Vietnam

Vietnam

AREA	331,114 sq km (127,844 sq miles).
POPULATION	75,355,200 (1996).
POPULATION DENSITY	227.6 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Hanoi.
CAPITAL POPULATION	2,154,900 (1993).
GEOGRAPHY	Vietnam shares borders to the north with the People's Republic of China and to the west with Laos and Cambodia. The South China Sea lies to the east and south. The land is principally agricultural with a central tropical rainforest.
GOVERNMENT	Socialist republic since 1980. Gained independence from France in 1954. Head of State: Chairman Trân Duc Luong since 1997. Head of Government: Prime Minister Phan Van Khai since 1997.
LANGUAGE	Vietnamese is the official language. English, French, Chinese and occasionally Russian and German are spoken.
RELIGION	Buddhist majority. There are Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaist and Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) minorities.
STANDARD TIME	GMT + 7.
ELECTRICITY	220 volts AC, 50Hz.

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Vetican City State Holy See

Vetican City State Holy See

AREA	Vetican City State Holy See
POPULATION	1500 (1995).
POPULATION DENSITY	3400.0 per sq km.
CAPITAL
CAPITAL POPULATION
GEOGRAPHY	The Vatican City is situated entirely within the city of Rome, sprawling over a hill west of the River Tiber, and separated from the rest of the city by a wall. Vatican City comprises St Peter's Church, St Peter's Square, the Vatican and the Vatican Gardens.
GOVERNMENT	The State of the Vatican City came into existence in 1929. Head of State and Government: His Holiness Pope John Paul II since 1978.
LANGUAGE	Italian and Latin are the official languages, though most international languages are spoken to some extent.
RELIGION
STANDARD TIME	GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in September).
ELECTRICITY	220 volts, 50Hz.

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Vergin Islands US

Vergin Islands US

AREA	347.1 sq km (134 sq miles).
POPULATION	97,120 (1997).
POPULATION DENSITY	280 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas).
CAPITAL POPULATION	12,331 (1990).
GEOGRAPHY	The islands are situated 64km (40 miles) east of Puerto Rico and comprise some 50 islands covered with lush tropical vegetation. St Thomas is long and narrow, rising abruptly to a ridge with an excellent deep-water harbour. St John is covered partly in bay forests. St Croix consists of 215 sq km (83 sq miles) of rolling ex-plantation land.
GOVERNMENT	US External Territory (Unincorporated). Gained a measure of self-government in 1954. Head of State: President William Clinton since 1993. Head of Government: Governor Charles Wesley Turnbull since 1999.
LANGUAGE	English is the official language. Spanish and Creole are also widely spoken.
RELIGION	Christian, mainly Protestant.
STANDARD TIME	GMT - 4.
ELECTRICITY	120 volts AC, 60Hz.

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Vergin Island British

Vergin Island British

AREA	153 sq km (59 sq miles).
POPULATION	18,727 (1997).
POPULATION DENSITY	122.3 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Road Town, Tortola.
CAPITAL POPULATION	5000 (1997).
GEOGRAPHY	The British Virgin Islands are an archipelago of more than 60 islands and cays, only 16 of which are inhabited, forming the northern extremity of the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. They are situated approximately 100km (62 miles) east of Puerto Rico, adjoining the US Virgin Islands. The islands are volcanic in origin, with the exception of Anegada, which is formed of coral and limestone and is the lowest lying. The topography is otherwise mountainous, the highest point being Tortola's Sage Mountain, which rises to 550m (1800ft). There are remnants of a primeval rainforest on Tortola.
GOVERNMENT	British Dependent Territory since 1672. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor David Mackilligin since 1995. Head of Government: Chief Minister Ralph O'Neal since 1999.
LANGUAGE	English
RELIGION	Mainly Methodist and Church of God, but also Anglican, Adventist, Baptist and Roman Catholic congregations.
STANDARD TIME	GMT - 4
ELECTRICITY	110/60 volts AC, 60Hz. American 2-pin plugs are used.

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Venezuela

Venezuela

AREA	912,050 sq km (352,144 sq miles).
POPULATION	22,777,000 (1997).
POPULATION DENSITY	25.0 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Caracas.
CAPITAL POPULATION	3,435,795 (metropolitan area, 1990).
GEOGRAPHY	Venezuela is bounded to the north by the Caribbean, to the east by Guyana and the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by Brazil, and to the west and southwest by Colombia. The country consists of four distinctive regions: the Venezuelan Highlands in the west; the Maracaibo Lowlands in the north; the vast central plain of the Llanos around the Orinoco; and the Guyana Highlands, which take up about half of the country.
GOVERNMENT	Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1830. Head of State and Government: President Hugo Chávez Frías since 1999.
LANGUAGE	Spanish is the official language. English, French, German and Portuguese are also spoken by some sections of the community.
RELIGION	90% Roman Catholic.
STANDARD TIME	GMT - 4 (GMT - 5 in summer).
ELECTRICITY	110 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style 2-pin plugs are the most commonly used fittings.

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Vanuatu

Vanuatu

AREA	12,190 sq km (4707 sq miles).
POPULATION	177,400 (1997).
POPULATION DENSITY	14.6 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Port Vila (Island of Efaté).
CAPITAL POPULATION	33,700 (1997)
GEOGRAPHY	Vanuatu, formerly called the New Hebrides, forms an incomplete double chain of islands stretching north to southeast for some 900km (560 miles). They are situated approximately 2250km (1407 miles) northeast of Sydney, Australia, and 800km (500 miles) west of Fiji. Together with the Banks and Torres islands, the chains comprise about 40 mountainous islands and 40 islets and rocks. The islands are volcanic in origin and there are five active volcanoes. The Ambrym and Lopevi volcanoes are permanently active and highly dangerous. Lopevi was extinct for many years but became active 50 years ago. Further to the south, on the island of Tanna, is Yasur, cited as the most accessible active volcano in the world and a major tourist attraction. Geophysical activity is under constant monitoring by the French scientific organisation, ORSTOM. Most of the islands are densely forested and mountainous with narrow bands of cultivated land along the coasts.
GOVERNMENT	Republic. Gained independence from the UK/France in 1980. Head of State: President John Bani since 1999. Head of Government: Prime Minister Donald Kalpokas since 1998.
LANGUAGE	Bislama (Pidgin English), English and French are the official languages. This most widely used day-to-day language is a Melanesian mixture of French and English. French and English are widely spoken and both English and French names exist for all towns. There are more than 100 local dialects.
RELIGION	Mostly Christian, including Presbyterian, Anglican, Roman Catholic and several other denominations.
STANDARD TIME	GMT + 11.
ELECTRICITY	220/380 volts AC. Australian 3-pin plugs are in use.

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Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan

AREA	447,400 sq km (172,740 sq miles).
POPULATION	23,667,000 (1997).
POPULATION DENSITY	52.8 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Tashkent.
CAPITAL POPULATION	2,126,000 (1992).
GEOGRAPHY	Uzbekistan is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Turkmenistan to the west, Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast and Tajikistan to the east and has a colourful and varied countryside. The south and east are dominated by the Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alai mountain ranges and the Kyzyl Kum desert lies to the northeast. The northwestern autonomous region of Karakalpakstan is bounded by the Aral Sea and the sparsely populated Ustyurt Plateau with its vast cotton fields.
GOVERNMENT	Republic. Declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Head of State: President Islam Karimov since 1990. Head of Government: Prime Minister Utkir Sultanov since 1995.
LANGUAGE	The official language is Uzbek, a Turkic tongue closely related to Kazakh and Kyrgyz. There is a small Russian-speaking minority. Many people involved with tourism speak English. The Government has stated its intention to change the Cyrillic script to the Latin.
RELIGION	Predominantly Sunni Muslim, with Shia (15%), Russian Orthodox and Jewish minorities.
STANDARD TIME	GMT + 5.
ELECTRICITY	220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round 2-pin continental plugs are standard.

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Uruguay

Uruguay

AREA	176,215 sq km (68,037 sq miles).
POPULATION	3,203,000 (1996).
POPULATION DENSITY	18.2 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Montevideo.
CAPITAL POPULATION	1,383,660 (1992).
GEOGRAPHY	Uruguay is one of the smallest of the South American republics. It is bounded to the north by Brazil, to the southeast by the Atlantic, and is separated from Argentina in the west and south by the River Uruguay, which widens out into the Rio de la Plata estuary. The landscape is made up of hilly meadows broken by streams and rivers. There is a string of beaches along the coast. Most of the country is grazing land for sheep and cattle. Montevideo, the most southern point of the nation, accommodates more than half of the population. About 90% of the land is suitable for agriculture, although only 12% is used in this way. Uruguay is known as the 'Oriental Republic' because it stands on the eastern bank of the Rio de la Plata.
GOVERNMENT	Republic since 1967. Gained independence from Spain in 1828. Head of State and Government: President Jorge Batlle since 1999.
LANGUAGE	Spanish. Some English is spoken in tourist resorts.
RELIGION	Roman Catholic.
STANDARD TIME	GMT - 3.
ELECTRICITY	220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are continental flat 3-pin or round 2-pin.

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United States

United States

AREA	9,809,155 sq km (3,787,319 sq miles).
POPULATION	9,809,155 sq km (3,787,319 sq miles).
POPULATION DENSITY	27.6 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Washington, DC.
CAPITAL POPULATION	543,213 (1996). Nineteen other cities have a population larger than that of Washington, DC. New York is the largest city, with a population of over seven million. Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, Phoenix and Dallas had estimated populations of over one million in 1994.
GEOGRAPHY	Covering a large part of the North American continent, the United States of America shares borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south and has coasts on the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The State of Alaska, in the northwest corner of the continent, is separated from the rest of the country by Canada, and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific Ocean. One of the largest countries in the world, the USA has an enormous diversity of geographical features. The climate ranges from subtropical to Arctic, with a corresponding breadth of flora and fauna. For a more detailed description of each region's geographical characteristics, see the individual State sections.
GOVERNMENT	Federal Republic since 1789. Gained independence from the UK in 1776. Head of State and Government: President William Clinton since 1993.
LANGUAGE	English, with significant Spanish-speaking minorities.
RELIGION	Protestant with Roman Catholic, Jewish and many ethnic minorities. In large cities people of the same ethnic background often live within defined communities.
STANDARD TIME	The USA is divided into six time zones: Eastern Standard Time: GMT - 5 (from Apr-Oct: GMT - 4). Central Standard Time: GMT - 6 (from Apr-Oct: GMT - 5). Mountain Standard Time: GMT - 7 (from Apr-Oct: GMT - 6). Pacific Standard Time: GMT - 8 (from Apr-Oct: GMT - 7). Alaska: GMT - 9 (from Apr-Oct: GMT - 8). Hawaii: GMT - 10. Note: When calculating travel times, bear in mind the adoption of Daylight Saving Time (DST) by most States in summer. From the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, clocks are put forward one hour, changing at 0200 hours local time. Regions not observing DST include most of Indiana, all of Arizona and Hawaii.
ELECTRICITY	110/120 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs are of the flat 2-pin type. European electrical appliances not fitted with dual-voltage capabilities will require a plug adaptor, which is best purchased before arrival in the USA.
COMMUNICATIONS	Telephone: Full IDD is available. Country code: 1. Outgoing international code: 011. For emergency police, fire or medical services in major cities, dial 911. Fax: There are bureaux in all main centres, and major hotels also have facilities. Fax services are very widely available. Telegram: These can be sent through all telegraph and post offices. Post: There are only a limited number of post offices, so it is advisable to buy stamps in bulk. There are, however, stamp machines in hotels and shops, but these have a 25% price mark-up. Airmail to Europe takes up to a week. Post office hours: 0900-1700 (24 hours at main offices in larger cities). If sending gifts valued at less than US$50 to the USA, the recipient will not have to pay tax if the package is marked 'Unsolicited Gift'. Press: The most influential papers are The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal. Owing to the high degree of self-government of each State, newspapers tend to be regionalised, although recent economic pressures have resulted in large-scale mergers. Even so, the USA publishes more newspapers than any other country, and has perhaps the bulkiest Sunday newspapers in the world, particularly the Sunday edition of The New York Times.

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United Kingdom

United Kingdom

AREA	241,752 sq km (93,341 sq miles).
POPULATION	58,801,500 (1996).
POPULATION DENSITY	243.2 per sq km.
CAPITAL	London.
CAPITAL POPULATION	7,074,300 (Greater London, 1996).
GEOGRAPHY	The British landscape can be divided roughly into two kinds of terrain – highland and lowland. The highland area comprises the mountainous regions of Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England and north Wales. The English Lake District in the northwest contains lakes and fells. The lowland area is broken up by sandstone and limestone hills, long valleys and basins such as the Wash on the east coast. In the south east, the North and South Downs culminate in the White Cliffs of Dover. The coastline includes fjord-like inlets in the northwest of Scotland, spectacular cliffs and wild sandy beaches on the east coast and, further south, beaches of rocks, shale and sand sometimes backed by dunes, and large areas of fenland in East Anglia. Note: More detailed geographical descriptions of the various countries may be found under the respective entries.
GOVERNMENT	Republic. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II since 1953. Head of Government: Prime Minister Tony Blair since 1997.
LANGUAGE	English. Some Welsh is spoken in parts of Wales, Gaelic in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, and French and Norman French in the Channel Islands. The many ethnic minorities within the UK also speak their own languages (eg Hindi, Urdu, Turkish, Greek, Cantonese, Mandarin, etc).
RELIGION	Predominantly Protestant (Church of England), but many other Christian denominations also: Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland, Baptist, Methodist and other free churches. There are sizeable Jewish, Muslim and Hindu minorities.
STANDARD TIME	GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
ELECTRICITY	240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square 3-pin plugs are standard and the visitor is unlikely to come across the older round 3-pin type.
COMMUNICATIONS	Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 44. Outgoing international code: 00. There are numerous public call boxes. Some boxes take coins, others phonecards or credit cards. There are a number of suppliers of telecommunication networks, chiefly British Telecom and Cable & Wireless. Fax: There are many high-street bureaux in all cities. Most hotels and offices have facilities. Telemessage: These may be sent from a post office or from a private telephone. Post: Stamps are available from post offices and many shops and stores. There are stamp machines outside some post offices. Post boxes are red. First-class internal mail normally reaches its destination the day after posting (except in remote areas of Scotland), and most second-class mail the day after that. International postal connections are good. Post office opening hours are 0900-1730 Monday to Friday and 0900-1230 Saturday, although some post offices are open much longer hours. Press: Dominated by about ten major newspapers, UK circulation figures are amongst the highest in the world. The most influential newspapers are The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Financial Times, The Observer and The Independent. The more popular 'tabloid' newspapers are The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Express and The Daily Mail. Most papers have an associated Sunday newspaper, though there are some independents. There are also daily regional newspapers, particularly in Scotland and the north. The London Evening Standard is produced in several editions daily, the first being at midday.

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