Country Information

Capital: Riga

Time zone: GMT + 2 ( GMT + 3 in summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 371
Outgoing Code: 810

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 03, Police – 02, Fire – 01

Tourist information: National Tourism Board of Latvia, Pils laukums 4, Riga LV 1050, Latvia Tel: 722 9945 Fax: 722 9945.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Must be valid for 2 months after period of stay. NOTE: Palestinian passports are not recognised. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Holders of British passports. Nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Republic of Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, the Slovak Republic, the USA and the Vatican city for a maximum stay of 90 days, and nationals of Hungary for a maximum stay of 30 days. Nationals of those countries may also travel to Lithuania and Estonia. Other nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada and nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Belize, Chile, Cyprus, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Uruguay, Venezuela are entitled to apply for visas on arrival.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies, Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, and Hepatitis.

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

Currency: 1 Latvian Lat (Ls) = 100 santims
Exchange: the banking system is still being developed but there are bureaux de change in most post offices, hotels and railway stations.
Credit cards and travellers cheques are only accepted on a limited basis. The preferred foreign currencies are US dollars and the German Deutschemark.
ATM availability: Over 10 locations

Cost of living: Generally less expensive than Western Europe

Languages: Latvian. Russian is increasing. English, German and Swedish may also be spoken

Weather: Temperate climate but with considerable temperature fluctuations. The Summer is warm with relatively mild weather in spring and autumn. Winters can be very cold

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. European style 2 pin plugs are used.

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes 3 – 4 days.

Transport: RAIL: Reasonably developed network connects Riga with the other main towns. ROAD: There are good connections from Riga to all other parts of the country. BUS: A better form of transport than trains in Latvia. CAR HIRE: Available through hotels. Reservations are recommended.

Special information: Latvians can appear rather reserved and formal, but very welcoming to foreign visitors. Tourists should exercise caution as petty crime is a problem. Carry a copy of your passport as ID.

Capital: Tripoli

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 218
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.

Tourist information: Department of Tourism and Fairs, PO Box 891, Sharia Omar Mukhtar, Tripoli, Libya Tel: (21) 333 2255 Telex: 20179

Passport information: Valid passport required by all, except holders of Palestinian identity documents or ID issued to nationals of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Consult embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa Required by all except nationals of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen who must hold a ‘No Objection’ certificate or return tickets. NOTE: Very difficult to obtain tourist visas.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: A small risk exists in certain areas.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for visitors arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera and Rabies are present.

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

Currency: Libyan Dinar (LD) = 100 Dirhams NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited.
Visa and Diners Club have a limited acceptance. Travellers cheques in US dollars are widely accepted
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Libya has great internal wealth, but due to it’s foreign policy can not form constructive trade links with U.N. states.

Languages: Arabic, some English and Italian.

Weather: The climate is warm all year round. It can be cool in the evenings. Some rainfall Nov – Feb

Electricity: 150/220 Volts AC, 50 Hz. There are many power cuts.

Post: Takes approximately 2 weeks to Europe, can be erratic and unreliable.

Transport: ROAD: Petrol is available but spare parts are difficult to obtain. Driving standards are poor. TAXI: Fares should be agreed in advance. CAR HIRE: Available in Tripoli and Benghazi.

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 diplomatic relations are slowly being restored with Libya and the international community. Travellers can expect travel arrangements to be a little slow. Great care should be exercised in using cameras.

Capital: Chisinau

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 373
Outgoing Code: International calls go through the operator

Emergency telephone numbers: Consult hotel on arrival.

Tourist information: Moldova – Tur, 4 Stefan cel Mare, 2058 Chisinãu, Moldova Tel: (2) 262 569 Fax: (2) 262 586.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all – must be valid for 6 months from date of arrival required by all. In certain cases additional documentation may be required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except nationals of the former Soviet Union.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies, Hepatitis B.

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

Currency: 1 Leu (l) = 100 bani Exchange: Foreign currencies can be exchanged in hotels or bureaux de change. Moldova is essentially a-cash only economy.
Credit cards and travellers cheques (US$) are accepted on a limited basis
ATM availability: Unavailable

Cost of living: Reasonably inexpensive

Languages: Russian. Romanian.

Weather: The climate is pleasant and mild. The autumns are crisp and sunny and there is sometimes snow in the winter.

Electricity: 1220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: All mail to and from Moldova is subjected to long delays of up to 6 weeks. It is advisable to send recorded delivery to avoid loss.

Transport: ROAD: the road network covers 10 000km. TAXI: These can be found in front of the main hotels housing foreigners. Fares should be negotiated in advance although drivers prefer to charge per hour. Taxis run mostly on liquid gas hence the bottles, which are stored in the boot leave little room for luggage. CAR HIRE: Is available. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: Dress should be casual but conservative. Expensive jewellery and cameras should be kept out of sight. Travel to Transdniestria should be avoided, since it is not under Moldovan government control and the security situation is not under control. Do not share taxis with strangers.

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: Pyongyang

Time zone: GMT + 9

Telephone services: Country Code: 82
Outgoing Code: 001

Emergency telephone numbers: Police: 112; Fire & Emergency: 119

Tourist information: Korean National Tourism Corporation; 20 St George Street; London W1R 9RD Tel: (020) 7409 2100 Fax: (020) 7491 2302.

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. For full details contact the embassy for an up to date list of requirements for different nationalities.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Other Health Risks: Cholera; Japanese Encephalitis.

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: Won (SKW. NOTE: if the amount of foreign currency is greater than US$ 10 000 in value it must be registered on arrival. Export of local currency is limited to SKW 500 000.
All credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted; but may be difficult to cash in smaller towns. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 1 000 locations.

Cost of living: Caters for all types of budget. Hotels are government registered. Travellers usually opt to stay in Yogwans; the traditional Korean inn; which are reasonably priced; self-catering is available. Internal travel is inexpensive and reliable.

Languages: Korean.

Weather: Hottest during the raining season = July – Aug. Coldest = Dec – Jan. Spring and Autumn are mild and mainly dry.

Electricity: 110/220 Volts AC 60 Hz

Post: Approximately 10 days. Outside the capital services are slow and unlimited.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Frequent domestic services operate between main centres. ROAD: Excellent motorways link all major cities but minor roads may be poorer quality. BUS: Inexpensive and frequent services operate but are often overcrowded and make no allowances for English speakers. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required.

Special information: Korean culture is unique; incorporating a vivid portrayal of self-identity. Traditional agrarian culture persists in rural areas whilst the cities are a blend of history and technology. Shoes must be removed when entering someone’s house. Use the right hand for passing and receiving.