Country Information

Capital: Warsaw

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 48
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 997, Fire – 998, Ambulance – 999

Tourist information: Polish National Tourist Office, First Floor, Remo House, 310 – 312 Regent Street, London W1R 5AJ Tel: (020) 7580 8811 Fax: (020) 7580 8866.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of the UK for tourists or business visits not exceeding 6 months. Nationals of all other EU countries for periods not exceeding 90 days. Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Honduras, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, South Korea, Malta, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, and the USA for visits not exceeding 90 days. Nationals of Bulgaria, Cuba, Estonia Hungary, Macedonia, (FYROM), Mongolia, Romania, for visits not exceeding 30 days Nationals of CIS countries providing they hold an official invitation or vouchers from travel agencies (except nationals of Uzbekistan) who do require a visa.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis.

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

Currency: Zloty (Zl) = 100 grozy Exchange: border crossing points, hotels. NOTE: Import and export of local currency by non-residents is prohibited.
All major credit cards and travellers cheques are accepted. Travellers cheques in German Deutschmarks are preferred.
ATM availability: Over 500 locations.

Cost of living: Prices are no longer as cheap as they once were.

Languages: Polish. There is a German-speaking minority. English and French may also be spoken.

Weather: Temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters. Rain falls throughout the year

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Continental sockets are used

Post: 4 days. Poste Restante facilities are available throughout the country

Transport: ROAD: BUS: There are good regional bus and coach services. CAR HIRE: Various car rental agencies operate and rental also available at the airport. DOCUMENTATION: Travellers using their own cars should have car registration cards, a ‘green card’ for insurance purposes an valid insurance. An IDP is recommended although not compulsory.

Special information: Visitors are made welcome by the Poles, who are a very hospitable. Roman Catholicism plays an important role in daily rural life. Conservative casual wear is acceptable for the day. More formal attire is suitable for social evenings out. Visitors are advised to register with a hotel or local authorities within 48 hours of arrival. There is a serious risk of personal robbery on trains and at main rail stations. Passengers are at most risk when boarding trains. Never leave property unattended.

Capital: Windhoek

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 264
Outgoing Code: 09

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 1011, Ambulance – 2032276, Fire – 2032270

Tourist information: Namibia Tourism, Private Bag 13346, Windhoek, Namibia Tel: (61) 284 0111 Fax: (61) 221 930

Passport information: Valid passport required by all, must be valid for 6 months after the date of leaving Namibia. Return Ticket Required. Requirement may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa Not required by nationals of EU countries (except Greece which do require visas) for stays of up to 3 months. Nationals of Angola Australia Botswana Brazil Canada CIS Cuba Iceland Japan Kenya Lesotho Liechtenstein Mozambique New Zealand Norway Singapore South Africa Swaziland Switzerland Tanzania USA Zambia Zimbabwe for up to 3 months.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Malaria exists within certain areas during periods of the year in the Falciparum variety
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by those arriving from infected areas excluding those under 1 year of age. If arriving by scheduled flights and are in transit a certificate will not be required if passengers do not leave the airport.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, 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.

Currency: Namibian Dollar (N$) = 100 cents South African Rand (r) is also still in use. CC: Widely accepted. NOTE: All currency must be declared at the point of entry. Import and export of local currency is limited to N$500.
Credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques in German DM currency are widely accepted
ATM availability: 34 locations

Cost of living: Moderately expensive in urban areas but reasonably inexpensive in rural locations

Languages: English, Afrikaans, German and African languages are spoken.

Weather: The coast is cool and rain free most of the year. Inland rain falls between Oct – Apr. Summer temperatures are high.

Electricity: 220/240 Volts AC, Plugs are of the 3 pin type

Post: 4 days to 2 weeks. Good airmail service available

Transport: ROADS: Are well maintained. FLIGHTS: Are often the most economic way to travel. The national airline links all the major cities. RAIL: Trains operate between the main cities and offer first class and sleeping facilities. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: Western customs prevail. EXTREME RISK: in Caprivi and Kavango. Do not travel to Caprivi because of a state of emergency and do not enter the Sperrgebeit (prohibited diamond area). Also avoid the Angola border where there has been military action. Take advice locally on which areas to avoid. Do not enter the townships at night.

Capital: San Juan

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 787
Outgoing Code: 011

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 787 343 2020; Fire – 787 343 2330; All services – 911

Tourist information: Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association; Suit 702; Plaza Centre; 954 Ponce de León Avenue; Miramar; Sancturce 00907; San Juan; Puerto Rico Tel: 725 2901 Fax 725 2913.

Passport information: Same as the USA

Visa information: Same as the USA

Health information: Polio; Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia and Rabies

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

Currency: US Dollar (US$) = 100 cents. All major credit cards accepted. US dollars are preferred for travellers cheques
All credit cards are accepted and travellers cheques are easily exchanged
ATM availability: Over 630 locations

Cost of living: Accommodates all types of travellers.

Languages: Spanish. English is widely spoken.

Weather: Hot tropical climate. The temperature varies little throughout the year. Cooler in upland areas

Electricity: 120 volts AC; 60 Hz.

Post: Up to 1 week

Transport: ROAD: TAXI: A special service called a ‘Linea’ will pick up and drop off passengers where they wish. They operate between San Juan and most towns at a fixed rate. CAR HIRE: Available at the airport and city agencies. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is required. BUS: Services operate in the cities although usually stop at 2100.

Special information: As well as offering lavish entertainment, notably casinos and a variety of nightlife, in the interior there are anthropological sights of interest, such as a replica of a Taino Indian village, near Guayama.

Capital: Antananarivo

Time zone: GMT + 3

Telephone services: Country Code: 261
Outgoing Code: 16

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Antananarivo, Madagascar Tel: + [2612] (20) 22 27749, Fax: + [2612] 022 26690 email: ukembant@simicro.mg British Consulate in Toamasina: email: sealtmm@bow.dts.mg

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the falciparum variety all year and throughout the country. The highest risk is along the coast. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from everyone arriving from areas considered by the Malagasy authorities to be infected.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, Rabies, Hepatitis A, B and E are endemic. Dysentery and many viral diseases have been reported.

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. Observe strict food hygiene to guard against cholera.

Currency: Malagasy Franc (MGFr) = 100 centimes NOTE: Non-residents can not export local currency.
Credit cards are accepted in the capital’s major hotels. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks and major hotels, French francs preferred.

Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive. Hotels vary from international prices to cheaper guest-houses.

Languages: Malagasy and French. Local dialects are also spoken. Very little English is spoken

Weather: Generally hot and subtropical. Nov – Mar is the raining season and Apr – Oct is the dry season. The South and West are hot and dry. During Dec to Mar the monsoon may cause storms and cyclones. Mountainous regions are hot and thundery from Nov to Apr and dry, cool and windy the rest of the year.

Electricity: Mostly 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are generally 2 pin.

Post: No information available at present

Transport: FLIGHTS: Most of Madagascar can be reached by air. Air Madagascar’s ‘Air Tourist Pass’ is available and allows unlimited travel for certain periods. SEA/RIVER/CANAL: There are many coastal transport services. RAIL: Services operate in the East, North and South. ROAD: The road network is need of repair and many are impassable during the raining season. BUS: Services are often unreliable. A flat fare is charged irrespective of length of journey. TAXI / RICKSHAW / STAGECOACH: Available.

Special information: The locals are very welcoming and have a very relaxed attitude towards time. To offer money for board and lodging could be considered an insult; tact is required. Respect should always be paid to local taboos. Carry a photocopy of your passport and leave the original in a safe place. PHOTOGRAPHY: Do not take photographs of military establishments or the police.

Capital: Skopje

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

Telephone services: Country Code: 389
Outgoing Code: 99

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

Tourist information: See Embassy or the Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice Unit (020 7270 3000 – switchboard).

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa Required by all except: Nationals of EU countries (except nationals of Greece who do need a visa). Nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Iceland, Hungary, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation (except Uzbekistan), San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Nationals of Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Botswana, India, Niger, Pakistan, Philippines, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe provided holding prior approval from the ministry of Internal Affairs.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis

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

Currency: Macedonian Denar = 100 deni Credit cards are accepted on a limited basis, in the capital only. Travellers cheques, preferably in German Deutschmarks or US Dollars, are easily exchanged.
ATM availability: 7 locations.

Cost of living: Macedonia is the poorest of the former Yugoslav republics. Tourists can expect to pay more for goods than the locals.

Languages: Macedonian. Albanian, Turkish, Roma and Serbo – Croat are also used by ethnic groups

Weather: Continental climate with hot summers and very cold winters

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: 2 – 3 days within Europe, except for Serbia and Greece, with which communications are currently uncertain.

Transport: The situation is subject to change at short notice due to political uncertainty. Contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice Unit for up-to-date information. RAIL ROAD: Are currently operating but are crowded and slow moving.

Special information: EXTREME RISK: The British Foreign Office advises against travel at this time. If you intend to travel, despite these warnings you should be aware that apart from safety considerations, accommodation is extremely difficult to obtain. Travellers should be vigilant – avoid travel in the areas close to the border and should not cross into Serbia. Day-to-day business often moves very slowly or not at all, due to the local bureaucracy.

Capital: Bamako

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 223
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Ministry of Industry, Handicrafts and Tourism BP 1759, Bemako, Mali Tel: 228 058. Fax: 230 261

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except nationals of Benin Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia in possession of a valid ID or a passport expired not more than five years. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Consult embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except the nationals exempt from passport requirements.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year in the falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by travellers over one year of age arriving from all countries.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera 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: XOF Franc (XOF Fr) = 100 centimes Exchange: should be available from most banks however sufficient time must be allowed. French Franc notes are sometimes accepted in cash transactions.
Limited use of MasterCard and Visa. They are accepted in the capital city only. Travellers cheques: French francs are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world and is looking to develop a tourist industry.

Languages: French and some African languages are also spoken.

Weather: Jun – Oct is the rainy season. Oct – Feb = Cool season. Mar – May = Hot season.

Electricity: 220 Volts Ac, 50 Hz. Larger towns in Mali have their own locally generated supply.

Post: Airmail takes approximately two weeks to Europe. International post is limited to main towns and central post offices.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Limited provision. ROADS: Range from moderate to very bad. Driving can be difficult during the raining season. Police check points frequently interrupt journeys.

Special information: There has been a rapid increase in violent incidents in Northern Mali. Three Dutch citizens were found murdered on 7 March in the north-east and Western aid workers have been attacked. The FCO advise against travel in the Kayes region near the border with Mauritania and in the area near the border with Niger. Religious customs should be respected. The people are very proud of their traditions. Discussion of politics should be avoided. Travel to the north of the country should be avoided; and in some cases visitors should only travel in groups.