romikgosai/squad_modified huggingface dataset:
Another important factor is the apparent consensus among Western great powers that military force is no longer an effective tool of resolving disputes among their peers. This "subset" of great powers – France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – consider maintaining a "state of peace" as desirable. As evidence, Baron outlines that since the Cuban missile crisis (1962) during the Cold War, these influential Western nations have resolved all disputes among the great powers peacefully at the United Nations and other forums of international discussion.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What formerly effective tool for international disputes is no longer effective among peer powers?
A: military force', '
Q: What great powers have maintained peace?
A: France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States', '
Q: Where have the powers maintained peace in recent years?
A: United Nations and other forums', '
Q: What was the last crisis during cold war to escalate world powers?
A: Cuban missile crisis (1962']
China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are often referred to as great powers by academics due to "their political and economic dominance of the global arena". These five nations are the only states to have permanent seats with veto power on the UN Security Council. They are also the only recognized "Nuclear Weapons States" under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and maintain military expenditures which are among the largest in the world. However, there is no unanimous agreement among authorities as to the current status of these powers or what precisely defines a great power. For example, sources have at times referred to China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom as middle powers.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What countries are recognized as Nuclear Weapons States?
A: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States', '
Q: How many countries are permanent seats on the UN Security Council?
A: five', '
Q: What other countries are referred to as middle powers?
A: China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom', '
Q: What treaty addresses nuclear weapons?
A: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty']
Japan and Germany are great powers too, though due to their large advanced economies (having the third and fourth largest economies respectively) rather than their strategic and hard power capabilities (i.e., the lack of permanent seats and veto power on the UN Security Council or strategic military reach). Germany has been a member together with the five permanent Security Council members in the P5+1 grouping of world powers. Like China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom; Germany and Japan have also been referred to as middle powers.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What countries are great powers mostly based on economic reasons?
A: Japan and Germany', '
Q: Due to lack of strategic and hard power, countries are excluded from what?
A: UN Security Council', '
Q: What is the name for the grouping of countries of China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom; Germany and Japan?
A: middle powers']
In addition to those contemporary great powers mentioned above, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Malik Mohan consider India to be a great power too. Although unlike the contemporary great powers who have long been considered so, India's recognition among authorities as a great power is comparatively recent. However, there is no collective agreement among observers as to the status of India, for example, a number of academics believe that India is emerging as a great power, while some believe that India remains a middle power.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Zbigniew Brzezinski and Malik Mohan consider what country to be a great power too?
A: India', '
Q: Is there agreement on the status of all powers?
A: no collective agreement', '
Q: Many academics debate the status of this country as a power?
A: India']
Milena Sterio, American expert of international law, includes the former axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan) and India among the great powers along with the permanent members of the UNSC. She considers Germany, Japan and Italy to be great powers due to their G7 membership and because of their influence in regional and international organizations.  Various authors describe Italy as an equal major power, while others view Italy as an "intermittent great power" or as "the least of the great powers".

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Milena Sterio includes what former axis powers among great powers?
A: Germany, Italy and Japan', '
Q: What emerging power is considered a great power?
A: India', '
Q: What G7 members are among great powers?
A: Germany, Japan and Italy', '
Q: Which country is debated as intermittent and/or least of great powers?
A: Italy']
With continuing European integration, the European Union is increasingly being seen as a great power in its own right, with representation at the WTO and at G8 and G-20 summits. This is most notable in areas where the European Union has exclusive competence (i.e. economic affairs). It also reflects a non-traditional conception of Europe's world role as a global "civilian power", exercising collective influence in the functional spheres of trade and diplomacy, as an alternative to military dominance. The European Union is a supranational union and not a sovereign state, and has limited scope in the areas of foreign affairs and defence policy. These remain largely with the member states of the European Union, which include the three great powers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom (referred to as the "EU three").

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What organization is often seen as a great power in addition to member counties?
A: European Union', '
Q: What other tools are used as alternative to military force?
A: trade and diplomacy', '
Q: How many great powers are members of Europian Union?
A: three', '
Q: What summits does EU have membership?
A: WTO and at G8 and G-20']
Referring to great power relations pre-1960, Joshua Baron highlights that starting from around the 16th century and the rise of several European great powers, military conflicts and confrontations was the defining characteristic of diplomacy and relations between such powers. "Between 1500 and 1953, there were 64 wars in which at least one great power was opposed to another, and they averaged little more than five years in length. In approximately a 450-year time frame, on average at least two great powers were fighting one another in each and every year." Even during the period of Pax Britannica (or "the British Peace") between 1815 and 1914, war and military confrontations among the great powers was still a frequent occurrence. In fact, Joshua Baron points out that, in terms of militarized conflicts or confrontations, the UK led the way in this period with nineteen such instances against; Russia (8), France (5), Germany/Prussia (5) and Italy (1).

Questions and answers:
['
Q: How many wars occured between 1500s and 1953?
A: 64', '
Q: For bout how many years was an average of one great power fighting another each year?
A: 450', '
Q: What country had the most conflicts from 1500s through mid 20th century?
A: UK', '
Q: What span was the Pax Britannica?
A: between 1815 and 1914']
From 1989 through 1996, the total area of the US was listed as 9,372,610 km2 (3,618,780 sq mi) (land + inland water only). The listed total area changed to 9,629,091 km2 (3,717,813 sq mi) in 1997 (Great Lakes area and coastal waters added), to 9,631,418 km2 (3,718,711 sq mi) in 2004, to 9,631,420 km2 (3,718,710 sq mi) in 2006, and to 9,826,630 km2 (3,794,080 sq mi) in 2007 (territorial waters added). Currently, the CIA World Factbook gives 9,826,675 km2 (3,794,100 sq mi), the United Nations Statistics Division gives 9,629,091 km2 (3,717,813 sq mi), and the Encyclopædia Britannica gives 9,522,055 km2 (3,676,486 sq mi)(Great Lakes area included but not coastal waters). These source consider only the 50 states and the Federal District, and exclude overseas territories.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: During the period from 1989 - 1996, what was the total are of the US in miles?
A: 3,618,780 sq mi', '
Q: According to the CIA World Factbook, what is the total area of the US in miles?
A: 3,794,100 sq mi', '
Q: According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, what is the total area of the US in miles?
A: 3,676,486 sq mi']
By total area (water as well as land), the United States is either slightly larger or smaller than the People's Republic of China, making it the world's third or fourth largest country. China and the United States are smaller than Russia and Canada in total area, but are larger than Brazil. By land area only (exclusive of waters), the United States is the world's third largest country, after Russia and China, with Canada in fourth. Whether the US or China is the third largest country by total area depends on two factors: (1) The validity of China's claim on Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract. Both these territories are also claimed by India, so are not counted; and (2) How US calculates its own surface area. Since the initial publishing of the World Factbook, the CIA has updated the total area of United States a number of times.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Compared to other countries, how large is the US?
A: third or fourth largest country', '
Q: Which country is the worlds fourth largest?
A: Canada', '
Q: Who may also be the third largest country?
A: China']
The United States shares land borders with Canada (to the north) and Mexico (to the south), and a territorial water border with Russia in the northwest, and two territorial water borders in the southeast between Florida and Cuba, and Florida and the Bahamas. The contiguous forty-eight states are otherwise bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. Alaska borders the Pacific Ocean to the south, the Bering Strait to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the north, while Hawaii lies far to the southwest of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Who does the US share land borders with?
A: Canada (to the north) and Mexico (to the south),', '
Q: Who does the US share water borders with in the northwest?
A: Russia', '
Q: How many contiguous states are there?
A: forty-eight', '
Q: Which ocean does Alaska border to the south?
A: Pacific Ocean']
The capital city, Washington, District of Columbia, is a federal district located on land donated by the state of Maryland. (Virginia had also donated land, but it was returned in 1849.) The United States also has overseas territories with varying levels of independence and organization: in the Caribbean the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and in the Pacific the inhabited territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, along with a number of uninhabited island territories.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What is the capital city of the US?
A: Washington, District of Columbia', '
Q: Which US state donated Washington, D.C.?
A: Maryland', '
Q: What are the US territories overseas located in the Pacific?
A: Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands', '
Q: Which US state also donated territory to Washington, D.C., but had it returned?
A: Virginia']
The five Great Lakes are located in the north-central portion of the country, four of them forming part of the border with Canada, only Lake Michigan situated entirely within United States. The southeast United States contain subtropical forests and, near the gulf coast, mangrove wetlands, especially in Florida. West of the Appalachians lies the Mississippi River basin and two large eastern tributaries, the Ohio River and the Tennessee River. The Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and the Midwest consist largely of rolling hills and productive farmland, stretching south to the Gulf Coast.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: How many Great Lakes form a border with Canada?
A: four', '
Q: Which of the Great Lakes is entirely located in US territory?
A: Lake Michigan', '
Q: Which major river is located west of the Appalachian mountains?
A: Mississippi River', '
Q: What type of land makes up the Ohio and Tennessee valleys?
A: rolling hills and productive farmland', '
Q: Which section of the US contains subtropical forests and mangrove wetlands?
A: southeast United States']
The Great Plains lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains. A large portion of the country's agricultural products are grown in the Great Plains. Before their general conversion to farmland, the Great Plains were noted for their extensive grasslands, from tallgrass prairie in the eastern plains to shortgrass steppe in the western High Plains. Elevation rises gradually from less than a few hundred feet near the Mississippi River to more than a mile high in the High Plains. The generally low relief of the plains is broken in several places, most notably in the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, which form the U.S. Interior Highlands, the only major mountainous region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What area is located in between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains?
A: The Great Plains', "
Q: In which area are a large number of the country's agricultural products grown?
A: the Great Plains", '
Q: How high does elevation rise in the Great Plains?
A: a mile high', '
Q: What is the only major mountain ranged located between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains?
A: Interior Highlands']
The Great Plains come to an abrupt end at the Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountains form a large portion of the Western U.S., entering from Canada and stretching nearly to Mexico. The Rocky Mountain region is the highest region of the United States by average elevation. The Rocky Mountains generally contain fairly mild slopes and wider peaks compared to some of the other great mountain ranges, with a few exceptions (such as the Teton Mountains in Wyoming and the Sawatch Range in Colorado). The highest peaks of the Rockies are found in Colorado, the tallest peak being Mount Elbert at 14,440 ft (4,400 m). The Rocky Mountains contain some of the most spectacular, and well known scenery in the world. In addition, instead of being one generally continuous and solid mountain range, it is broken up into a number of smaller, intermittent mountain ranges, forming a large series of basins and valleys.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Which northern country do the Rocky Mountains begin at?
A: Canada', '
Q: Which northern country do the Rocky Mountains terminate at?
A: Mexico', '
Q: In the US, which region is the highest by elevation?
A: The Rocky Mountain', '
Q: In which state are the highest peaks of the Rocky Mountains found?
A: Colorado']
West of the Rocky Mountains lies the Intermontane Plateaus (also known as the Intermountain West), a large, arid desert lying between the Rockies and the Cascades and Sierra Nevada ranges. The large southern portion, known as the Great Basin, consists of salt flats, drainage basins, and many small north-south mountain ranges. The Southwest is predominantly a low-lying desert region. A portion known as the Colorado Plateau, centered around the Four Corners region, is considered to have some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. It is accentuated in such national parks as Grand Canyon, Arches, Mesa Verde National Park and Bryce Canyon, among others. Other smaller Intermontane areas include the Columbia Plateau covering eastern Washington, western Idaho and northeast Oregon and the Snake River Plain in Southern Idaho.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What is the name of the plateau that lies west of the Rocky Mountains?
A: Intermontane Plateaus', '
Q: What is the name of the large southern portion of the Intermontane Plateaus?
A: the Great Basin', '
Q: What type of flats compose the Great Basin?
A: salt flats', '
Q: What region is centered around the Four Corners?
A: Colorado Plateau']
The Intermontane Plateaus come to an end at the Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada. The Cascades consist of largely intermittent, volcanic mountains, many rising prominently from the surrounding landscape. The Sierra Nevada, further south, is a high, rugged, and dense mountain range. It contains the highest point in the contiguous 48 states, Mount Whitney (14,505 ft or 4,421 m) It is located at the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, just 84.6 mi or 136.2 km west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at the Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park at 279 ft or 85 m below sea level.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What is the name of the range where the Intermontane plateaus end?
A: Cascade Range', '
Q: Which mountain range contains Mount Whitney?
A: Sierra Nevada', '
Q: What type of mountains compose the Cascades?
A: volcanic mountains', '
Q: What is the largest point in the Sierra Nevadas?
A: Mount Whitney', '
Q: How tall is Mount Whitney?
A: 14,505 ft']
These areas contain some spectacular scenery as well, as evidenced by such national parks as Yosemite and Mount Rainier. West of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada is a series of valleys, such as the Central Valley in California and the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Along the coast is a series of low mountain ranges known as the Pacific Coast Ranges. Much of the Pacific Northwest coast is inhabited by some of the densest vegetation outside of the Tropics, and also the tallest trees in the world (the Redwoods).

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What are two national parks located in the mountainous regions?
A: Yosemite and Mount Rainier', '
Q: What is the name of the famous valley located in California?
A: Central Valley', '
Q: What is the name of the famous valley located in Oregon?
A: Willamette Valley', '
Q: What are the low mountain ranges that are located along the pacific coast called?
A: Pacific Coast Ranges', '
Q: What are the tallest trees in the world?
A: Redwoods']
The Atlantic coast of the United States is low, with minor exceptions. The Appalachian Highland owes its oblique northeast-southwest trend to crustal deformations which in very early geological time gave a beginning to what later came to be the Appalachian mountain system. This system had its climax of deformation so long ago (probably in Permian time) that it has since then been very generally reduced to moderate or low relief. It owes its present-day altitude either to renewed elevations along the earlier lines or to the survival of the most resistant rocks as residual mountains. The oblique trend of this coast would be even more pronounced but for a comparatively modern crustal movement, causing a depression in the northeast resulting in an encroachment of the sea upon the land. Additionally, the southeastern section has undergone an elevation resulting in the advance of the land upon the sea.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Why does the Appalachian Highland have the terrain it does?
A: crustal deformations', '
Q: During what geological period did the Appalachian mountains reach their highest formation point?
A: Permian time', '
Q: What is the name of the mountaneous region along the Atlantic cost. 
A: The Appalachian Highland']
The east coast Appalachian system, originally forest covered, is relatively low and narrow and is bordered on the southeast and south by an important coastal plain. The Cordilleran system on the western side of the continent is lofty, broad and complicated having two branches, the Rocky Mountain System and the Pacific Mountain System. In between these mountain systems lie the Intermontaine Plateaus. Both the Columbia River and Colorado River rise far inland near the easternmost members of the Cordilleran system, and flow through plateaus and intermontaine basins to the ocean. Heavy forests cover the northwest coast, but elsewhere trees are found only on the higher ranges below the Alpine region. The intermontane valleys, plateaus and basins range from treeless to desert with the most arid region being in the southwest.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What originally covered the east coast of the Appalachians?
A: forest', '
Q: What are the two branches of the Cordilleran system?
A: Rocky Mountain System and the Pacific Mountain System', '
Q: Which two major rivers are located in the Cordilleran system?
A: Columbia River and Colorado River', '
Q: Which region of the Appalachians is the most arid?
A: southwest']
The Laurentian Highlands, the Interior Plains and the Interior Highlands lie between the two coasts, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico northward, far beyond the national boundary, to the Arctic Ocean. The central plains are divided by a hardly perceptible height of land into a Canadian and a United States portion. It is from the United States side, that the great Mississippi system discharges southward to the Gulf of Mexico. The upper Mississippi and some of the Ohio basin is the semi-arid prairie region, with trees originally only along the watercourses. The uplands towards the Appalachians were included in the great eastern forested area, while the western part of the plains has so dry a climate that its native plant life is scanty, and in the south it is practically barren.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What is one of the two major highlands that stretch from the gulf of mexico to the Arctic ocean?
A: Laurentian Highlands', '
Q: How far north do the Interior Highlands reach?
A: Arctic Ocean', '
Q: Which two nations are the central plains divided in?
A: Canadian and a United States', '
Q: Where does the Mississippi discharge?
A: Gulf of Mexico']
Due to its large size and wide range of geographic features, the United States contains examples of nearly every global climate. The climate is temperate in most areas, subtropical in the Southern United States, tropical in Hawaii and southern Florida, polar in Alaska, semiarid in the Great Plains west of the 100th meridian, Mediterranean in coastal California and arid in the Great Basin. Its comparatively favorable agricultural climate contributed (in part) to the country's rise as a world power, with infrequent severe drought in the major agricultural regions, a general lack of widespread flooding, and a mainly temperate climate that receives adequate precipitation.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: What is the climate like in the Southern United States?
A: subtropical', '
Q: Hawaii has what type of climate?
A: tropical', '
Q: Which state is known for its Mediterranean climate?
A: California', '
Q: What contributed to the rise of the US as a world power?
A: agricultural climate', '
Q: What is the climate like in most areas of the US?
A: temperate']
The Great Basin and Columbia Plateau (the Intermontane Plateaus) are arid or semiarid regions that lie in the rain shadow of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada. Precipitation averages less than 15 inches (38 cm). The Southwest is a hot desert, with temperatures exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C) for several weeks at a time in summer. The Southwest and the Great Basin are also affected by the monsoon from the Gulf of California from July to September, which brings localized but often severe thunderstorms to the region.

Questions and answers:
['
Q: Which areas have arid regions?
A: The Great Basin and Columbia Plateau', '
Q: What is the precipitation average in the Intermontane plateaus?
A: 15 inches', '
Q: In the southwest, how high do temperatures get?
A: 100 °F (37.8 °C)', '
Q: During which months are portions of the US affected by the monsoon from the Gulf of California?
A: July to September', '
Q: What type of weather do monsoons bring?
A: severe thunderstorms']