GeoStats:

Population: 615,857

Languages: French; many also speak English and a smaller number speak German.

Passport/Visa Requirements: Passports are required of Australian, Canadian, U.K. and U.S. citizens. U.S., Canadian and Australian citizens may stay up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

Predominant Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic, Protestant) and growing Muslim and Jewish populations.

Time Zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+1 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the end of March to the end of October.

Voltage Requirement: 220 volts/50 Hz

Telephone Codes: 41, country code; 22, city code