: (020) 7487 5842.

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. Visas cannot be obtained on arrival. Heavy fines are levied for overstays of visa validity.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists throughout the country below 1500m in the Falciparum variety, which has been reported being highly resistant to Chloroquine.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by anyone 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: Yuan (Renminbi RMB) = 10 chiao/jiao or 100 fen Exchange: there is only one national bank which has 30 000 branches. In hotels and certain stores luxury items such as spirits may be bought in Western currency. All credit cards are valid in major provincial cities in designated establishments. US dollars are the preferred currency in travellers cheques.
ATM availability: Over 60 locations

Cost of living: China is still predominantly an agrarian community in spite of the recent Westernisation of it’s major cities. Consequently, prices vary substantially from region to region and city to city.

Languages: Mandarin Chinese. Cantonese, Fukienese, Xiamenhua and Hakka. English may sometimes be spoken.

Weather: Great variations in climate. Northeast = Hot and Dry summers with very cold winters. North and central has a continental rainfall, hot summers and cold winters. Southeast = Substantial rainfall, with semi tropical summer and a cool winter.

Electricity: 220/240 Volts AC, 50Hz.

Post: Approx. 1 week. All postal communications should be addressed “People’s Republic of China’

Transport: Independent travel is becoming increasingly possible and further information can be obtained from the Chinese National Tourist office (address above.) ROAD: Most places can be reached by road but many are of poor quality. BUS: reasonable bus services operate in the main cities.

Special information: Visitors are sometimes greeted by applause as a sign of welcome. The usual expected response is to applaud back. People often stare and spit. Personal theft is common. Since 1988 free travel to Tibet has ceased. China issues approximately 1000 visas a year for guided excursions. PHOTOGRAPHY: Do not take photos of airports and always seek permission before taking pictures of individuals.

Capital: Santa Fe de Bogota

Time zone: GMT – 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 57
Outgoing Code: 90

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 112 (01 in smaller towns and rural areas)

Tourist information: Ministerio de Desarollo Economico, Carrera 13, No 28-01, Pisos 5-9, Santa Fe de Bogota DC, Columbia. Tel: (1) 320 0077 Fax: (1) 287 6025., Corporacion Nacional de Turismo, Apdo Aereo 8400, Calle 28, No 13A-15, 16º-18º, Santa Fe de Bogota DC, Columbia. Tel: (1) 283 9466 Fax: (1) 284 3818.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all with 6 months validity except nationals of Chile and Ecuador travelling direct from their respective countries and holding national identity cards. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Not required by tourists staying less than 90 days. NOTE: Visitors must show proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay. Nationals of The People’s Republic of China, Taiwan and Haiti do require visas, whatever the purpose of their visit. All visitors must obtain an exit stamp from the security police before leaving. (Best obtained at the airport or in the main cities.)

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in low lying and rural areas in the Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: Vaccination recommended
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Hepatitis and 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: Peso (Col$).
Exchange: The US$ is the easiest to exchange at hotels, banks, shops and travel agencies.

All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are preferred. These are easier to exchange in the larger towns.
ATM availability: Over 2,500 locations.

Cost of living: Accommodation and commodities are moderately priced in the cities

Languages: Spanish. Local Indian dialects and English is also spoken

Weather: Hot and humid with a raining season between May – Nov. Cooler climate in the upland areas

Electricity: 110/120 Volts AC, US 2 pin plugs are used.

Post: Airmail usually takes 5 – 7 days. International post boxes are yellow.

Transport: FLIGHTS: There is an excellent network of domestic flights and the large distances between cities makes this method of transport more convenient. ROAD: Highways connecting the main cities have recently been completed. Roads are usually passable except during the raining season. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is required.

Special information: Guerilla attacks on the periphery of Bogota and other urban centres are intensifying. Kidnapping and criminal violence remain problems especially in rural and border areas extreme caution is therefore required. Road journeys are dangerous and so is travel after dark. Personal safety and possessions are at risk at all times. Thus, whilst not specifically advising against travel to Colombia, great caution is needed and conditions cannot be guaranteed. Corruption is commonplace in Columbia.