derek-thomas/squad-v1.1-t5-question-generation huggingface dataset:
The Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão reached the mouth of the Congo in 1484. Commercial relationships quickly grew between the inland Bantu kingdoms and European merchants who traded various commodities, manufactured goods, and people captured from the hinterlands. After centuries as a major hub for transatlantic trade, direct European colonization of the Congo river delta began in the late 19th century, subsequently eroding the power of the Bantu societies in the region.

Question: What was Diogo Cao's nationality? Question: Whose expedition arrived at the mouth of the Congo River in 1484? Question: What did European traders exchange with Bantu people? Question: When did formal colonization of the Congo River delta begin? Question: Colonization reduced the power of what groups in the Congo River basin?
The area north of the Congo River came under French sovereignty in 1880 as a result of Pierre de Brazza's treaty with Makoko of the Bateke. This Congo Colony became known first as French Congo, then as Middle Congo in 1903. In 1908, France organized French Equatorial Africa (AEF), comprising Middle Congo, Gabon, Chad, and Oubangui-Chari (the modern Central African Republic). The French designated Brazzaville as the federal capital. Economic development during the first 50 years of colonial rule in Congo centered on natural-resource extraction. The methods were often brutal: construction of the Congo–Ocean Railroad following World War I has been estimated to have cost at least 14,000 lives.

Question: When did the French take control of the region to the north of the Congo River? Question: Who brokered a traty with the Makoko people? Question: What was the French Congo's name changed to in 1903? Question: What group of French colonies was created in 1908? Question: How many people are estimated to have died as a result of the creation of the Congo-Ocean Railroad?
During the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, Brazzaville functioned as the symbolic capital of Free France between 1940 and 1943. The Brazzaville Conference of 1944 heralded a period of major reform in French colonial policy. Congo benefited from the postwar expansion of colonial administrative and infrastructure spending as a result of its central geographic location within AEF and the federal capital at Brazzaville. It also received a local legislature after the adoption of the 1946 constitution that established the Fourth Republic.

Question: What served as the capital of France in spirit during the Occupation? Question: What meeting brought about changes in France's policy towards its colonies? Question: When did Brazzaville get its own local government? Question: What did the 1946 constitution establish Brazzaville as?
Following the revision of the French constitution that established the Fifth Republic in 1958, the AEF dissolved into its constituent parts, each of which became an autonomous colony within the French Community. During these reforms, Middle Congo became known as the Republic of the Congo in 1958 and published its first constitution in 1959. Antagonism between the pro-Opangault Mbochis and the pro-Youlou Balalis resulted in a series of riots in Brazzaville in February 1959, which the French Army subdued.

Question: When was the Fifth Republic founded? Question: What was disbanded in 1958? Question: In 1958, what did the Middle Congo change its name to? Question: When did the Congo establish its first constitution?
The Republic of the Congo received full independence from France on August 15, 1960. Fulbert Youlou ruled as the country's first president until labour elements and rival political parties instigated a three-day uprising that ousted him. The Congolese military took charge of the country briefly and installed a civilian provisional government headed by Alphonse Massamba-Débat.

Question: On what date was the Congo made fully independent from colonial rule? Question: Who was the first leader of the independent Congo? Question: Who were responsible for the revolts that ended with Youlou's removal? Question: Who took control of the company during the transition from Youlou to Debat? Question: Who replaced Youlou?
Under the 1963 constitution, Massamba-Débat was elected President for a five-year term. During Massamba-Débat's term in office the regime adopted "scientific socialism" as the country's constitutional ideology. In 1965, Congo established relations with the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, North Korea and North Vietnam. Massamba-Débat's regime also invited several hundred Cuban army troops into the country to train his party's militia units and these troops helped his government survive a coup in 1966 led by paratroopers loyal to future President Marien Ngouabi. Nevertheless, Massamba-Débat was unable to reconcile various institutional, tribal and ideological factions within the country and his regime ended abruptly with a bloodless coup d'état in September 1968.

Question: Who became president of the Congo in 1963? Question: What was a term that could describe the political philosophy of the Congo under Massamba-Debat? Question: Soldiers from which country were brought to the Congo? Question: When did Massamba-Debat lose power in the Congo?
Marien Ngouabi, who had participated in the coup, assumed the presidency on December 31, 1968. One year later, President Ngouabi proclaimed Congo Africa's first "people's republic", the People's Republic of the Congo, and announced the decision of the National Revolutionary Movement to change its name to the Congolese Labour Party (PCT). Ngouabi survived an attempted coup in 1972 but was assassinated on March 16, 1977. An 11-member Military Committee of the Party (CMP) was then named to head an interim government with Joachim Yhombi-Opango to serve as President of the Republic. Two years later, Yhombi-Opango was forced from power and Denis Sassou Nguesso become the new president.

Question: Who became president of the Congo in 1968? Question: What did the Congo's name become under Ngouabi? Question: What did the National Revolutionary Movement's name become? Question: In what year was a coup attempted against Ngouabi? Question: On what date was Ngouabi assassinated?
Sassou Nguesso aligned the country with the Eastern Bloc and signed a twenty-year friendship pact with the Soviet Union. Over the years, Sassou had to rely more on political repression and less on patronage to maintain his dictatorship.

Question: Which group of nations did Nguesso side the Congo with? Question: Which Eastern Bloc nation did Nguesso sign a pact with? Question: What was an important tool of the Sassou government? Question: What is a word that can be used to describe Sassou's type of government?
Pascal Lissouba, who became Congo's first elected president (1992–1997) during the period of multi-party democracy, attempted to implement economic reforms with IMF backing to liberalise the economy. In June 1996 the IMF approved a three-year SDR69.5m (US$100m) enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF) and was on the verge of announcing a renewed annual agreement when civil war broke out in Congo in mid-1997.

Question: Who was elected president of the Congo in 1992? Question: Who supported the measures of liberalisation Lissouba tried to employ to reform the economy? Question: What does ESAF stand for? Question: What interrupted the renewal of the IMF agreement with the Congo?
Congo's democratic progress was derailed in 1997 when Lissouba and Sassou started to fight for power in the civil war. As presidential elections scheduled for July 1997 approached, tensions between the Lissouba and Sassou camps mounted. On June 5, President Lissouba's government forces surrounded Sassou's compound in Brazzaville and Sassou ordered members of his private militia (known as "Cobras") to resist. Thus began a four-month conflict that destroyed or damaged much of Brazzaville and caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths. In early October, the Angolan socialist régime began an invasion of Congo to install Sassou in power. In mid-October, the Lissouba government fell. Soon thereafter, Sassou declared himself president.

Question: Which two figures clashed over leadership of the Congo in 1997? Question: What is the name of Sassou's personal army? Question: In what month did Sassou regain the presidency? Question: What nationality were the forces that invaded the Congo to assist Sassou in taking control of the country?
In the controversial elections in 2002, Sassou won with almost 90% of the vote cast. His two main rivals, Lissouba and Bernard Kolelas, were prevented from competing and the only remaining credible rival, Andre Milongo, advised his supporters to boycott the elections and then withdrew from the race. A new constitution, agreed upon by referendum in January 2002, granted the president new powers, extended his term to seven years, and introduced a new bicameral assembly. International observers took issue with the organization of the presidential election and the constitutional referendum, both of which were reminiscent in their organization of Congo's era of the one-party state. Following the presidential elections, fighting restarted in the Pool region between government forces and rebels led by Pastor Ntumi; a peace treaty to end the conflict was signed in April 2003.

Question: Which politican left the presidential race after supporting a boycott by voters? Question: When was the new constitution ratified? Question: How long did the presidential term become under the new constitution? Question: When was an end brought to the fighting between the government and Ntumi's rebels?
Sassou also won the following presidential election in July 2009. According to the Congolese Observatory of Human Rights, a non-governmental organization, the election was marked by "very low" turnout and "fraud and irregularities".

Question: Who won the presidential election in 2009? Question: Which group provided oversight for the electoral process in 2009? Question: What kind of turnout did the Congolese Observatory of Human Rights experience in the 2009 elections?
Congo-Brazzaville has had a multi-party political system since the early 1990s, although the system is heavily dominated by President Denis Sassou Nguesso; he has lacked serious competition in the presidential elections held under his rule. Sassou Nguesso is backed by his own Congolese Labour Party (French: Parti Congolais du Travail) as well as a range of smaller parties.

Question: What kind of political system has existed in Congo-Brazzaville since the '90s? Question: Which party does Sassou belong to? Question: What is the French term for Sassou's political party?
Internationally, Sassou's regime has been hit by corruption revelations despite attempts to censor them. One French investigation found over 110 bank accounts and dozens of lavish properties in France; Sassou denounced embezzlement investigations as "racist" and "colonial".

Question: What has Sassou's regime attempted to censor? Question: What country found bank accounts and real estate owned by the Sassou regime?
On March 27, 2015 Sassou Nguesso announced that his government would hold a referendum to change the country's 2002 constitution and allow him to run for a third consecutive term in office. On October 25 the government held a referendum to allow Sassou Nguesso to run in the next election. The government claimed that the proposal as approved by 92 percent of voters with 72 percent of eligible voters participating. The opposition, who had boycotted the referendum claimed that the government's statistics were false and that the vote was a sham.

Question: When did Sassou reveal that there would be a vote to alter the 2002 constitution? Question: Which term did the new constitution allow Sassou to pursue?
In 2008, the main media were owned by the government, but many more privately run forms of media were being created. There is one government-owned television station and around 10 small private television channels.

Question: Who controlled the media in the Congo in 2008 Question: How many government TV stations exist? Question: How many smaller stations exist that are not government-run?
Many Pygmies belong from birth to Bantus in a relationship many refer to as slavery. The Congolese Human Rights Observatory says that the Pygmies are treated as property the same way "pets" are. On December 30, 2010, the Congolese parliament adopted a law for the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. This law is the first of its kind in Africa, and its adoption is a historic development for indigenous peoples on the continent.

Question: Who is considered to own members of the Pygmies? Question: The treatment of Pygmies has been compared to the treatment of what? Question: When did the government of the Congo pass a law to assist indigenous people?
Congo is located in the central-western part of sub-Saharan Africa, along the Equator, lying between latitudes 4°N and 5°S, and longitudes 11° and 19°E. To the south and east of it is the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is also bounded by Gabon to the west, Cameroon and the Central African Republic to the north, and Cabinda (Angola) to the southwest. It has a short coast on the Atlantic Ocean.

Question: Between which two lines of latitude is the Congo located? Question: Between which two lines of longitude is the Congo located? Question: Which country lies southwest of the Congo? Question: What is another name for Cabinda? Question: What ocean connects to the Congo?
The capital, Brazzaville, is located on the Congo River, in the south of the country, immediately across from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Question: What is the capital of the Congo? Question: On what river can Brazzaville be found? Question: What lies directly across the Congo River from Brazzaville? Question: What country does Kinshasa serve as capital of?
The southwest of the country is a coastal plain for which the primary drainage is the Kouilou-Niari River; the interior of the country consists of a central plateau between two basins to the south and north. Forests are under increasing exploitation pressure.

Question: What kind of terrain is found in the southwest part of the Congo? Question: Which river serves as drainage for the southwest plain of the Congo? Question: The middle of the country features what kind of geography? Question: What areas are facing pressure to be used for commercial gain?
Since the country is located on the Equator, the climate is consistent year-round, with the average day temperature being a humid 24 °C (75 °F) and nights generally between 16 °C (61 °F) and 21 °C (70 °F). The average yearly rainfall ranges from 1,100 millimetres (43 in) in south in the Niari Valley to over 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in central parts of the country. The dry season is from June to August while in the majority of the country the wet season has two rainfall maxima: one in March–May and another in September–November.

Question: On what major line of latitude is the Congo located? Question: What is the average temperature in the Congo when the sun is up? Question: What is the average temperature range in the Congo during the night time? Question: When does the Congo experience dry season?
In 2006–07, researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society studied gorillas in heavily forested regions centered on the Ouesso district of the Sangha Region. They suggest a population on the order of 125,000 Western Lowland Gorillas, whose isolation from humans has been largely preserved by inhospitable swamps.

Question: Which group studied gorillas in 2006-07? Question: What region is home to the gorillas studied by the Wildlife Conservation Society? Question: What was responsible for maintaining the separation between the gorillas and humans?
The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on petroleum, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Petroleum extraction has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy. In 2008, oil sector accounted for 65% of the GDP, 85% of government revenue, and 92% of exports. The country also has large untapped mineral wealth.

Question: What are two issues in the Congolese government? Question: What is the focus of the Congo's industrial production? Question: What did petroleum production replace as the focus of the economy? Question: What percentage of the Congo's gross domestic product did petroleum account for in 2008? Question: What percentage of exported goods did oil account for in 2008?
In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its petroleum earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. January 12, 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 46% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since.

Question: What did income from petroleum allow the government to fund in the early '80s? Question: What was the Congo's annual increase in gross domestic product in the early '80s? Question: By how much were Franc Zone currencies devalued in January of 1994? Question: How much inflation did the Congo experience as a result of the devaluation of the Franc?
Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. When Sassou Nguesso returned to power at the end of the war in October 1997, he publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit.

Question: What caused reform efforts to cease in 1997? Question: What are two reasons why the economy was not able to progress following the civil war? Question: When did military conflict resume in the Congo?
The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic problems of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty, despite record-high oil prices since 2003. Natural gas and diamonds are also recent major Congolese exports, although Congo was excluded from the Kimberley Process in 2004 amid allegations that most of its diamond exports were in fact being smuggled out of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo; it was re-admitted to the group in 2007.

Question: What are two economic issues faced by the Congolese government? Question: What two exports has the Congo begun producing recently? Question: When was the Congo allowed back into the Kimberley Process?
The Republic of the Congo also has large untapped base metal, gold, iron and phosphate deposits. The country is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). The Congolese government signed an agreement in 2009 to lease 200,000 hectares of land to South African farmers to reduce its dependence on imports.

Question: What precious metals and minerals have yet to be utilized in the Republic of the Congo? Question: What business organization is the Congo a member of? Question: How much land did the Congolese government agree to lease to South Africans in 2009?
Transport in the Republic of the Congo includes land, air and water transportation. The country's rail system was built by forced laborers during the 1930s and largely remains in operation. There are also over 1000 km of paved roads and two major international airports (Maya-Maya Airport and Pointe Noire Airport) which have flights to Paris and many African cities. The country also has a large port on the Atlantic Ocean at Pointe-Noire and others along the Congo River at Brazzaville and Impfondo.

Question: What forms of transport are available in the Congo? Question: When was the Congo's train system built? Question: What is a common destination outside of Africa for Congolese airlines? Question: On what ocean is a major port located?
The Republic of the Congo's sparse population is concentrated in the southwestern portion of the country, leaving the vast areas of tropical jungle in the north virtually uninhabited. Thus, Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, with 70% of its total population living in a few urban areas, namely in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire or one of the small cities or villages lining the 534-kilometre (332 mi) railway which connects the two cities. In rural areas, industrial and commercial activity has declined rapidly in recent years, leaving rural economies dependent on the government for support and subsistence.

Question: In what part of the country can most of the Congo's citizens be found? Question: How long is the track connecting Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire?
Ethnically and linguistically the population of the Republic of the Congo is diverse—Ethnologue recognises 62 spoken languages in the country—but can be grouped into three categories. The Kongo are the largest ethnic group and form roughly half of the population. The most significant subgroups of the Kongo are Laari in Brazzaville and Pool regions and Vili around Pointe-Noire and along the Atlantic coast. The second largest group are the Teke who live to the north of Brazzaville with 17% of the population. Boulangui (M’Boshi) live in the northwest and in Brazzaville and form 12% of the population. Pygmies make up 2% of Congo's population.

Question: How many languages are used in the Congo? Question: What is the most populous ethnicity in the Congo? Question: What percentage of the population of the Congo is Boulangui? Question: How much of the population is constituted by Pygmies?
Before the 1997 war, about 9,000 Europeans and other non-Africans lived in Congo, most of whom were French; only a fraction of this number remains. Around 300 American expatriates reside in the Congo.

Question: Prior to the civil war in '97, how many non-Africans lived in the Republic of the Congo? Question: What was the dominant nationality among Europeans living in the Congo prior to the civil war? Question: How many Americans live in the Congo?
According to CIA World Factbook, the people of Republic of the Congo are largely a mix of Catholics (33.1%), Awakening Lutherans (22.3%) and other Protestants (19.9%). Followers of Islam make up 1.6%, and this is primarily due to an influx of foreign workers into the urban centers.

Question: What is the most commonly practiced religion in the Congo? Question: What percentage of Congolese citizens identify as Awakening Lutherans? Question: What portion of the Congolese population is Protestant? Question: What is the percentage of Muslims living in the Congo? Question: Who form the majority of Islamic residents of the Congo?
Public expenditure health was at 8.9% of the GDP in 2004, whereas private expenditure was at 1.3%. As of 2012, the HIV/AIDS prevalence was at 2.8% among 15- to 49-year-olds. Health expenditure was at US$30 per capita in 2004. A large proportion of the population is undernourished, with malnutrition being a problem in Congo-Brazzaville. There were 20 physicians per 100,000 persons in the early 2000s (decade).

Question: How much of the gross domestic product was spent on public health in 2004? Question: For every 100,000 people, how many phyisicians were there in the Congo in the early '00s? Question: What was the overall incidence of HIV or AIDS throughout the 15 to 49 year old population? Question: How much was spent per capita on health in 2004 as measured in US dollars?
As of 2010, the maternal mortality rate was 560 deaths/100,000 live births, and the infant mortality rate was 59.34 deaths/1,000 live births. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is rare in the country, being confined to limited geographic areas of the country.

Question: As measured in 2010, how many deaths occurred for every 100,000 live births in the Congo? Question: How many infants die for every 1,000 live births? Question: What does FGM stand for?