praj-17/QA-MCQ-Open-ended huggingface dataset:
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Freedom of the press is ostensibly officially guaranteed by the government, but independent press outlets remain restricted, as does a substantial amount of web content. According to the Institute for War & Peace Reporting, access is blocked to local and foreign websites including avesta.tj, Tjknews.com, ferghana.ru, centrasia.ru and journalists are often obstructed from reporting on controversial events. In practice, no public criticism of the regime is tolerated and all direct protest is severely suppressed and does not receive coverage in the local media.

question: Even though Tajikistan has freedom of the press, what is the problem with it? 

answer: independent press outlets remain restricted

question: What is not tolerated by the government in respect to media? 

answer: no public criticism of the regime is tolerated

question: What is not covered by local media? 

answer: all direct protest is severely suppressed

question: What access is blocked? 

answer: access is blocked to local and foreign websites including avesta.tj, Tjknews.com, ferghana.ru, centrasia.ru
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Tajikistan is landlocked, and is the smallest nation in Central Asia by area. It lies mostly between latitudes 36° and 41° N (a small area is north of 41°), and longitudes 67° and 75° E (a small area is east of 75°). It is covered by mountains of the Pamir range, and more than fifty percent of the country is over 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) above sea level. The only major areas of lower land are in the north (part of the Fergana Valley), and in the southern Kofarnihon and Vakhsh river valleys, which form the Amu Darya. Dushanbe is located on the southern slopes above the Kofarnihon valley.

question: What is the smalled nation in the Central Asia area? 

answer: Tajikistan

question: What mountian range runs through Tajikistan? 

answer: the Pamir range

question: Where is Dushanbe located? 

answer: on the southern slopes above the Kofarnihon valley

question: Where exactly is Tajikistan? 

answer: between latitudes 36° and 41° N (a small area is north of 41°), and longitudes 67° and 75° E (a small area is east of 75°)

question: What area is under sea level? 

answer: in the north (part of the Fergana Valley), and in the southern Kofarnihon and Vakhsh river valleys
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Tajikistan means the "Land of the Tajiks". The suffix "-stan" (Persian: ـستان‎‎ -stān) is Persian for "place of" or "country" and Tajik is, most likely, the name of a pre-Islamic (before the seventh century A.D.) tribe. According to the Library of Congress's 1997 Country Study of Tajikistan, it is difficult to definitively state the origins of the word "Tajik" because the term is "embroiled in twentieth-century political disputes about whether Turkic or Iranian peoples were the original inhabitants of Central Asia."

question: Where did the word Tajik come from? 

answer: the name of a pre-Islamic (before the seventh century A.D.) tribe

question: What does Tajikistan mean? 

answer: "Land of the Tajiks"

question: What does the suffix -stan mean? 

answer: "place of" or "country"

question: Why is it hard to find the origin of the word Tajik? 

answer: because the term is "embroiled in twentieth-century political disputes about whether Turkic or Iranian peoples were the original inhabitants of Central Asia."
Title: Tajikistan
Context: It was temporarily under the control of the Tibetan empire and Chinese from 650–680 and then under the control of the Umayyads in 710. The Samanid Empire, 819 to 999, restored Persian control of the region and enlarged the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara (both cities are today part of Uzbekistan) which became the cultural centers of Iran and the region was known as Khorasan. The Kara-Khanid Khanate conquered Transoxania (which corresponds approximately with modern-day Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, southern Kyrgyzstan and southwest Kazakhstan) and ruled between 999–1211. Their arrival in Transoxania signaled a definitive shift from Iranian to Turkic predominance in Central Asia, but gradually the Kara-khanids became assimilated into the Perso-Arab Muslim culture of the region.

question: When was the region under Tibetan empire and the CHinese? 

answer: 650–680

question: Who took control of the regin in 710? 

answer: Umayyads

question: Who restored Persian control of the region? 

answer: The Samanid Empire,

question: What was the name of the region when it was the cultural center of Iran? 

answer: Khorasan

question: When was the region under Tibetan empire and the CHinese? 

answer: 650–680

question: Who took control of the regin in 710? 

answer: Umayyads

question: When was the region under Tibetan empire and the CHinese? 

answer: 650–680

question: Who restored Persian control of the region? 

answer: The Samanid Empire,

question: Who took control of the regin in 710? 

answer: Umayyads

question: Who restored Persian control of the region? 

answer: The Samanid Empire,

question: What was the name of the region when it was the cultural center of Iran? 

answer: Khorasan

question: What was the name of the region when it was the cultural center of Iran? 

answer: Khorasan

question: When was the land under Tibetan empire and Chinese? 

answer: 650–680

question: When was Tajikistan under Ymayyads contorl? 

answer: 710

question: Who conquered Tansaxania? 

answer: The Kara-Khanid Khanate

question: When did the Samanid Empire rule the land? 

answer: The Samanid Empire
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Russian Imperialism led to the Russian Empire's conquest of Central Asia during the late 19th century's Imperial Era. Between 1864 and 1885 Russia gradually took control of the entire territory of Russian Turkestan, the Tajikistan portion of which had been controlled by the Emirate of Bukhara and Khanate of Kokand. Russia was interested in gaining access to a supply of cotton and in the 1870s attempted to switch cultivation in the region from grain to cotton (a strategy later copied and expanded by the Soviets).[citation needed] By 1885 Tajikistan's territory was either ruled by the Russian Empire or its vassal state, the Emirate of Bukhara, nevertheless Tajiks felt little Russian influence.[citation needed]

question: When did the Russian Empire take over Central Asia? 

answer: during the late 19th century's Imperial Era

question: Who controled the Tajikistan portion of Russian Trukestan? 

answer: the Emirate of Bukhara and Khanate of Kokand

question: What was Russian interested in Tajikistan area for? 

answer: gaining access to a supply of cotton

question: What did Russia do between 1864-1885? 

answer: Russia gradually took control of the entire territory of Russian Turkestan

question: In 1885, who was ruling the Tajikistan area? 

answer: the Russian Empire or its vassal state, the Emirate of Bukhara
Title: Tajikistan
Context: During the late 19th Century the Jadidists established themselves as an Islamic social movement throughout the region. Although the Jadidists were pro-modernization and not necessarily anti-Russian the Russians viewed the movement as a threat.[citation needed] Russian troops were required to restore order during uprisings against the Khanate of Kokand between 1910 and 1913. Further violence occurred in July 1916 when demonstrators attacked Russian soldiers in Khujand over the threat of forced conscription during World War I. Despite Russian troops quickly bringing Khujand back under control, clashes continued throughout the year in various locations in Tajikistan.[citation needed]

question: What did the Jadidists establish themselves as in the late 19th century? 

answer: an Islamic social movement throughout the region

question: Who were viewed as a threat by the Jadidists? 

answer: Russians

question: When was the uprising against the Khanate of Kokand? 

answer: between 1910 and 1913

question: Why did demonstrators attack Russian soldiers in Khujand? 

answer: the threat of forced conscription during World War I
Title: Tajikistan
Context: After the Russian Revolution of 1917 guerrillas throughout Central Asia, known as basmachi, waged a war against Bolshevik armies in a futile attempt to maintain independence. The Bolsheviks prevailed after a four-year war, in which mosques and villages were burned down and the population heavily suppressed. Soviet authorities started a campaign of secularization, practicing Islam, Judaism, and Christianity was discouraged and repressed, and many mosques, churches, and synagogues were closed. As a consequence of the conflict and Soviet agriculture policies, Central Asia, Tajikistan included, suffered a famine that claimed many lives.

question: Who went to war against Bolshevick armies? 

answer: guerrillas throughout Central Asia, known as basmachi

question: What did they go to war against Bolshevick? 

answer: to maintain independence

question: Who won the war? 

answer: The Bolsheviks

question: What religions were discourages so their places of worship were closed? 

answer: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity
Title: Tajikistan
Context: In 1924, the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created as a part of Uzbekistan, but in 1929 the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR) was made a separate constituent republic, however the predominantly ethnic Tajik cities of Samarkand and Bukhara remained in the Uzbek SSR. Between 1927 and 1934, collectivization of agriculture and a rapid expansion of cotton production took place, especially in the southern region. Soviet collectivization policy brought violence against peasants and forced resettlement occurred throughout Tajikistan. Consequently, some peasants fought collectivization and revived the Basmachi movement. Some small scale industrial development also occurred during this time along with the expansion of irrigation infrastructure.

question: In 1924, what was created as part of Uzbekistan? 

answer: Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

question: Where was the expansion of cotton and agriculture mainly? 

answer: in the southern region

question: What happeded between 1927-1934? 

answer: collectivization of agriculture and a rapid expansion of cotton production took place

question: What forced resettlement throughout Tajikistan? 

answer: Soviet collectivization policy brought violence against peasants and forced resettlement
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Two rounds of Soviet purges directed by Moscow (1927–1934 and 1937–1938) resulted in the expulsion of nearly 10,000 people, from all levels of the Communist Party of Tajikistan. Ethnic Russians were sent in to replace those expelled and subsequently Russians dominated party positions at all levels, including the top position of first secretary. Between 1926 and 1959 the proportion of Russians among Tajikistan's population grew from less than 1% to 13%. Bobojon Ghafurov, Tajikistan's First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan from 1946–1956 was the only Tajikistani politician of significance outside of the country during the Soviet Era. He was followed in office by Tursun Uljabayev (1956–61), Jabbor Rasulov (1961–1982), and Rahmon Nabiyev (1982–1985, 1991–1992).

question: Who directed the purges of Soviets? 

answer: Moscow

question: How many people were expelled?? 

answer: nearly 10,000 people

question: Who were sent to replace the expelled positions? 

answer: Ethnic Russians

question: What did the population of Russians do between 1926-1959? 

answer: grew from less than 1% to 13%

question: What did this cause when the expelled parties were replaced? 

answer: subsequently Russians dominated party positions at all levels, including the top position of first secretary
Title: Tajikistan
Context: The parliamentary elections of 2005 aroused many accusations from opposition parties and international observers that President Emomalii Rahmon corruptly manipulates the election process and unemployment. The most recent elections, in February 2010, saw the ruling PDPT lose four seats in Parliament, yet still maintain a comfortable majority. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe election observers said the 2010 polling "failed to meet many key OSCE commitments" and that "these elections failed on many basic democratic standards." The government insisted that only minor violations had occurred, which would not affect the will of the Tajik people.

question: What happened in the Feb 2010 election? 

answer: PDPT lose four seats in Parliament

question: Why were parties upset in the 2005 election? 

answer: accusations from opposition parties and international observers that President Emomalii Rahmon corruptly manipulates the election process and unemployment

question: What did the OSCE say that Tajikistan did? 

answer: "failed to meet many key OSCE commitments" and that "these elections failed on many basic democratic standards."

question: What was the Tajikistan governments response? 

answer: The government insisted that only minor violations had occurred, which would not affect the will of the Tajik people
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Tajikistan (i/tɑːˈdʒiːkᵻstɑːn/, /təˈdʒiːkᵻstæn/, or /tæˈdʒiːkiːstæn/; Persian: تاجيكستان‎‎ Тоҷикистон [tɔd͡ʒikɪsˈtɔn]), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (Persian: جمهورى تاجيكستان‎‎ Tajik: Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Çumhuriji Toçikiston/Jumhuriyi Tojikiston; Russian: Респу́блика Таджикистан, Respublika Tadzhikistan), is a mountainous, landlocked country in Central Asia with an estimated 8 million people in 2013, and an area of 143,100 km2 (55,300 sq mi). It is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. Pakistan lies to the south, separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor. Traditional homelands of Tajik people included present-day Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

question: Where is Tajikistan located? 

answer: in Central Asia

question: How many people are living in Tajikistan? 

answer: 8 million people

question: What is the area of Tajikistan? 

answer: area of 143,100 km2 (55,300 sq mi)

question: What country lies to Tajikistans east? 

answer: China

question: What seperates Tajikistan and Pakistan? 

answer: Wakhan Corridor

question: What country borders Tajikistan to the east? 

answer: China

question: How many people are estimated to live in Tajikistan? 

answer: 8 million

question: What is the area of Tajikistan? 

answer: 143,100 km2

question: What country borders Tajikistan to the south? 

answer: Afghanistan

question: What country borders Tajikistan to the west? 

answer: Uzbekistan
Title: Tajikistan
Context: The earliest recorded history of the region dates back to about 500 BCE when much, if not all, of modern Tajikistan was part of the Achaemenid Empire. Some authors have also suggested that in the 7th and 6th century BCE parts of modern Tajikistan, including territories in the Zeravshan valley, formed part of Kambojas before it became part of the Achaemenid Empire. After the region's conquest by Alexander the Great it became part of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, a successor state of Alexander's empire. Northern Tajikistan (the cities of Khujand and Panjakent) was part of Sogdia, a collection of city-states which was overrun by Scythians and Yuezhi nomadic tribes around 150 BCE. The Silk Road passed through the region and following the expedition of Chinese explorer Zhang Qian during the reign of Wudi (141–87 BCE) commercial relations between Han China and Sogdiana flourished. Sogdians played a major role in facilitating trade and also worked in other capacities, as farmers, carpetweavers, glassmakers, and woodcarvers.

question: What was the first recorded history of this region? 

answer: about 500 BCE

question: What was modern Tajikistan part of around 500 BE? 

answer: the Achaemenid Empire

question: Who took over the territory and made it part of their empire? 

answer: Alexander the Great
Title: Tajikistan
Context: The Kushan Empire, a collection of Yuezhi tribes, took control of the region in the first century CE and ruled until the 4th century CE during which time Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Manichaeism were all practiced in the region. Later the Hephthalite Empire, a collection of nomadic tribes, moved into the region and Arabs brought Islam in the early eighth century. Central Asia continued in its role as a commercial crossroads, linking China, the steppes to the north, and the Islamic heartland.

question: What tribes took control of the region in first centry CE? 

answer: Yuezhi tribes

question: When was Islam brought to the region? 

answer: in the early eighth century

question: What empire brought Islam practices with them? 

answer: Hephthalite Empire,

question: What religions were practiced in the region from first centry CE to 4th centry CE? 

answer: Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Manichaeism
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Tajikistan's economy grew substantially after the war. The GDP of Tajikistan expanded at an average rate of 9.6% over the period of 2000–2007 according to the World Bank data. This improved Tajikistan's position among other Central Asian countries (namely Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), which seem to have degraded economically ever since. The primary sources of income in Tajikistan are aluminium production, cotton growing and remittances from migrant workers. Cotton accounts for 60% of agricultural output, supporting 75% of the rural population, and using 45% of irrigated arable land. The aluminium industry is represented by the state-owned Tajik Aluminum Company – the biggest aluminium plant in Central Asia and one of the biggest in the world.

question: What was the rate that the GDP expanded? 

answer: an average rate of 9.6%

question: What is the primary source of income in Tajikistan? 

answer: aluminium production, cotton growing and remittances from migrant workers

question: What accounts for 60% of the agricultural output? 

answer: 60%

question: What is the name of the state owned company that produces aluminium? 

answer: Tajik Aluminum Company
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Tajikistan's rivers, such as the Vakhsh and the Panj, have great hydropower potential, and the government has focused on attracting investment for projects for internal use and electricity exports. Tajikistan is home to the Nurek Dam, the highest dam in the world. Lately, Russia's RAO UES energy giant has been working on the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station (670 MW capacity) commenced operations on 18 January 2008. Other projects at the development stage include Sangtuda-2 by Iran, Zerafshan by the Chinese company SinoHydro, and the Rogun power plant that, at a projected height of 335 metres (1,099 ft), would supersede the Nurek Dam as highest in the world if it is brought to completion. A planned project, CASA 1000, will transmit 1000 MW of surplus electricity from Tajikistan to Pakistan with power transit through Afghanistan. The total length of transmission line is 750 km while the project is planned to be on Public-Private Partnership basis with the support of WB, IFC, ADB and IDB. The project cost is estimated to be around US$865 million. Other energy resources include sizable coal deposits and smaller reserves of natural gas and petroleum.

question: Who is trying to attract investments for hydropower in Tajikistan? 

answer: the government

question: What is something that the rivers in Tajikistan are good for? 

answer: hydropower potential

question: What is the highest dam in the world? 

answer: Nurek Dam

question: What will the project named CASA 1000 do? 

answer: CASA 1000, will transmit 1000 MW of surplus electricity from Tajikistan to Pakistan with power transit through Afghanistan
Title: Tajikistan
Context: According to some estimates about 20% of the population lives on less than US$1.25 per day. Migration from Tajikistan and the consequent remittances have been unprecedented in their magnitude and economic impact. In 2010, remittances from Tajik labour migrants totaled an estimated $2.1 billion US dollars, an increase from 2009. Tajikistan has achieved transition from a planned to a market economy without substantial and protracted recourse to aid (of which it by now receives only negligible amounts), and by purely market-based means, simply by exporting its main commodity of comparative advantage — cheap labor. The World Bank Tajikistan Policy Note 2006 concludes that remittances have played an important role as one of the drivers of Tajikistan's robust economic growth during the past several years, have increased incomes, and as a result helped significantly reduce poverty.

question: What is the average amount lived on per day? 

answer: US$1.25 per day

question: What was the total for the remittances from Tajik migrans? 

answer: estimated $2.1 billion US dollars

question: How did Tajikistan change their economy? 

answer: by purely market-based means, simply by exporting its main commodity of comparative advantage — cheap labor

question: What has been one of the drivers of Tajikistan's robust economic growth? 

answer: remittances
Title: Tajikistan
Context: Drug trafficking is the major illegal source of income in Tajikistan as it is an important transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; some opium poppy is also raised locally for the domestic market. However, with the increasing assistance from international organizations, such as UNODC, and cooperation with the US, Russian, EU and Afghan authorities a level of progress on the fight against illegal drug-trafficking is being achieved. Tajikistan holds third place in the world for heroin and raw opium confiscations (1216.3 kg of heroin and 267.8 kg of raw opium in the first half of 2006). Drug money corrupts the country's government; according to some experts the well-known personalities that fought on both sides of the civil war and have held the positions in the government after the armistice was signed are now involved in the drug trade. UNODC is working with Tajikistan to strengthen border crossings, provide training, and set up joint interdiction teams. It also helped to establish Tajikistani Drug Control Agency.

question: What is raised locally for the domestic market? 

answer: opium poppy

question: What all has helped with the fight against drugs? 

answer: with the increasing assistance from international organizations, such as UNODC, and cooperation with the US, Russian, EU and Afghan authorities

question: Tajikistan is thrid in the world for what type of confiscations? 

answer: heroin and raw opium confiscations

question: What is UNODC helping Tajikistan with to help the war on drugs? 

answer: strengthen border crossings, provide training, and set up joint interdiction teams. It also helped to establish Tajikistani Drug Control Agency
Title: Tajikistan
Context: As a landlocked country Tajikistan has no ports and the majority of transportation is via roads, air, and rail. In recent years Tajikistan has pursued agreements with Iran and Pakistan to gain port access in those countries via Afghanistan. In 2009, an agreement was made between Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to improve and build a 1,300 km (810 mi) highway and rail system connecting the three countries to Pakistan's ports. The proposed route would go through the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in the eastern part of the country. And in 2012, the presidents of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Iran signed an agreement to construct roads and railways as well as oil, gas, and water pipelines to connect the three countries.

question: What are the majority of transportation options? 

answer: via roads, air, and rail.

question: What countries had Tajikistan been working with to use ports? 

answer: Iran and Pakistan

question: What countries did Tajikistan agree with to build a highway and a rail way? 

answer: Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan

question: What year was the agreement signed? 

answer: 2012