Answer: northern part

Context: Estonia is situated in the northern part of the temperate climate zone and in the transition zone between maritime and continental climate. Estonia has four seasons of near-equal length. Average temperatures range from 16.3 °C (61.3 °F) on the Baltic islands to 18.1 °C (64.6 °F) inland in July, the warmest month, and from −3.5 °C (25.7 °F) on the Baltic islands to −7.6 °C (18.3 °F) inland in February, the coldest month. The average annual temperature in Estonia is 5.2 °C (41.4 °F). The average precipitation in 1961–1990 ranged from 535 to 727 mm (21.1 to 28.6 in) per year.

Question: What section of the temperate climate zone does Estonia reside?


Answer: near-equal length

Question: What is the similar trait of Estonia's four seasons?


Answer: 16.3 °C (61.3 °F)

Question: What is the average temperature of the Baltic Islands?


Answer: July

Question: What is the warmest month in Estonia?


Answer: A maakond

Context: A maakond (county) is the biggest administrative subdivision. The county government (Maavalitsus) of each county is led by a county governor (Maavanem), who represents the national government at the regional level. Governors are appointed by the Government of Estonia for a term of five years. Several changes were made to the borders of counties after Estonia became independent, most notably the formation of Valga County (from parts of Võru, Tartu and Viljandi counties) and Petseri County (area acquired from Russia with the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty).

Question: What is the largest administrative subdivision in Estonia?


Answer: Maavalitsus

Question: What is the county government in Estonia called?


Answer: county governor

Question: A Maavanem holds what position in Estonia?


Answer: Maavanem

Question: Who represents the national government on a local level?


Answer: the Prime Minister of Estonia

Context: Estonia is a parliamentary representative democratic republic in which the Prime Minister of Estonia is the head of government and which includes a multi-party system. The political culture is stable in Estonia, where power is held between two and three parties that have been in politics for a long time. This situation is similar to other countries in Northern Europe. The former Prime Minister of Estonia, Andrus Ansip, is also Europe's longest-serving Prime Minister (from 2005 until 2014). The current Estonian Prime Minister is Taavi Rõivas, who is the former Minister of Social Affairs and the head of the Estonian Reform Party.

Question: Who is the leader of Estonia's government?


Answer: a multi-party system

Question: What political structure aids the Prime Minister?


Answer: Northern Europe

Question: The political scene of Estonia is similar to other countries in what continent?


Answer: Andrus Ansip

Question: Who is Europe's longest serving Prime Minister?


Answer: The Parliament of Estonia

Context: The Parliament of Estonia (Estonian: Riigikogu) or the legislative branch is elected by people for a four-year term by proportional representation. The Estonian political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1992 constitutional document. The Estonian parliament has 101 members and influences the governing of the state primarily by determining the income and the expenses of the state (establishing taxes and adopting the budget). At the same time the parliament has the right to present statements, declarations and appeals to the people of Estonia, ratify and denounce international treaties with other states and international organisations and decide on the Government loans.

Question: What position do the citizens of Estonia elect for a four year term?


Answer: 1992

Question: What year did the Estonians create a constitutional document for their modern political system?


Answer: 101 members

Question: How many representatives are in the Estonian parliament?


Answer: ratify and denounce international treaties

Question: What can the Estonian parliament do in regards to treaties?


Answer: The Riigikogu

Context: The Riigikogu elects and appoints several high officials of the state, including the President of the Republic. In addition to that, the Riigikogu appoints, on the proposal of the President of Estonia, the Chairman of the National Court, the chairman of the board of the Bank of Estonia, the Auditor General, the Legal Chancellor and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. A member of the Riigikogu has the right to demand explanations from the Government of the Republic and its members. This enables the members of the parliament to observe the activities of the executive power and the above-mentioned high officials of the state.

Question: Who chooses high state officials of Estonia?


Answer: the Riigikogu

Question: Who does the government have to explain their actions to?


Answer: activities of the executive power

Question: What can the Riigikogu monitor for abuse of influence?


Answer: the Prime Minister of Estonia

Context: The Government of Estonia (Estonian: Vabariigi Valitsus) or the executive branch is formed by the Prime Minister of Estonia, nominated by the president and approved by the parliament. The government exercises executive power pursuant to the Constitution of Estonia and the laws of the Republic of Estonia and consists of twelve ministers, including the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also has the right to appoint other ministers and assign them a subject to deal with. These are ministers without portfolio — they don't have a ministry to control.

Question: Who establishes the executive branch of Estonia?


Answer: parliament

Question: Who has to approve the Government of Estonia after it is nominated by the President?


Answer: twelve

Question: How many ministers serve in the government?


Answer: The Prime Minister

Question: Who has the ability to assign other ministers?


Answer: three

Context: The Prime Minister has the right to appoint a maximum of three such ministers, as the limit of ministers in one government is fifteen. It is also known as the cabinet. The cabinet carries out the country's domestic and foreign policy, shaped by parliament; it directs and co-ordinates the work of government institutions and bears full responsibility for everything occurring within the authority of executive power. The government, headed by the Prime Minister, thus represents the political leadership of the country and makes decisions in the name of the whole executive power.

Question: What is the most amount of ministers that a Prime Minister can assign?


Answer: the cabinet

Question: What is another name for the governing body of ministers?


Answer: domestic and foreign policy

Question: What strategy does the cabinet execute?


Answer: everything occurring within the authority of executive power

Question: What major responsibility does the cabinet hold?


Answer: Internet voting

Context: Estonia has pursued the development of the e-state and e-government. Internet voting is used in elections in Estonia. The first internet voting took place in the 2005 local elections and the first in a parliamentary election was made available for the 2007 elections, in which 30,275 individuals voted over the internet. Voters have a chance to invalidate their electronic vote in traditional elections, if they wish to. In 2009 in its eighth Worldwide Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Estonia sixth out of 175 countries. In the first ever State of World Liberty Index report, Estonia was ranked first out of 159 countries.

Question: What digital technology as Estonia been advacning?


Answer: 2005

Question: What year did the first internet vote occur in local Estonia elections?


Answer: 2007

Question: What year did the first internet vote occur in Estonia parliamentary elections?


Answer: 30,275

Question: In 2007, how many Estonians used internet voting?


Answer: the Constitution of Estonia

Context: According to the Constitution of Estonia (Estonian: Põhiseadus) the supreme power of the state is vested in the people. The people exercise their supreme power of the state on the elections of the Riigikogu through citizens who have the right to vote. The supreme judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court or Riigikohus, with nineteen justices. The Chief Justice is appointed by the parliament for nine years on nomination by the president. The official Head of State is the President of Estonia, who gives assent to the laws passed by Riigikogu, also having the right of sending them back and proposing new laws.

Question: What document declares supreme power for the people?


Answer: the Supreme Court or Riigikohus

Question: Who holds supreme judicial power in Estonia?


Answer: nineteen

Question: How many judges are on Estonia's supreme court?


Answer: nine

Question: How many years does the Chief justice serve?


Answer: 22 September 1921

Context: Estonia was a member of the League of Nations from 22 September 1921, has been a member of the United Nations since 17 September 1991, and of NATO since 29 March 2004, as well as the European Union since 1 May 2004. Estonia is also a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB). As an OSCE participating State, Estonia's international commitments are subject to monitoring under the mandate of the U.S. Helsinki Commission. Estonia has also signed the Kyoto Protocol.

Question: What date did Estonia join the League of Nations?


Answer: 17 September 1991

Question: What date did Estonia join the United Nations?


Answer: 29 March 2004

Question: What date did Estonia join NATO?


Answer: 1 May 2004

Question: What date did Estonia join the European Union?


Answer: close co-operation

Context: Since regaining independence, Estonia has pursued a foreign policy of close co-operation with its Western European partners. The two most important policy objectives in this regard have been accession into NATO and the European Union, achieved in March and May 2004 respectively. Estonia's international realignment toward the West has been accompanied by a general deterioration in relations with Russia, most recently demonstrated by the protest triggered by the controversial relocation of the Bronze Soldier World War II memorial in Tallinn.

Question: What type of foreign policy has Estonia sought after getting their independence?


Answer: accession into NATO and the European Union

Question: What were the most important foreign policy priorities?


Answer: deterioration in relations with Russia

Question: What trend has accompanied Estonia's cooperation with Western powers?


Answer: Latvia and Lithuania

Context: Since the early 1990s, Estonia is involved in active trilateral Baltic states co-operation with Latvia and Lithuania, and Nordic-Baltic co-operation with the Nordic countries. The Baltic Council is the joint forum of the interparliamentary Baltic Assembly (BA) and the intergovernmental Baltic Council of Ministers (BCM). Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB-8) is the joint co-operation of the governments of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. Nordic-Baltic Six (NB-6), comprising Nordic-Baltic countries that are European Union member states, is a framework for meetings on EU related issues. Parliamentary co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and Nordic Council began in 1989. Annual summits take place, and in addition meetings are organised on all possible levels: speakers, presidiums, commissions, and individual members. The Nordic Council of Ministers has an office in Tallinn with a subsidiary in Tartu and information points in Narva, Valga and Pärnu. Joint Nordic-Baltic projects include the education programme Nordplus and mobility programmes for business and industry and for public administration.

Question: Which Baltic countries have cooperated with Estonia since the early 1990s?


Answer: The Baltic Council

Question: What is the combined group of the interparliamentary Baltic Assembly and the intergovernmental Baltic Council of Ministers?


Answer: Nordic-Baltic Eight

Question: What is the name of the joint group that Estonia shares with Denmark and 7 other countries?


Answer: 1989

Question: What year did Parliamentary co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and Nordic Council start?


Answer: closer ties with the Nordic countries

Context: An important element in Estonia's post-independence reorientation has been closer ties with the Nordic countries, especially Finland and Sweden. Indeed, Estonians consider themselves a Nordic people rather than Balts, based on their historical ties with Sweden, Denmark and particularly Finland. In December 1999, then Estonian foreign minister (and since 2006, president of Estonia) Toomas Hendrik Ilves delivered a speech entitled "Estonia as a Nordic Country" to the Swedish Institute for International Affairs. In 2003, the foreign ministry also hosted an exhibit called "Estonia: Nordic with a Twist".

Question: What has been a major factor in the restoration of Estonia after winning their independence?


Answer: December 1999

Question: When did Toomas Hendrik Ilves deliver his speech?


Answer: Toomas Hendrik Ilves

Question: Who expressed a speech called "Estonia as a Nordic Country"?


Answer: 2003

Question: What year did the foreign ministry hold an exhibit exploring the Nordic ties of Estonia?


Answer: 2005

Context: In 2005, Estonia joined the European Union's Nordic Battle Group. It has also shown continued interest in joining the Nordic Council. Whereas in 1992 Russia accounted for 92% of Estonia's international trade, today there is extensive economic interdependence between Estonia and its Nordic neighbours: three quarters of foreign investment in Estonia originates in the Nordic countries (principally Finland and Sweden), to which Estonia sends 42% of its exports (as compared to 6.5% going to Russia, 8.8% to Latvia, and 4.7% to Lithuania). On the other hand, the Estonian political system, its flat rate of income tax, and its non-welfare-state model distinguish it from the Nordic countries and their Nordic model, and indeed from many other European countries.

Question: When did Estonia join the European Union's Nordic Battle Group?


Answer: the Nordic Council

Question: What government institution did Estonia continue to show desire in joining?


Answer: 92%

Question: What percentage of Estonia's foreign trade was held by Russia in 1992?


Answer: 42%

Question: What percentage of Estonia exports are sent to Nordic countries?


Answer: Maavägi

Context: The military of Estonia is based upon the Estonian Defence Forces (Estonian: Kaitsevägi), which is the name of the unified armed forces of the republic with Maavägi (Army), Merevägi (Navy), Õhuvägi (Air Force) and a paramilitary national guard organisation Kaitseliit (Defence League). The Estonian National Defence Policy aim is to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state, the integrity of its land, territorial waters, airspace and its constitutional order. Current strategic goals are to defend the country's interests, develop the armed forces for interoperability with other NATO and EU member forces, and participation in NATO missions.

Question: What is the name of Estonia's Army?


Answer: Merevägi

Question: What is the name of Estonia's Navy?


Answer: Õhuvägi

Question: What is the name of Estonia's Air Force?


Answer: the Estonian Defence Forces

Question: What name describes the combined body of all Estonia military?


Answer: Latvia and Lithuania

Context: Estonia co-operates with Latvia and Lithuania in several trilateral Baltic defence co-operation initiatives, including Baltic Battalion (BALTBAT), Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON), Baltic Air Surveillance Network (BALTNET) and joint military educational institutions such as the Baltic Defence College in Tartu. Future co-operation will include sharing of national infrastructures for training purposes and specialisation of training areas (BALTTRAIN) and collective formation of battalion-sized contingents for use in the NATO rapid-response force. In January 2011 the Baltic states were invited to join NORDEFCO, the defence framework of the Nordic countries.

Question: Which countries aid Estonia in trilateral defense strategies?


Answer: the Baltic Defence College

Question: What joint military educational academy does Estonia share with Baltic Countries?


Answer: Tartu

Question: Where is the Baltic Defence College located?


Answer: January 2011

Question: When were the Baltic states asked to join NORDEFCO?


Answer: The Ministry of Defence and the Defence Forces

Context: The Ministry of Defence and the Defence Forces have been working on a cyberwarfare and defence formation for some years now. In 2007, a military doctrine of an e-military of Estonia was officially introduced as the country was under massive cyberattacks in 2007. The proposed aim of the e-military is to secure the vital infrastructure and e-infrastructure of Estonia. The main cyber warfare facility is the Computer Emergency Response Team of Estonia (CERT), founded in 2006. The organisation operates on security issues in local networks.

Question: Who have been jointly working on protection against cyberwarfare?


Answer: 2007

Question: What year was a declaration of e-military introduced?


Answer: massive cyberattacks

Question: What event in 2007 led to a need for e-military action?


Answer: 2006

Question: When was the Computer Emergency Response Team of Estonia established?


Answer: the World Bank

Context: As a member of the European Union, Estonia is considered a high-income economy by the World Bank. The GDP (PPP) per capita of the country, a good indicator of wealth, was in 2015 $28,781 according to the IMF, between that of Slovak Republic and Lithuania, but below that of other long-time EU members such as Italy or Spain. The country is ranked 8th in the 2015 Index of Economic Freedom, and the 4th freest economy in Europe. Because of its rapid growth, Estonia has often been described as a Baltic Tiger beside Lithuania and Latvia. Beginning 1 January 2011, Estonia adopted the euro and became the 17th eurozone member state.

Question: What institution views the economy of Estonia as high income?


Answer: $28,781

Question: What was the GDP of Estonia in 2015?


Answer: Slovak Republic and Lithuania

Question: What countries share similar levels of GDP with Estonia?


Answer: 8th

Question: Where is Estonia ranked in the 2015 Index of Economic Freedom?


Answer: 75%

Context: Estonia produces about 75% of its consumed electricity. In 2011 about 85% of it was generated with locally mined oil shale. Alternative energy sources such as wood, peat, and biomass make up approximately 9% of primary energy production. Renewable wind energy was about 6% of total consumption in 2009. Estonia imports petroleum products from western Europe and Russia. Oil shale energy, telecommunications, textiles, chemical products, banking, services, food and fishing, timber, shipbuilding, electronics, and transportation are key sectors of the economy. The ice-free port of Muuga, near Tallinn, is a modern facility featuring good transshipment capability, a high-capacity grain elevator, chill/frozen storage, and new oil tanker off-loading capabilities.[citation needed] The railroad serves as a conduit between the West, Russia, and other points to the East.[citation needed]

Question: How much of consumed electricity does Estonia produce by itself?


Answer: about 85%

Question: What percentage of electricity was produced with local oil shale in 2011?


Answer: wood, peat, and biomass

Question: What alternative energy sources account for 9% of energy production?


Answer: 6%

Question: What percentage of electricity was produced from renewable energy in 2009?


Answer: 2007

Context: Because of the global economic recession that began in 2007, the GDP of Estonia decreased by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter of 2008, over 3% in the 3rd quarter of 2008, and over 9% in the 4th quarter of 2008. The Estonian government made a supplementary negative budget, which was passed by Riigikogu. The revenue of the budget was decreased for 2008 by EEK 6.1 billion and the expenditure by EEK 3.2 billion. In 2010, the economic situation stabilized and started a growth based on strong exports. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Estonian industrial output increased by 23% compared to the year before. The country has been experiencing economic growth ever since.

Question: When did the global economic recession start?


Answer: global economic recession

Question: What trend led to the decrease of Estonia's GDP?


Answer: Riigikogu

Question: Who approved the supplementary negative budget drafted by the Estonian government?


Answer: 2010

Question: What year did Estonia start their economic rise based on strong exports?


Answer: the gateway between East and West

Context: Since re-establishing independence, Estonia has styled itself as the gateway between East and West and aggressively pursued economic reform and integration with the West. Estonia's market reforms put it among the economic leaders in the former COMECON area.[citation needed] In 1994, based on the economic theories of Milton Friedman, Estonia became one of the first countries to adopt a flat tax, with a uniform rate of 26% regardless of personal income. In January 2005, the personal income tax rate was reduced to 24%. Another reduction to 23% followed in January 2006. The income tax rate was decreased to 21% by January 2008. The Government of Estonia finalised the design of Estonian euro coins in late 2004, and adopted the euro as the country's currency on 1 January 2011, later than planned due to continued high inflation. A Land Value Tax is levied which is used to fund local municipalities. It is a state level tax, however 100% of the revenue is used to fund Local Councils. The rate is set by the Local Council within the limits of 0.1–2.5%. It is one of the most important sources of funding for municipalities. The Land Value Tax is levied on the value of the land only with improvements and buildings not considered. Very few exemptions are considered on the land value tax and even public institutions are subject to the tax. The tax has contributed to a high rate (~90%) of owner-occupied residences within Estonia, compared to a rate of 67.4% in the United States.

Question: What Estonia view itself as after winning independence?


Answer: 1994

Question: What year did Estonia establish a flat tax?


Answer: Milton Friedman

Question: Who was the source of influence for the flat tax?


Answer: a uniform rate of 26%

Question: What was tax rate imposed on the personal income?


Answer: 1999

Context: In 1999, Estonia experienced its worst year economically since it regained independence in 1991, largely because of the impact of the 1998 Russian financial crisis.[citation needed] Estonia joined the WTO in November 1999. With assistance from the European Union, the World Bank and the Nordic Investment Bank, Estonia completed most of its preparations for European Union membership by the end of 2002 and now has one of the strongest economies of the new member states of the European Union.[citation needed] Estonia joined the OECD in 2010.

Question: What was the worst economic year for Estonia after winning independence?


Answer: 1991

Question: What year did Estonia reclaim their independence?


Answer: the 1998 Russian financial crisis

Question: What event played a major part in the decline of the economy during 1999?


Answer: November 1999

Question: When did Estonia unite with the WTO?


Answer: energy

Context: Estonia is a dependent country in the terms of energy and energy production. In recent years many local and foreign companies have been investing in renewable energy sources.[citation needed] The importance of wind power has been increasing steadily in Estonia and currently the total amount of energy production from wind is nearly 60 MW while at the same time roughly 399 MW worth of projects are currently being developed and more than 2800 MW worth of projects are being proposed in the Lake Peipus area and the coastal areas of Hiiumaa.

Question: What lacking resource does Estonia depend on other countries for?


Answer: renewable energy sources

Question: What type of energy production as many companies been investing in recent years?


Answer: wind power

Question: What energy source has been increasing in Estonia?


Answer: nearly 60 MW

Question: What is total amount of energy production from wind power?


Answer: Eastern

Context: Estonia has had a market economy since the end of the 1990s and one of the highest per capita income levels in Eastern Europe. Proximity to the Scandinavian markets, its location between the East and West, competitive cost structure and a highly skilled labour force have been the major Estonian comparative advantages in the beginning of the 2000s (decade). As the largest city, Tallinn has emerged as a financial centre and the Tallinn Stock Exchange joined recently with the OMX system. The current government has pursued tight fiscal policies, resulting in balanced budgets and low public debt.

Question: In what region does Estonia hold one of the highest per capita income levels?


Answer: Scandinavian markets

Question: Being close to what commercial area gives Estonia a competitive advantage?


Answer: highly skilled

Question: What is a major trait of the Estonian employed workers?


Answer: Tallinn

Question: What is the largest city in Estonia?


Answer: 2007

Context: In 2007, however, a large current account deficit and rising inflation put pressure on Estonia's currency, which was pegged to the Euro, highlighting the need for growth in export-generating industries. Estonia exports mainly machinery and equipment, wood and paper, textiles, food products, furniture, and metals and chemical products. Estonia also exports 1.562 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually. At the same time Estonia imports machinery and equipment, chemical products, textiles, food products and transportation equipment. Estonia imports 200 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

Question: When did a huge deficit and rising inflation place pressure on Estonia's currency?


Answer: export-generating industries

Question: What area of commerce did Estonia need to expand?


Answer: 200 million kilowatt hours

Question: How much electricity is imported by Estonia annually?


Answer: 1.562 billion kilowatt hours

Question: How much electricity is exported by Estonia annually?


Answer: 53.3 billion kroons (3.4 billion euros)

Context: Between 2007 and 2013, Estonia receives 53.3 billion kroons (3.4 billion euros) from various European Union Structural Funds as direct supports by creating the largest foreign investments into Estonia ever. Majority of the European Union financial aid will be invested into to the following fields: energy economies, entrepreneurship, administrative capability, education, information society, environment protection, regional and local development, research and development activities, healthcare and welfare, transportation and labour market.

Question: How much money did Estonia receive from European Union Structural Funds between 2007 and 2013?


Answer: 2007

Question: What year was the start of investments from the European Union Structural Funds?


Answer: 2013

Question: What year was the end of investments from the European Union Structural Funds?


Answer: Between 1945 and 1989

Context: Between 1945 and 1989, the share of ethnic Estonians in the population resident within the currently defined boundaries of Estonia dropped to 61%, caused primarily by the Soviet programme promoting mass immigration of urban industrial workers from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, as well as by wartime emigration and Joseph Stalin's mass deportations and executions.[citation needed] By 1989, minorities constituted more than one-third of the population, as the number of non-Estonians had grown almost fivefold.

Question: What period did the amount of ethnic Estonians drop by 61%?


Answer: mass immigration of urban industrial workers from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus

Question: What trend caused the drop of ethnic Estonians?


Answer: Joseph Stalin

Question: Who ordered large scales of deportations and executions?


Answer: 1989

Question: What year did minorities in Estonia make up more than a third of the country?


Answer: a national catastrophe

Context: At the end of the 1980s, Estonians perceived their demographic change as a national catastrophe. This was a result of the migration policies essential to the Soviet Nationalisation Programme aiming to russify Estonia – administrative and military immigration of non-Estonians from the USSR coupled with the deportation of Estonians to the USSR. In the decade following the reconstitution of independence, large-scale emigration by ethnic Russians and the removal of the Russian military bases in 1994 caused the proportion of ethnic Estonians in Estonia to increase from 61% to 69% in 2006.

Question: How did Estonians view the demographic change of less ethnic Estonians?


Answer: Russian military bases

Question: What Russian institutions were removed in the decade following Estonia's reclaim of independence?


Answer: 69%

Question: What percentage of Estonians were ethnic in 2006?


Answer: Thirteen

Context: Modern Estonia is a fairly ethnically heterogeneous country, but this heterogeneity is not a feature of much of the country as the non-Estonian population is concentrated in two of Estonia's counties. Thirteen of Estonia's 15 counties are over 80% ethnic Estonian, the most homogeneous being Hiiumaa, where Estonians account for 98.4% of the population. In the counties of Harju (including the capital city, Tallinn) and Ida-Viru, however, ethnic Estonians make up 60% and 20% of the population, respectively. Russians make up 25.6% of the total population but account for 36% of the population in Harju county and 70% of the population in Ida-Viru county.

Question: What number of Estonia's counties are over 80% ethnic Estonian?


Answer: 15

Question: How many counties are in Estonia?


Answer: Hiiumaa

Question: Which county in Estonia is the most uniform?


Answer: 98.4%

Question: What percentage accounts for the total number people living in Hiiumaa that are ethnic Estonians?


Answer: 25.6%

Question: What number describes the percentage of Russian Estonians?


Answer: 1925

Context: The Estonian Cultural Autonomy law that was passed in 1925 was unique in Europe at that time. Cultural autonomies could be granted to minorities numbering more than 3,000 people with longstanding ties to the Republic of Estonia. Before the Soviet occupation, the Germans and Jewish minorities managed to elect a cultural council. The Law on Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities was reinstated in 1993. Historically, large parts of Estonia's northwestern coast and islands have been populated by indigenous ethnically Rannarootslased (Coastal Swedes).

Question: What year was the Estonian Cultural Autonomy law established?


Answer: The Estonian Cultural Autonomy law

Question: In 1925, what rule did Estonia create that was unique in Europe?


Answer: more than 3,000 people

Question: How many minorities were granted cultural autonomies?


Answer: Germans and Jewish minorities

Question: What groups of minorities could elect a cultural council before the Soviet occupation?


Answer: The 2008 United Nations Human Rights Council report

Context: The 2008 United Nations Human Rights Council report called "extremely credible" the description of the citizenship policy of Estonia as "discriminatory". According to surveys, only 5% of the Russian community have considered returning to Russia in the near future. Estonian Russians have developed their own identity – more than half of the respondents recognised that Estonian Russians differ noticeably from the Russians in Russia. When comparing the result with a survey from 2000, then Russians' attitude toward the future is much more positive.

Question: What document labeled the the description of the citizenship policy of Estonia as "discriminatory"?


Answer: 5%

Question: What percentage of Estonian Russians have though of going back to Russia?


Answer: more than half

Question: What proportion of Estonian Russians see themselves as different from their Russian counterparts?


Answer: Estonia's constitution

Context: Estonia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, separation of church and state, and individual rights to privacy of belief and religion. According to the Dentsu Communication Institute Inc, Estonia is one of the least religious countries in the world, with 75.7% of the population claiming to be irreligious. The Eurobarometer Poll 2005 found that only 16% of Estonians profess a belief in a god, the lowest belief of all countries studied (EU study). According to the Lutheran World Federation, the historic Lutheran denomination remains a large presence with 180,000 registered members.

Question: What guarantees freedom of religion for Estonian citizens?


Answer: separation of church and state

Question: Estonia's constitution declares the division of what parts of society?


Answer: belief and religion

Question: What individual privacy rights are citizens granted?


Answer: 75.7%

Question: What percentage of Estonians claim no religion?


Answer: Russian minority

Context: Another major group, inhabitants who follow Eastern Orthodox Christianity, practised chiefly by the Russian minority, and the Russian Orthodox Church is the second largest denomination with 150,000 members. The Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church, under the Greek-Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate, claims another 20,000 members. Thus, the number of adherents of Lutheranism and Orthodoxy, without regard to citizenship or ethnicity, is roughly equal. Refer to the Table below. The Catholics have their Latin Apostolic Administration of Estonia.

Question: What is the major group that believes in Eastern Orthodox Christianity?


Answer: the Russian Orthodox Church

Question: Which religious group is the second largest with 150,000 members?


Answer: Latin Apostolic Administration of Estonia

Question: What religious group do Catholics in Estonia follow?


Answer: Germanic

Context: Although the Estonian and Germanic languages are of very different origins, one can identify many similar words in Estonian and German, for example. This is primarily because the Estonian language has borrowed nearly one third of its vocabulary from Germanic languages, mainly from Low Saxon (Middle Low German) during the period of German rule, and High German (including standard German). The percentage of Low Saxon and High German loanwords can be estimated at 22–25 percent, with Low Saxon making up about 15 percent.

Question: What language does Estonian share similar words with?


Answer: nearly one third

Question: What proportion of vocabulary did Estonia borrow from Germany?


Answer: High German

Question: What standard language did Estonia adopt during German rule?


Answer: about 15 percent

Question: What percentage of the Estonia language includes Low Saxon words?


Answer: bachelor's, master's, and doctoral studies

Context: Academic higher education in Estonia is divided into three levels: bachelor's, master's, and doctoral studies. In some specialties (basic medical studies, veterinary, pharmacy, dentistry, architect-engineer, and a classroom teacher programme) the bachelor's and master's levels are integrated into one unit. Estonian public universities have significantly more autonomy than applied higher education institutions. In addition to organising the academic life of the university, universities can create new curricula, establish admission terms and conditions, approve the budget, approve the development plan, elect the rector, and make restricted decisions in matters concerning assets. Estonia has a moderate number of public and private universities. The largest public universities are the University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonian Academy of Arts; the largest private university is Estonian Business School.

Question: What are the three levels of higher learning in Estonia?


Answer: basic medical studies, veterinary, pharmacy, dentistry

Question: What medical fields have their bachelor's and master's levels combined into one unit?


Answer: autonomy

Question: What do Estonian public universities have more of than higher education institutions?


Answer: Estonian Business School

Question: What is the largest private university in Estonia?


Answer: The Estonian Academy of Sciences

Context: The Estonian Academy of Sciences is the national academy of science. The strongest public non-profit research institute that carries out fundamental and applied research is the National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics (NICPB; Estonian KBFI). The first computer centres were established in the late 1950s in Tartu and Tallinn. Estonian specialists contributed in the development of software engineering standards for ministries of the Soviet Union during the 1980s. As of 2011[update], Estonia spends around 2.38% of its GDP on Research and Development, compared to an EU average of around 2.0%.

Question: What is the main science institution in Estonia?


Answer: the National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics

Question: What is the strongest research body that executes fundamental and applied research?


Answer: the late 1950s

Question: What decade were the first computer centers created in Estonia?


Answer: Tartu and Tallinn

Question: What cities were the locations of the first computer centers?


Answer: liberty and liberalism

Context: Today, Estonian society encourages liberty and liberalism, with popular commitment to the ideals of the limited government, discouraging centralised power and corruption. The Protestant work ethic remains a significant cultural staple, and free education is a highly prized institution. Like the mainstream culture in the other Nordic countries, Estonian culture can be seen to build upon the ascetic environmental realities and traditional livelihoods, a heritage of comparatively widespread egalitarianism out of practical reasons (see: Everyman's right and universal suffrage), and the ideals of closeness to nature and self-sufficiency (see: summer cottage).

Question: What virtues does modern Estonian society promote?


Answer: limited government, discouraging centralised power and corruption

Question: What size and power of government is popular in Estonia?


Answer: free education

Question: What is a highly prized fixture of Estonian society?


Answer: closeness to nature

Question: What ideal does Estonia hold towards the environment?


Answer: The Estonian Academy of Arts

Context: The Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonian: Eesti Kunstiakadeemia, EKA) is providing higher education in art, design, architecture, media, art history and conservation while Viljandi Culture Academy of University of Tartu has an approach to popularise native culture through such curricula as native construction, native blacksmithing, native textile design, traditional handicraft and traditional music, but also jazz and church music. In 2010, there were 245 museums in Estonia whose combined collections contain more than 10 million objects.

Question: What institute provides education in art, design, and media?


Answer: Viljandi Culture Academy of University of Tartu

Question: What institute promotes awareness of native culture?


Answer: native construction, native blacksmithing, native textile design

Question: What parts of native culture does the Viljandi Culture Academy highlight?


Answer: 245

Question: How many Estonian museums existed in 2010?


Answer: Laulupidu

Context: The tradition of Estonian Song Festivals (Laulupidu) started at the height of the Estonian national awakening in 1869. Today, it is one of the largest amateur choral events in the world. In 2004, about 100,000 people participated in the Song Festival. Since 1928, the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds (Lauluväljak) have hosted the event every five years in July. The last festival took place in July 2014. In addition, Youth Song Festivals are also held every four or five years, the last of them in 2011, and the next is scheduled for 2017.

Question: What name describes the Estonian Song Festivals?


Answer: 1869

Question: What year did the tradition of Laulupidu start?


Answer: about 100,000 people

Question: How many people celebrated Laulupidu in 2004?


Answer: the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds

Question: Where does Laulupidu usually take place?


Answer: every five years in July

Question: When does Laulupidu occur?


Answer: 2001

Context: Estonia won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001 with the song "Everybody" performed by Tanel Padar and Dave Benton. In 2002, Estonia hosted the event. Maarja-Liis Ilus has competed for Estonia on two occasions (1996 and 1997), while Eda-Ines Etti, Koit Toome and Evelin Samuel owe their popularity partly to the Eurovision Song Contest. Lenna Kuurmaa is a very popular singer in Europe[citation needed], with her band Vanilla Ninja. "Rändajad" by Urban Symphony, was the first ever song in Estonian to chart in the UK, Belgium, and Switzerland.

Question: What year did Estonia win the Eurovision Song Contest?


Answer: 2002

Question: What year did Estonia host the Eurovision Song Contest?


Answer: Tanel Padar and Dave Benton

Question: Who performed the song "Everybody"?


Answer: Maarja-Liis Ilus

Question: What performer has represented Estonia two different times?


Answer: "Rändajad" by Urban Symphony

Question: What was the first ever Estonian song to hit the popular European charts?


Answer: the Northern Crusades

Context: The Estonian literature refers to literature written in the Estonian language (ca. 1 million speakers). The domination of Estonia after the Northern Crusades, from the 13th century to 1918 by Germany, Sweden, and Russia resulted in few early written literary works in the Estonian language. The oldest records of written Estonian date from the 13th century. Originates Livoniae in Chronicle of Henry of Livonia contains Estonian place names, words and fragments of sentences. The Liber Census Daniae (1241) contains Estonian place and family names.

Question: What event preceded the domination of Estonia by different European powers?


Answer: Germany, Sweden, and Russia

Question: Which three nations occupied Estonia up until 1918?


Answer: the 13th century

Question: What era contains the oldest records of written Estonia works?


Answer: The Liber Census Daniae

Question: What document dated in 1241 contains place and family names?


Answer: Oskar Luts

Context: Oskar Luts was the most prominent prose writer of the early Estonian literature, who is still widely read today, especially his lyrical school novel Kevade (Spring). Anton Hansen Tammsaare's social epic and psychological realist pentalogy Truth and Justice captured the evolution of Estonian society from a peasant community to an independent nation. In modern times, Jaan Kross and Jaan Kaplinski are Estonia's best known and most translated writers. Among the most popular writers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries are Tõnu Õnnepalu and Andrus Kivirähk, who uses elements of Estonian folklore and mythology, deforming them into absurd and grotesque.

Question: Who was the most famous prose writer in early Estonian history?


Answer: Kevade

Question: What is the name of lyrical novel written by Oskar Luts?


Answer: Truth and Justice

Question: What is the name of the book written by Anton Hansen Tammsaare?


Answer: Anton Hansen Tammsaare

Question: Who wrote a book detailing Estonia's rise from peasants to independence?


Answer: Tallinn

Context: The architectural history of Estonia mainly reflects its contemporary development in northern Europe. Worth mentioning is especially the architectural ensemble that makes out the medieval old town of Tallinn, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In addition, the country has several unique, more or less preserved hill forts dating from pre-Christian times, a large number of still intact medieval castles and churches, while the countryside is still shaped by the presence of a vast number of manor houses from earlier centuries.

Question: Which medieval town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List?


Answer: pre-Christian times

Question: When were the preserved hill forts in Estonia built?


Answer: castles and churches

Question: What institutional structures still exist from medieval times?


Answer: seasons and simple peasant food

Context: Historically, the cuisine of Estonia has been heavily dependent on seasons and simple peasant food, which today is influenced by many countries. Today, it includes many typical international foods.[citation needed] The most typical foods in Estonia are black bread, pork, potatoes, and dairy products. Traditionally in summer and spring, Estonians like to eat everything fresh – berries, herbs, vegetables, and everything else that comes straight from the garden. Hunting and fishing have also been very common, although currently hunting and fishing are enjoyed mostly as hobbies. Today, it is also very popular to grill outside in summer.

Question: What factors have influenced Estonian food for most of their history?


Answer: black bread, pork, potatoes, and dairy products.

Question: What are the most common foods in Estonia?


Answer: berries, herbs, vegetables

Question: What fresh items do Estonians traditionally enjoy in summer and spring?


Answer: Hunting and fishing

Question: What food gathering behaviors are now seen as hobbies in modern Estonian culture?


Answer: Sport

Context: Sport plays an important role in Estonian culture. After declaring independence from Russia in 1918, Estonia first competed as a nation at the 1920 Summer Olympics, although the National Olympic Committee was established in 1923. Estonian athletes took part of the Olympic Games until the country was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. The 1980 Summer Olympics Sailing regatta was held in the capital city Tallinn. After regaining independence in 1991, Estonia has participated in all Olympics. Estonia has won most of its medals in athletics, weightlifting, wrestling and cross-country skiing. Estonia has had very good success at the Olympic games given the country's small population. Estonia's best results were being ranked 13th in the medal table at the 1936 Summer Olympics, and 12th at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Question: What physical activity plays a major part in Estonian society?


Answer: 1918

Question: What year did Estonia declare independence from Russia?


Answer: the 1920 Summer Olympics

Question: What event did Estonia compete in as a nation for the first time ever?


Answer: 1940

Question: What year was Estonia annexed by Russia?


Answer: Tallinn

Question: What city hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics Sailing regatta?


Answer: 1936

Context: Basketball is also a notable sport in Estonia. Estonia national basketball team previously participated in 1936 Summer Olympics, appeared in EuroBasket four times. Estonia national team also qualified to EuroBasket 2015, which will be held in Ukraine. BC Kalev/Cramo, which participates in EuroCup, is the most recent Korvpalli Meistriliiga winner after becoming champion of the league for the 6th time. Tartu Ülikool/Rock, which participates in EuroChallenge, is the second strongest Estonian basketball club, previously winning Korvpalli Meistriliiga 22 times. Six Estonian basketball clubs participates in Baltic Basketball League.

Question: What year did Estonia's basketball team first compete in the Summer Olympics


Answer: four

Question: How many instances has Estonia appeared in the EuroBasket tournament?


Answer: BC Kalev/Cramo

Question: Which Estonian football club competes in the EuroCup?


Answer: Tartu Ülikool/Rock

Question: What is the name of second best basketball club in Estonia?


Answer: Six

Question: How many Estonian teams are in the Baltic Basketball League?


Answer: expansion of the Ottoman Empire

Context: South Slavic dialects historically formed a continuum. The turbulent history of the area, particularly due to expansion of the Ottoman Empire, resulted in a patchwork of dialectal and religious differences. Due to population migrations, Shtokavian became the most widespread in the western Balkans, intruding westwards into the area previously occupied by Chakavian and Kajkavian (which further blend into Slovenian in the northwest). Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs differ in religion and were historically often part of different cultural circles, although a large part of the nations have lived side by side under foreign overlords. During that period, the language was referred to under a variety of names, such as "Slavic", "Illyrian", or according to region, "Bosnian", "Serbian" and "Croatian", the latter often in combination with "Slavonian" or "Dalmatian".

Question: What is one of the main causes of the turbulent history?


Answer: population migrations

Question: What was the main cause of the spread of Shtokavian?


Answer: western Balkans

Question: In which geographical region did Shtokavian become wide spread?


Answer: religion

Question: What was one of the major differences between the Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs?


Answer: language

Question: What is "Illyrian?"


Answer: "Slavic", "Illyrian", or according to region, "Bosnian", "Serbian" and "Croatian"

Question: What were some of the names given to language during period of foreign control?


Answer: expansion of the Ottoman Empire

Question: What specific historical event caused a group of religious and verbal differences in South Slavic dialect?


Answer: population migrations

Question: Why was Shtokavian the most widespread culture in the western Balkans?


Answer: mid-19th-century

Context: Serbo-Croatian was standardized in the mid-19th-century Vienna Literary Agreement by Croatian and Serbian writers and philologists, decades before a Yugoslav state was established. From the very beginning, there were slightly different literary Serbian and Croatian standards, although both were based on the same Shtokavian subdialect, Eastern Herzegovinian. In the 20th century, Serbo-Croatian served as the official language of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (when it was called "Serbo-Croato-Slovenian"), and later as one of the official languages of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The breakup of Yugoslavia affected language attitudes, so that social conceptions of the language separated on ethnic and political lines. Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, Bosnian has likewise been established as an official standard in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and there is an ongoing movement to codify a separate Montenegrin standard. Serbo-Croatian thus generally goes by the ethnic names Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and sometimes Montenegrin and Bunjevac.

Question: In which time period was Serbo-Croatian standardized?


Answer: Vienna Literary Agreement

Question: What was the name of the document that standardized Serbo-Croatian?


Answer: Eastern Herzegovinian

Question: What were both Serbian and Croatian standards based off of?


Answer: Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Question: What was Serbo-Croatian the official language for in the 20th century?


Answer: Bosnian

Question: Which additional language was added as an official language after the breakup of Yugoslavia?


Answer: Shtokavian subdialect, Eastern Herzegovinian

Question: What were both Serbian and Croation standards based on?


Answer: Serbo-Croatian

Question: Which language officially served the Kingdom of Yugoslavia?


Answer: Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and sometimes Montenegrin and Bunjevac

Question: What ethnic names does Serbo-Croatian associate with?


Answer: simple

Context: Like other South Slavic languages, Serbo-Croatian has a simple phonology, with the common five-vowel system and twenty-five consonants. Its grammar evolved from Common Slavic, with complex inflection, preserving seven grammatical cases in nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. Verbs exhibit imperfective or perfective aspect, with a moderately complex tense system. Serbo-Croatian is a pro-drop language with flexible word order, subject–verb–object being the default. It can be written in Serbian Cyrillic or Gaj's Latin alphabet, whose thirty letters mutually map one-to-one, and the orthography is highly phonemic in all standards.

Question: What kind of phonology do South Slavic languages have?


Answer: twenty-five

Question: How many consonants are in the Serbo-Croatian alphabet?


Answer: subject–verb–object

Question: What is the default sentence structure for the Serbo-Croatian language?


Answer: pro-drop

Question: What kind of language is Serbo-Croatian?


Answer: Serbian Cyrillic

Question: Other than Gaj's Latin alphabet, what other written language can Serbo-Croatian be written in?


Answer: five

Question: How many vowels does the Serbo-Croatian language have?


Answer: twenty-five

Question: How many consonants does the Serbo-Croatian language have?


Answer: Common Slavic

Question: From where does Serbo-Croatian derive its grammar?


Answer: Serbian Cyrillic or Gaj's Latin

Question: Which alphabets can be used to express the Serbo-Croatian language?


Answer: 1824

Context: Throughout the history of the South Slavs, the vernacular, literary, and written languages (e.g. Chakavian, Kajkavian, Shtokavian) of the various regions and ethnicities developed and diverged independently. Prior to the 19th century, they were collectively called "Illyric", "Slavic", "Slavonian", "Bosnian", "Dalmatian", "Serbian" or "Croatian". As such, the term Serbo-Croatian was first used by Jacob Grimm in 1824, popularized by the Vienna philologist Jernej Kopitar in the following decades, and accepted by Croatian Zagreb grammarians in 1854 and 1859. At that time, Serb and Croat lands were still part of the Ottoman and Austrian Empires. Officially, the language was called variously Serbo-Croat, Croato-Serbian, Serbian and Croatian, Croatian and Serbian, Serbian or Croatian, Croatian or Serbian. Unofficially, Serbs and Croats typically called the language "Serbian" or "Croatian", respectively, without implying a distinction between the two, and again in independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Bosnian", "Croatian", and "Serbian" were considered to be three names of a single official language. Croatian linguist Dalibor Brozović advocated the term Serbo-Croatian as late as 1988, claiming that in an analogy with Indo-European, Serbo-Croatian does not only name the two components of the same language, but simply charts the limits of the region in which it is spoken and includes everything between the limits (‘Bosnian’ and ‘Montenegrin’). Today, use of the term "Serbo-Croatian" is controversial due to the prejudice that nation and language must match. It is still used for lack of a succinct alternative, though alternative names have been used, such as Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS), which is often seen in political contexts such as the Hague War Crimes tribunal.

Question: When was the term Serbo-Croatian first used?


Answer: Jernej Kopitar

Question: Who popularized the term Serbo-Croatian?


Answer: Austrian

Question: Aside from the Ottoman Empire, which other empire did the Serb and Croat lands in the mid 19th century belong to?


Answer: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Question: In which region of land was the Serbo-Croat language referred to as "Bosnian"?


Answer: Hague War Crimes tribunal

Question: What is an example of a political text where the term Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian was used to describe the language?


Answer: independently

Question: Did South Slav languages develop coherently or independently?


Answer: "Illyric", "Slavic", "Slavonian", "Bosnian", "Dalmatian", "Serbian" or "Croatian"

Question: What were the names given to the various dialects predating the 19th century?


Answer: Jacob Grimm

Question: Who first used the term Serbo-Croatian in 1824?


Answer: prejudice that nation and language must match

Question: For what reason is the term "Serbo-Croatian" controversial today?


Answer: Shtokavian

Context: In the mid-19th century, Serbian (led by self-taught writer and folklorist Vuk Stefanović Karadžić) and most Croatian writers and linguists (represented by the Illyrian movement and led by Ljudevit Gaj and Đuro Daničić), proposed the use of the most widespread dialect, Shtokavian, as the base for their common standard language. Karadžić standardised the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, and Gaj and Daničić standardized the Croatian Latin alphabet, on the basis of vernacular speech phonemes and the principle of phonological spelling. In 1850 Serbian and Croatian writers and linguists signed the Vienna Literary Agreement, declaring their intention to create a unified standard. Thus a complex bi-variant language appeared, which the Serbs officially called "Serbo-Croatian" or "Serbian or Croatian" and the Croats "Croato-Serbian", or "Croatian or Serbian". Yet, in practice, the variants of the conceived common literary language served as different literary variants, chiefly differing in lexical inventory and stylistic devices. The common phrase describing this situation was that Serbo-Croatian or "Croatian or Serbian" was a single language. During the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the language of all three nations was called "Bosnian" until the death of administrator von Kállay in 1907, at which point the name was changed to "Serbo-Croatian".

Question: Which dialect did writers and linguists of both Serbian and Croatian backgrounds wish to use as their common standard language?


Answer: most widespread dialect

Question: Why was Shtokavian suggested as a common language base?


Answer: Vienna Literary Agreement

Question: What 1850 document formally declared the intent to create a unified standard?


Answer: administrator von Kállay

Question: After whose death in 1907 was the "Bosnian" name changed to "Serbo-Creation"?


Answer: pravopis

Context: West European scientists judge the Yugoslav language policy as an exemplary one: although three-quarters of the population spoke one language, no single language was official on a federal level. Official languages were declared only at the level of constituent republics and provinces, and very generously: Vojvodina had five (among them Slovak and Romanian, spoken by 0.5 per cent of the population), and Kosovo four (Albanian, Turkish, Romany and Serbo-Croatian). Newspapers, radio and television studios used sixteen languages, fourteen were used as languages of tuition in schools, and nine at universities. Only the Yugoslav Army used Serbo-Croatian as the sole language of command, with all other languages represented in the army’s other activities—however, this is not different from other armies of multilingual states, or in other specific institutions, such as international air traffic control where English is used worldwide. All variants of Serbo-Croatian were used in state administration and republican and federal institutions. Both Serbian and Croatian variants were represented in respectively different grammar books, dictionaries, school textbooks and in books known as pravopis (which detail spelling rules). Serbo-Croatian was a kind of soft standardisation. However, legal equality could not dampen the prestige Serbo-Croatian had: since it was the language of three quarters of the population, it functioned as an unofficial lingua franca. And within Serbo-Croatian, the Serbian variant, with twice as many speakers as the Croatian, enjoyed greater prestige, reinforced by the fact that Slovene and Macedonian speakers preferred it to the Croatian variant because their languages are also Ekavian. This is a common situation in other pluricentric languages, e.g. the variants of German differ according to their prestige, the variants of Portuguese too. Moreover, all languages differ in terms of prestige: "the fact is that languages (in terms of prestige, learnability etc.) are not equal, and the law cannot make them equal".

Question: What is the term used for books that lay out spelling rules?


Answer: Serbo-Croatian

Question: Which language was that of 3/4 of the population?


Answer: Serbian

Question: Of the two Serbo-Croatian variants, which had twice as many speakers as the other?


Answer: masculine, feminine, and neuter

Context: Like most Slavic languages, there are mostly three genders for nouns: masculine, feminine, and neuter, a distinction which is still present even in the plural (unlike Russian and, in part, the Čakavian dialect). They also have two numbers: singular and plural. However, some consider there to be three numbers (paucal or dual, too), since (still preserved in closely related Slovene) after two (dva, dvije/dve), three (tri) and four (četiri), and all numbers ending in them (e.g. twenty-two, ninety-three, one hundred four) the genitive singular is used, and after all other numbers five (pet) and up, the genitive plural is used. (The number one [jedan] is treated as an adjective.) Adjectives are placed in front of the noun they modify and must agree in both case and number with it.

Question: What three noun genders does Serbo-Croatian have?


Answer: in front of the noun they modify

Question: Where are adjectives properly placed in the Serbo-Croatian language?


Answer: one [jedan]

Question: Which number in the Serbo-Croatian language is treated as an adjective?


Answer: "Neoshtokavian retraction"

Context: Comparative and historical linguistics offers some clues for memorising the accent position: If one compares many standard Serbo-Croatian words to e.g. cognate Russian words, the accent in the Serbo-Croatian word will be one syllable before the one in the Russian word, with the rising tone. Historically, the rising tone appeared when the place of the accent shifted to the preceding syllable (the so-called "Neoshtokavian retraction"), but the quality of this new accent was different – its melody still "gravitated" towards the original syllable. Most Shtokavian dialects (Neoshtokavian) dialects underwent this shift, but Chakavian, Kajkavian and the Old Shtokavian dialects did not.

Question: What is the term used when shifing the acent to the next preceding syllable?


Answer: Chakavian, Kajkavian and the Old Shtokavian

Question: Which dialects did not follow the Neoshtokavian retraction?


Answer: Comparative and historical linguistics

Question: Where can one look for memorization clues concerning accent positions?


Answer: Latin and Cyrillic

Context: The Croatian Latin alphabet (Gajica) followed suit shortly afterwards, when Ljudevit Gaj defined it as standard Latin with five extra letters that had diacritics, apparently borrowing much from Czech, but also from Polish, and inventing the unique digraphs "lj", "nj" and "dž". These digraphs are represented as "ļ, ń and ǵ" respectively in the "Rječnik hrvatskog ili srpskog jezika", published by the former Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb. The latter digraphs, however, are unused in the literary standard of the language. All in all, this makes Serbo-Croatian the only Slavic language to officially use both the Latin and Cyrillic scripts, albeit the Latin version is more commonly used.

Question: Serbo-Croatian is the only Slavic language to use what two scripts together?


Answer: Latin

Question: Which version, Latin or Cyrillic, is most commonly used?


Answer: five

Question: How many extra letters does the Croatian Latin alphabet have?


Answer: each dialect has some similarities with the neighboring one, and differences grow with distance.

Context: South Slavic historically formed a dialect continuum, i.e. each dialect has some similarities with the neighboring one, and differences grow with distance. However, migrations from the 16th to 18th centuries resulting from the spread of Ottoman Empire on the Balkans have caused large-scale population displacement that broke the dialect continuum into many geographical pockets. Migrations in the 20th century, primarily caused by urbanization and wars, also contributed to the reduction of dialectal differences.

Question: What is a dialect continuum?


Answer: migrations from the 16th to 18th centuries resulting from the spread of Ottoman Empire on the Balkans

Question: What caused the dialect continuum to become fractured?


Answer: urbanization and wars

Question: Contrary to the 16th and 18th centuries, what caused migrations in the 20th century?


Answer: Štokavian

Context: The Serbo-Croatian dialects differ not only in the question word they are named after, but also heavily in phonology, accentuation and intonation, case endings and tense system (morphology) and basic vocabulary. In the past, Chakavian and Kajkavian dialects were spoken on a much larger territory, but have been replaced by Štokavian during the period of migrations caused by Ottoman Turkish conquest of the Balkans in the 15th and the 16th centuries. These migrations caused the koinéisation of the Shtokavian dialects, that used to form the West Shtokavian (more closer and transitional towards the neighbouring Chakavian and Kajkavian dialects) and East Shtokavian (transitional towards the Torlakian and the whole Bulgaro-Macedonian area) dialect bundles, and their subsequent spread at the expense of Chakavian and Kajkavian. As a result, Štokavian now covers an area larger than all the other dialects combined, and continues to make its progress in the enclaves where non-literary dialects are still being spoken.

Question: Which dialect covers more area than all other dialects combined?


Answer: tense system

Question: What is morphology to a language?


Answer: migrations caused by Ottoman Turkish conquest of the Balkans

Question: What has caused Stokavian to become more widely spoken?


Answer: four

Context: Enisa Kafadar argues that there is only one Serbo-Croatian language with several varieties. This has made possible to include all four varieties into a new grammar book. Daniel Bunčić concludes that it is a pluricentric language, with four standard variants spoken in Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mutual intelligibility between their speakers "exceeds that between the standard variants of English, French, German, or Spanish". Other linguists have argued that the differences between the variants of Serbo-Croatian are less significant than those between the variants of English, German,, Dutch, and Hindi-Urdu.

Question: How many standard variants of the Serbo-Croatian are spoken?


Answer: Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Question: In which areas are the four standard Serbo-Croatian variants spoken?


Answer: Daniel Bunčić

Question: Who concluded that Serbo-Croatian is a pluricentric language?


Answer: Enisa Kafadar

Question: Who believes Serbo-Croatian is one language with multiple variants?


Answer: majority

Context: The opinion of the majority of Croatian linguists[citation needed] is that there has never been a Serbo-Croatian language, but two different standard languages that overlapped sometime in the course of history. However, Croatian linguist Snježana Kordić has been leading an academic discussion on that issue in the Croatian journal Književna republika from 2001 to 2010. In the discussion, she shows that linguistic criteria such as mutual intelligibility, huge overlap in linguistic system, and the same dialectic basis of standard language provide evidence that Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian and Montenegrin are four national variants of the pluricentric Serbo-Croatian language. Igor Mandić states: "During the last ten years, it has been the longest, the most serious and most acrid discussion (…) in 21st-century Croatian culture". Inspired by that discussion, a monograph on language and nationalism has been published.

Question: Is it the majority or minority opinion that two different standard languages existed and overlapped at some historical point?


Answer: Igor Mandić

Question: Who stated that the argument between pluricentric or dual standard classifications has been the "longest, most serious, and most acrid discussion in 21st century Croatian culture?"


Answer: Croatian linguist Snježana Kordić

Question: Which Croatian linguist agrees with Igor Mandic and feels that Serbo-Croatian language is pluricentric?


Answer: Italian or Slavic

Context: The topic of language for writers from Dalmatia and Dubrovnik prior to the 19th century made a distinction only between speakers of Italian or Slavic, since those were the two main groups that inhabited Dalmatian city-states at that time. Whether someone spoke Croatian or Serbian was not an important distinction then, as the two languages were not distinguished by most speakers. This has been used as an argument to state that Croatian literature Croatian per se, but also includes Serbian and other languages that are part of Serbo-Croatian, These facts undermine the Croatian language proponents' argument that modern-day Croatian is based on a language called Old Croatian.

Question: Which language groups lived in Dalmation city-states prior to the 19th century?


Answer: Old Croatian

Question: Today's Croatian language has its roots in what other language?


Answer: two languages were not distinguished by most speakers

Question: Prior to the 19th century, why was it irrelevant whether a person spoke Croatian or Serbian?


Answer: Catholic Christendom

Context: However, most intellectuals and writers from Dalmatia who used the Štokavian dialect and practiced the Catholic faith saw themselves as part of a Croatian nation as far back as the mid-16th to 17th centuries, some 300 years before Serbo-Croatian ideology appeared. Their loyalty was first and foremost to Catholic Christendom, but when they professed an ethnic identity, they referred to themselves as "Slovin" and "Illyrian" (a sort of forerunner of Catholic baroque pan-Slavism) and Croat – these 30-odd writers over the span of c. 350 years always saw themselves as Croats first and never as part of a Serbian nation. It should also be noted that, in the pre-national era, Catholic religious orientation did not necessarily equate with Croat ethnic identity in Dalmatia. A Croatian follower of Vuk Karadžić, Ivan Broz, noted that for a Dalmatian to identify oneself as a Serb was seen as foreign as identifying oneself as Macedonian or Greek. Vatroslav Jagić pointed out in 1864:

Question: To which group did the people of the Catholic faith refer to themselves primarily?


Answer: Croatian

Question: After allowing for their religion, did the people of the Catholic faith see themselves as Serbian or Croatian?


Answer: Macedonian or Greek

Question: Ivan Broz stated that a Dalmatian identifiying as a Serb was just as foreign as what two other ethnicities?


Answer: Glagolitic Missale Romanum Glagolitice (1483)

Context: The luxurious and ornate representative texts of Serbo-Croatian Church Slavonic belong to the later era, when they coexisted with the Serbo-Croatian vernacular literature. The most notable are the "Missal of Duke Novak" from the Lika region in northwestern Croatia (1368), "Evangel from Reims" (1395, named after the town of its final destination), Hrvoje's Missal from Bosnia and Split in Dalmatia (1404), and the first printed book in Serbo-Croatian, the Glagolitic Missale Romanum Glagolitice (1483).

Question: What was the first book published in Serbo-Croatian?


Answer: the town of its final destination

Question: For what was "Evangel from Reims" named?


Answer: (1483)

Question: In what year was the first book printed in Serbo-Croatian?


Answer: Novi Sad Agreement

Context: In 1954, major Serbian and Croatian writers, linguists and literary critics, backed by Matica srpska and Matica hrvatska signed the Novi Sad Agreement, which in its first conclusion stated: "Serbs, Croats and Montenegrins share a single language with two equal variants that have developed around Zagreb (western) and Belgrade (eastern)". The agreement insisted on the equal status of Cyrillic and Latin scripts, and of Ekavian and Ijekavian pronunciations. It also specified that Serbo-Croatian should be the name of the language in official contexts, while in unofficial use the traditional Serbian and Croatian were to be retained. Matica hrvatska and Matica srpska were to work together on a dictionary, and a committee of Serbian and Croatian linguists was asked to prepare a pravopis. During the sixties both books were published simultaneously in Ijekavian Latin in Zagreb and Ekavian Cyrillic in Novi Sad. Yet Croatian linguists claim that it was an act of unitarianism. The evidence supporting this claim is patchy: Croatian linguist Stjepan Babić complained that the television transmission from Belgrade always used the Latin alphabet— which was true, but was not proof of unequal rights, but of frequency of use and prestige. Babić further complained that the Novi Sad Dictionary (1967) listed side by side words from both the Croatian and Serbian variants wherever they differed, which one can view as proof of careful respect for both variants, and not of unitarism. Moreover, Croatian linguists criticized those parts of the Dictionary for being unitaristic that were written by Croatian linguists. And finally, Croatian linguists ignored the fact that the material for the Pravopisni rječnik came from the Croatian Philological Society. Regardless of these facts, Croatian intellectuals brought the Declaration on the Status and Name of the Croatian Literary Language in 1967. On occasion of the publication’s 45th anniversary, the Croatian weekly journal Forum published the Declaration again in 2012, accompanied by a critical analysis.

Question: Which agreement was signed in 1954 by writers, linguists, and literary critics?


Answer: equal status

Question: On what principle did the Novi Sad Agreement focus upon?


Answer: Matica hrvatska and Matica srpska

Question: Who was given the task of creating a dictionary in the Novi Sad Agreement?


Answer: imperfective

Context: In addition, like most Slavic languages, the Shtokavian verb also has one of two aspects: perfective or imperfective. Most verbs come in pairs, with the perfective verb being created out of the imperfective by adding a prefix or making a stem change. The imperfective aspect typically indicates that the action is unfinished, in progress, or repetitive; while the perfective aspect typically denotes that the action was completed, instantaneous, or of limited duration. Some Štokavian tenses (namely, aorist and imperfect) favor a particular aspect (but they are rarer or absent in Čakavian and Kajkavian). Actually, aspects "compensate" for the relative lack of tenses, because aspect of the verb determines whether the act is completed or in progress in the referred time.

Question: Which tense indicates that an action hasn't finished?


Answer: perfective or imperfective

Question: Which two states do Shtokavian verbs have?


Answer: action was completed, instantaneous, or of limited duration

Question: When is the perspective aspect of a verb used?


Answer: -io

Context: The jat-reflex rules are not without exception. For example, when short jat is preceded by r, in most Ijekavian dialects developed into /re/ or, occasionally, /ri/. The prefix prě- ("trans-, over-") when long became pre- in eastern Ijekavian dialects but to prije- in western dialects; in Ikavian pronunciation, it also evolved into pre- or prije- due to potential ambiguity with pri- ("approach, come close to"). For verbs that had -ěti in their infinitive, the past participle ending -ěl evolved into -io in Ijekavian Neoštokavian.

Question: To what did the ending -ei evolve into in Ijekavian Neostokavian?


Answer: prije

Question: What is the western equivalent of the prefix "pre"?


Answer: due to potential ambiguity with pri

Question: Why did pre or prije develop rather than the symboled "pre"?


Answer: approach, come close to

Question: What is the meaning of "pri"?


Answer: (Illyrian)

Context: On the other hand, the opinion of Jagić from 1864 is argued not to have firm grounds. When Jagić says "Croatian", he refers to a few cases referring to the Dubrovnik vernacular as ilirski (Illyrian). This was a common name for all Slavic vernaculars in Dalmatian cities among the Roman inhabitants. In the meantime, other written monuments are found that mention srpski, lingua serviana (= Serbian), and some that mention Croatian. By far the most competent Serbian scientist on the Dubrovnik language issue, Milan Rešetar, who was born in Dubrovnik himself, wrote behalf of language characteristics: "The one who thinks that Croatian and Serbian are two separate languages must confess that Dubrovnik always (linguistically) used to be Serbian."

Question: All Slavic vernaculars were called what among Romans?


Answer: Milan Rešetar

Question: Who is considered the most competent Serbian scientist on language?


Answer: Dubrovnik

Question: Where was Milan Resetar born?


Answer: Serbian

Question: Which language does Milan Resetar state that Dubrovnik derived from?


Answer: they speak an entirely separate language from Serbs and Bosnians

Context: Nationalists have conflicting views about the language(s). The nationalists among the Croats conflictingly claim either that they speak an entirely separate language from Serbs and Bosnians or that these two peoples have, due to the longer lexicographic tradition among Croats, somehow "borrowed" their standard languages from them.[citation needed] Bosniak nationalists claim that both Croats and Serbs have "appropriated" the Bosnian language, since Ljudevit Gaj and Vuk Karadžić preferred the Neoštokavian-Ijekavian dialect, widely spoken in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the basis for language standardization, whereas the nationalists among the Serbs claim either that any divergence in the language is artificial, or claim that the Štokavian dialect is theirs and the Čakavian Croats'— in more extreme formulations Croats have "taken" or "stolen" their language from the Serbs.[citation needed]

Question: What opinions do Croatian Nationalists have on the language issue?


Answer: they speak an entirely separate language from Serbs and Bosnians

Question: What opinions do Croatian Nationalists have on the language issue?


Answer: Neoštokavian-Ijekavian

Question: Which language did Ljudevit Gaj and Vuk Karadzic prefer?


Answer: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Question: Where is the Neostokavian-Ijekavian language predominantely spoken?


Answer: Croats have "taken" or "stolen" their language

Question: How do Serbian nationalists feel about the Croatians using their language?


Answer: Vojvodina

Context: In Serbia, the Serbian language is the official one, while both Serbian and Croatian are official in the province of Vojvodina. A large Bosniak minority is present in the southwest region of Sandžak, but the "official recognition" of Bosnian language is moot. Bosnian is an optional course in 1st and 2nd grade of the elementary school, while it is also in official use in the municipality of Novi Pazar. However, its nomenclature is controversial, as there is incentive that it is referred to as "Bosniak" (bošnjački) rather than "Bosnian" (bosanski) (see Bosnian language for details).

Question: In which province are Serbian and Croatian both languages offial?


Answer: "Bosniak" (bošnjački)

Question: To what should the language be referred to instead of "Bosnian"?


Answer: 1st and 2nd

Question: In what elementary grades is Bosnian an optional course?


Answer: 738,432

Context: Alaska (i/əˈlæskə/) is a U.S. state situated in the northwest extremity of the Americas. The Canadian administrative divisions of British Columbia and Yukon border the state to the east while Russia has a maritime border with the state to the west across the Bering Strait. To the north are the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, the southern parts of the Arctic Ocean. To the south and southwest is the Pacific Ocean. Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area, the 3rd least populous and the least densely populated of the 50 United States. Approximately half of Alaska's residents (the total estimated at 738,432 by the Census Bureau in 2015) live within the Anchorage metropolitan area. Alaska's economy is dominated by the fishing, natural gas, and oil industries, resources which it has in abundance. Military bases and tourism are also a significant part of the economy.

Question: What is Alaska's total population according to the 2015 Census?


Answer: Approximately half

Question: How many of Alaska's residents reside in the Anchorage area?


Answer: fishing, natural gas, and oil

Question: Which industries are most prevalent in Alaska's economy?


Answer: largest state in the United States by area

Question: How does Alaska compare in size to other US states?


Answer: 3rd least populous

Question: Where does Alaska rank in population comparative to other US states?


Answer: "the Lower 48"

Context: Alaska is the northernmost and westernmost state in the United States and has the most easterly longitude in the United States because the Aleutian Islands extend into the eastern hemisphere. Alaska is the only non-contiguous U.S. state on continental North America; about 500 miles (800 km) of British Columbia (Canada) separates Alaska from Washington. It is technically part of the continental U.S., but is sometimes not included in colloquial use; Alaska is not part of the contiguous U.S., often called "the Lower 48". The capital city, Juneau, is situated on the mainland of the North American continent but is not connected by road to the rest of the North American highway system.

Question: What are the contiguous states sometimes called?


Answer: Juneau

Question: What is Alaska's capital city?


Answer: 500

Question: How many miles are between Alaska and Washington state?


Answer: Aleutian Islands

Question: Which set of islands extend into the Eastern Hemisphere?


Answer: Tongass National Forest

Context: Also referred to as the Panhandle or Inside Passage, this is the region of Alaska closest to the rest of the United States. As such, this was where most of the initial non-indigenous settlement occurred in the years following the Alaska Purchase. The region is dominated by the Alexander Archipelago as well as the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States. It contains the state capital Juneau, the former capital Sitka, and Ketchikan, at one time Alaska's largest city. The Alaska Marine Highway provides a vital surface transportation link throughout the area, as only three communities (Haines, Hyder and Skagway) enjoy direct connections to the contiguous North American road system.

Question: Which forest is the largest national forest in the US?


Answer: Sitka

Question: Which city was Alaska's former capital?


Answer: Panhandle or Inside Passage

Question: What is the area closest to the continental US called?


Answer: Panhandle or Inside Passage

Question: Where did most settlement occur after the Louisiana Purchase?


Answer: The North Slope

Context: The North Slope is mostly tundra peppered with small villages. The area is known for its massive reserves of crude oil, and contains both the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska and the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field. Barrow, the northernmost city in the United States, is located here. The Northwest Arctic area, anchored by Kotzebue and also containing the Kobuk River valley, is often regarded as being part of this region. However, the respective Inupiat of the North Slope and of the Northwest Arctic seldom consider themselves to be one people.

Question: Which area contains the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field?


Answer: Barrow

Question: What is the northernmost city in the US?


Answer: massive reserves of crude oil

Question: What resource is the North Slope known for?


Answer: nearly 34,000 miles

Context: With its myriad islands, Alaska has nearly 34,000 miles (54,720 km) of tidal shoreline. The Aleutian Islands chain extends west from the southern tip of the Alaska Peninsula. Many active volcanoes are found in the Aleutians and in coastal regions. Unimak Island, for example, is home to Mount Shishaldin, which is an occasionally smoldering volcano that rises to 10,000 feet (3,048 m) above the North Pacific. It is the most perfect volcanic cone on Earth, even more symmetrical than Japan's Mount Fuji. The chain of volcanoes extends to Mount Spurr, west of Anchorage on the mainland. Geologists have identified Alaska as part of Wrangellia, a large region consisting of multiple states and Canadian provinces in the Pacific Northwest, which is actively undergoing continent building.

Question: How much tidal shoreline does Alaska have in miles?


Answer: Unimak Island

Question: On which island is Mount Shishaldin located?


Answer: actively undergoing continent building

Question: What do geoligists believe is unique about Wrangellia?


Answer: most perfect volcanic cone on Earth

Question: What is most impressive about Mount Shishaldin in comparison to Mount Fuji?


Answer: 10,000 feet (3,048 m)

Question: How high does Mount Shishaldin rise above sea level?


Answer: 65%

Context: According to an October 1998 report by the United States Bureau of Land Management, approximately 65% of Alaska is owned and managed by the U.S. federal government as public lands, including a multitude of national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges. Of these, the Bureau of Land Management manages 87 million acres (35 million hectares), or 23.8% of the state. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is the world's largest wildlife refuge, comprising 16 million acres (6.5 million hectares).

Question: What percentage of Alaska is maintained by the US federal government?


Answer: national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges

Question: What types of areas are managed by the federal government as public lands?


Answer: 87 million

Question: How many acres is the Bureau of Land Management in charge of?


Answer: 23.8%

Question: How much of the state is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management?


Answer: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Question: What is the world's largest wildlife refuge?


Answer: 101 million acres

Context: Of the remaining land area, the state of Alaska owns 101 million acres (41 million hectares), its entitlement under the Alaska Statehood Act. A portion of that acreage is occasionally ceded to organized boroughs, under the statutory provisions pertaining to newly formed boroughs. Smaller portions are set aside for rural subdivisions and other homesteading-related opportunities. These are not very popular due to the often remote and roadless locations. The University of Alaska, as a land grant university, also owns substantial acreage which it manages independently.

Question: How many acres of its land does the state of Alaska own?


Answer: 101 million acres (41 million hectares)

Question: How much land is the state of Alaska provided by the Alaska Statehood Act?


Answer: remote and roadless locations

Question: Why aren't homestead and subdivision areas more popular?


Answer: Doyon, Limited

Context: Another 44 million acres (18 million hectares) are owned by 12 regional, and scores of local, Native corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971. Regional Native corporation Doyon, Limited often promotes itself as the largest private landowner in Alaska in advertisements and other communications. Provisions of ANCSA allowing the corporations' land holdings to be sold on the open market starting in 1991 were repealed before they could take effect. Effectively, the corporations hold title (including subsurface title in many cases, a privilege denied to individual Alaskans) but cannot sell the land. Individual Native allotments can be and are sold on the open market, however.

Question: Which group claims it is Alaska's largest private land owner?


Answer: hold title (including subsurface title in many cases

Question: What privelege do private Alaskan corporations have that its public citizens do not?


Answer: repealed before they could take effect

Question: Was a law enacted in 1991 allowing corporations to sell land holdings or was it repealed?


Answer: over 50 in

Context: The climate in Southeast Alaska is a mid-latitude oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb) in the southern sections and a subarctic oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc) in the northern parts. On an annual basis, Southeast is both the wettest and warmest part of Alaska with milder temperatures in the winter and high precipitation throughout the year. Juneau averages over 50 in (130 cm) of precipitation a year, and Ketchikan averages over 150 in (380 cm). This is also the only region in Alaska in which the average daytime high temperature is above freezing during the winter months.

Question: How much precipitation does Juno receive each year?


Answer: Southeast

Question: In what region of Alaska is the daytime temperature above freezing during summer?


Answer: mid-latitude oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb) in the southern sections and a subarctic oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc) in the northern parts

Question: Southern Alaska has what two Koppen climate classifications?


Answer: over 150 in (380 cm)

Question: How much precipitation does Ketchikan receive each year?


Answer: Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska

Context: The climate of Western Alaska is determined in large part by the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. It is a subarctic oceanic climate in the southwest and a continental subarctic climate farther north. The temperature is somewhat moderate considering how far north the area is. This region has a tremendous amount of variety in precipitation. An area stretching from the northern side of the Seward Peninsula to the Kobuk River valley (i. e., the region around Kotzebue Sound) is technically a desert, with portions receiving less than 10 in (25 cm) of precipitation annually. On the other extreme, some locations between Dillingham and Bethel average around 100 in (250 cm) of precipitation.

Question: What two bodies of water influene the climate in Western Alaska?


Answer: tremendous amount of variety

Question: Is precipitation varied or uniform in Western Alaska?


Answer: the region around Kotzebue Sound

Question: Which area of Western Alaska is techincally a desert?


Answer: less than 10 in (25 cm) of precipitation annually

Question: How much precipitation does the desert area of Western Alaska receive?


Answer: Grover Cleveland

Context: Numerous indigenous peoples occupied Alaska for thousands of years before the arrival of European peoples to the area. Linguistic and DNA studies done here have provided evidence for the settlement of North America by way of the Bering land bridge.[citation needed] The Tlingit people developed a society with a matrilineal kinship system of property inheritance and descent in what is today Southeast Alaska, along with parts of British Columbia and the Yukon. Also in Southeast were the Haida, now well known for their unique arts. The Tsimshian people came to Alaska from British Columbia in 1887, when President Grover Cleveland, and later the U.S. Congress, granted them permission to settle on Annette Island and found the town of Metlakatla. All three of these peoples, as well as other indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, experienced smallpox outbreaks from the late 18th through the mid-19th century, with the most devastating epidemics occurring in the 1830s and 1860s, resulting in high fatalities and social disruption.

Question: Which President allowed Tsimshian settlers to inhabit Annette Island?


Answer: smallpox

Question: What epidemic resulted in numerous deaths between the 1830s and 1860s?


Answer: 1887

Question: In what year did the Tsimshian people arrive in Alaska?


Answer: the Haida

Question: Which Alaskan indigenous group is now well-known for their art?


Answer: The Gwich'in people of the northern Interior region

Context: The Aleutian Islands are still home to the Aleut people's seafaring society, although they were the first Native Alaskans to be exploited by Russians. Western and Southwestern Alaska are home to the Yup'ik, while their cousins the Alutiiq ~ Sugpiaq lived in what is now Southcentral Alaska. The Gwich'in people of the northern Interior region are Athabaskan and primarily known today for their dependence on the caribou within the much-contested Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The North Slope and Little Diomede Island are occupied by the widespread Inupiat people.

Question: Which indigenous group is controversially known for hunting caribou on protected land?


Answer: The North Slope and Little Diomede Island

Question: The Inuplat population inhabit what areas?


Answer: Aleut

Question: Which Alaskan indigenous group was the fist to be exploited by Russians?


Answer: 17th century

Context: Some researchers believe that the first Russian settlement in Alaska was established in the 17th century. According to this hypothesis, in 1648 several koches of Semyon Dezhnyov's expedition came ashore in Alaska by storm and founded this settlement. This hypothesis is based on the testimony of Chukchi geographer Nikolai Daurkin, who had visited Alaska in 1764–1765 and who had reported on a village on the Kheuveren River, populated by "bearded men" who "pray to the icons". Some modern researchers associate Kheuveren with Koyuk River.

Question: During what time period do some researchers believe Russians settled in Alaska?


Answer: Semyon Dezhnyov

Question: Whose expedidion potentially landed in Alaska during a storm and founded a settlement in 1648?


Answer: "bearded men" who "pray to the icons"

Question: Whom did Nikolai Durkin say lived in a village on the Kheuveren River?


Answer: 1764–1765

Question: During which years did Nikolai Durkin visit Alaska?


Answer: gold rushes

Context: Starting in the 1890s and stretching in some places to the early 1910s, gold rushes in Alaska and the nearby Yukon Territory brought thousands of miners and settlers to Alaska. Alaska was officially incorporated as an organized territory in 1912. Alaska's capital, which had been in Sitka until 1906, was moved north to Juneau. Construction of the Alaska Governor's Mansion began that same year. European immigrants from Norway and Sweden also settled in southeast Alaska, where they entered the fishing and logging industries.

Question: What event brought thousands of people to Alaska in the 1890s to early 1910s?


Answer: 1912

Question: What year was Alaska officially incorporated as a territory?


Answer: 1906

Question: In what year was Alaska's capital officially changed to Juneau?


Answer: fishing and logging

Question: Which industries did European settlers in Alaska begin?


Answer: Norway and Sweden

Question: From what countries were European settlers in Alaska?


Answer: January 3, 1959

Context: Statehood for Alaska was an important cause of James Wickersham early in his tenure as a congressional delegate. Decades later, the statehood movement gained its first real momentum following a territorial referendum in 1946. The Alaska Statehood Committee and Alaska's Constitutional Convention would soon follow. Statehood supporters also found themselves fighting major battles against political foes, mostly in the U.S. Congress but also within Alaska. Statehood was approved by Congress on July 7, 1958. Alaska was officially proclaimed a state on January 3, 1959.

Question: On what day was Alaska officially named a state?


Answer: 1946

Question: In what year did Alaskan Statehood gain momentum following a territorial referendum?


Answer: Statehood for Alaska

Question: What cause did James Wickersham focus on in his early Congressional tenure?


Answer: mostly in the U.S. Congress but also within Alaska

Question: From which areas did Alaskan supporters face political challenges?


Answer: July 7, 1958

Question: On what day was Alaskan Statehood finally approved by Congress?


Answer: Good Friday earthquake

Context: On March 27, 1964, the massive Good Friday earthquake killed 133 people and destroyed several villages and portions of large coastal communities, mainly by the resultant tsunamis and landslides. It was the second-most-powerful earthquake in the recorded history of the world, with a moment magnitude of 9.2. It was over one thousand times more powerful than the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. The time of day (5:36 pm), time of year and location of the epicenter were all cited as factors in potentially sparing thousands of lives, particularly in Anchorage.

Question: What major event happened in Alaska on March 27, 1964 killing 133 people?


Answer: resultant tsunamis and landslides

Question: Did the earthquake or resulting tsunamis and landslides do the most damage to Alaskan communities?


Answer: second-most-powerful earthquake in the recorded history of the world

Question: How did the Good Friday earthquake compare to other documented earthquakes in the world?


Answer: The time of day (5:36 pm), time of year and location of the epicenter

Question: Which factors concerning the Good Friday earthquake do some believe caused a higher survival rate?


Answer: over one thousand times more powerful

Question: How did the Good Friday earthquake compare to the 1989 San Francisco earthquake?


Answer: at least 20

Context: The Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks claims that at least 20 Alaskan native languages exist and there are also some languages with different dialects. Most of Alaska's native languages belong to either the Eskimo–Aleut or Na-Dene language families however some languages are thought to be isolates (e.g. Haida) or have not yet been classified (e.g. Tsimshianic). As of 2014[update] nearly all of Alaska's native languages were classified as either threatened, shifting, moribund, nearly extinct, or dormant languages.

Question: At least how many native Alaskan languages exist, according to the Alaska Native Language Center?


Answer: Eskimo–Aleut or Na-Dene

Question: What are the two main native Alaskan language families?


Answer: nearly all

Question: How many of Alaska's native languages are in danger of becoing dormant or extinct languages according to a 2014 study?


Answer: 2014

Question: A study completed in what year found that nearly all of Alaska's native languages are at risk of becoming extinct?