General Information on countries
TIME: GMT + 8. Beijing time is standard throughout China. AREA: 9,596,960 sq km (3,705,406 sq miles). POPULATION: 1.3 billion (2008). LANGUAGE:The official language
is Mandarin Chinese.
English is spoken by many guides and in hotels. Many taxi drivers do not speak English.
RELIGION:China
is officially Atheistic, but the stated religions and philosophies are
Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Places of historic and scenic interest
may be photographed, but permission should be sought before
photographing military installations, government buildings or other
possibly sensitive subjects.
ELECTRICITY: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin and three-pin sockets are generally in use. However, most 4 & 5 star hotesls are also wired for the use of 110 volt appliances. SOCIAL CONVENTIONS:The Chinese do not usually volunteer information and the visitor is advised to ask questions. Do not be offended if you are followed by a crowd; this is merely an open interest in visitors who are rare in the remoter provinces. The Chinese are generally reserved in manner. Although handshaking may be sufficient, a visitor will frequently be greeted by applause as a sign of welcome. The customary response is to applaud back. If using chopsticks, do not position them upright in your rice bowl as the gesture symbolises death. Toasting at a meal is very common, as is the custom of taking a treat when visiting someone's home, such as fruit, confectionery or a souvenir from a home country. If it is the home of friends or relatives, money may be left for the children. PASSPORTS: Required by all
nationals Passports must be valid for
a minimum of 6 months for a single entry, 12 months for a double entry
or six month multiple entry and 18 months for a 12 month multiple entry
visa.
Note
(a) China does not recognise dual nationality.
(b) HIV-positive travellers are not permitted to enter the country. VISAS:
Required by all nationals except
(a) 1. nationals of the UK travelling to Hong Kong only for stays of up to 180 days; (b) 2. all nationals travelling only to Macao for stays of up to 90 days (except nationals of the USA for stays up to 30 days; and nationals of the UK for stays up to six months); (c) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting plane to another country within 24 hours who hold valid onward documentation and do not leave the airport; (d) some passengers (not including nationals of the USA or UK) who transit through both Shanghai airports only, with all necessary documentation, within 48 hours. Visa Note:- (a) Journalists need to apply for accreditation from the press department of the Chinese embassy before applying for a visa.
(b) Business travellers are required to provide an official invitation from the company or institution in China when applying for a visa. Types of Visa and Cost: The following prices apply for UK applicants from 1st November 2009.
Tourist/Business/Transit UK nationals: £30 (single-entry); £45 (double-entry); £90 (multiple-entry; six months); £150 (multiple-entry; 12 months and 24). Group (at least five people): £24 per person. The express service costs £30. For all applications PLUS a Service Processing Fee of £35.00 per passport. Validity:Single entry visas are normally valid for three months, double entry for six months.
for current information see: www.visaforchina.org.uk CAMBODIA: TIME: GMT + 7.AREA: 181,035 sq km (69,900 sq miles).POPULATION: 14.2 million (UN estimate 2008).
LANGUAGE: Khmer is the official language and spoken by 95% of the population. Chinese and Vietnamese are also spoken. French was widely spoken until the arrival of the Pol Pot regime and is still taught in schools, but English is now a more popular language to learn among the younger generation. RELIGION: 95% Buddhist (Theravada), the remainder Muslim and Christian. Buddhism was reinstated as the national religion in 1989 after a ban on religious activity in 1975. ELECTRICITY: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are in use. Power cuts are frequent. SOCIAL CONVENTIONS: Sensitivity to politically-related subjects in conversation is advisable. Avoid pointing your foot at a person or touching someone on the head. Women should keep their shoulders covered and not wear shorts when visiting pagodas. PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least four months after date of return from Cambodia required by all nationals referred to in the chart above. Passport must be valid for six months if applying for an e-visa. VISAS : Required by most nationals Note:
Visitors arriving by air can obtain a visa for stays of up to 30 days
on arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport Phnom Penh or Siem Reap
International Airport,
Angkor. Visas are also available from Immigration at the border posts
of Bavet, Poi Pet and Koh Kong. E-Visas can now be obtained on-line. |
TIME: GMT +8 hours Taiwan is 394 kilometers (254 miles) long by 144 kilometers (89.5 miles) wide.
The Central Mountain Range bisects Taiwan along a north-south axis; about two-thirds
of the island is covered with forested mountains. Jade Mountain (Yushan),
with an elevation of 3,952m (12,966 feet), is the highest mountain in East Asia.
The rest of the island is made up of foothills, terraced flatlands,
coastal plains, and basins. Over the past fifty years,
Taiwan has experienced remarkable economic success
and a spectacular rise in living standard. POPULATION: The Population of Taiwan is over 23 million.
Most of the people originally migrated to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland CAPITAL: Taipei with a population of about 2.6 million.
The city is the political, cultural, and economic center of the island.
LANGUAGE:Mandarin Chinese is the official language in Taiwan. The most commonly used foreign language is English.
CLIMATE: Taiwan's climate is subtropical, with average annual temperatures of 22¢J (71.6¢K)
in the North and 25¢J (77¢K) in the South. Summer, June through September,
is usually warm and humid, with temperature ranging from 25¢J (77¢K) to 34¢J (93.2¢K).
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at the airport, government-authorized banks, tourist hotels, and large department stores. Major credit cards and traveler's checques are acceptable at large stores, restaurants, and international tourist hotels. Taxes/Tipping: A 10% service charge and 5% value-added tax are automatically added to room rates and meals. In general, tipping is not needed. VISAS: Entry Visas: Holders of United Kingdom passports can enter Taiwan without a visa for up to 90 days.. CLIMATE: Vietnam is large enough to have several distinct climate zones.The North has four distinct seasons, with a comparatively chilly winter (temperatures can dip below 15°C in Hanoi), a hot and dry summer and pleasant spring (March-April) and autumn (October-December) seasons. In the Central regions the weather is somewhere in between, only just to confuse things here the rainy season is in the summer, not the winter.The South is hot, humid and tropical, with temperatures hovering in the 25-30°C all year round, but it rains the most from May to November. TOURIST VISA: Most visitors to Vietnam, except citizens of Nordic or ASEAN countries, South Korea and Japan, require a visa in advance. A single-entry tourist visa valid for 30 days costs around €35 (although exact fees vary depending on issuing country) and takes around 4-7 days to process; express visas take 2-3 days at twice the price. Visas are now generally valid for all entry and exit points. LANGUAGE: Vietnamese, spoken by most of the population, is
a tonal language and definitely not easy to master. It is written in a
Latin-based script, making maps and signs relatively easy to
understand. More than 20% of the modern Vietnamese vocabulary
originally came from Chinese, so travelers fluent in other East Asian
languages may find some similar words. LAOS: TIME: GMT + 7.AREA: 236,800 sq km (91,400 sq miles). POPULATION: 6 million (2008).CAPITAL: Vientiane. Population: 702,000 (2007 estimate).LANGUAGE : The official language is Lao; however, many tribal languages are also spoken. French, Vietnamese and some English are spoken.RELIGION: The majority of the Lao people are Buddhists. ELECTRICITY: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin flat or round plugs. SOCIAL CONVENTIONS: Religious beliefs should be respected. Lao people should not be touched on the head and women should not touch monks. Handshaking is not that usual; Lao people greet each other with their palms together and a slight bowing of the head. Take care when discussing politics and related subjects in conversation so as not to cause offence. Shorts or revealing clothes are not always acceptable. Shoes must be removed when entering a religious building or somebody's home. It is a legal requirement to carry an ID document or a passport, and fines for not having one for presentation on demand can be high. The Lao government prohibits sexual relationships, including sexual contact between foreign citizens and Lao nationals, except when the two parties have been married in accordance with Lao family law. Penalties for failing to register a relationship range from fines to imprisonment. VISAS: Required by all nationals except citizens Luxembourg for a maximum of 15 days.
Note: A 15-day visa on arrival
is now available for nationals arriving at Vientiane
Airport, Luang Prabang Airport or Friendship Bridge;
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