Climate and clothing: Summer clothing is suitable year round. Bring sweaters for cool evenings during the dry season (May-September),

Customs: Visas are required, and yellow fever inoculation is recommended. Health requirements change; check latest information.

Health: Hospitals are located only in the major towns; health care is basic. Malaria suppressants are necessary. All travelers to remote areas should be immunized against polio, typhoid, and hepatitis. Tapwater is not potable. Do not eat raw foods or undercooked meats.

Telecommunications: Local telephone service is often unreliable; international service is by satellite via Paris, and connections with the US are usually available. Brazzaville is 6 hours ahead of eastern standard time.

Transportation: Public transportation is inadequate. Taxis are plentiful; agree on the price in advance. A national airline and air charters provide domestic service. Should you plan to visit Zaire, get your visa in advance, as it is a time-consuming process in Brazzaville.

National holidays: Businesses and the US Embassy may be closed on the following Congolese holidays:

New Year's Day, January 1; Labor Day, May 1; Readjustment of the Revolution, July 31; The Trois Glorieuses, August 13-15; (known in English as the Three Glorious Days, which denotes the overthrow of President Youlou by labor elements); All Soul's Day November 1, Children's Day, December 25; Proclamation of the Republic, December 31.

Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, March 1988.