1{2 "document_id": "lb_hotpotqa_ef245cc27251f559f3cd900c11c7bf9f303eec3c4b346802",3 "family": "public_hotpotqa",4 "split": "dev",5 "text": "Passage 1:\nShreekhandpur\nShreekhandapur (Nepal Bhasa: खम्पू) is a city situated in the Dhulikhel municipality in Kavrepalanchowk district in Nepal.This historical town is about 28 km east from Kathmandu. The city is located roughly at 1400m above sea level. The main attraction of Shreekhandapur is the temple of Swet Bhairav, located approximately 1 km northeast of the town. The name Shreekhandapur was originally given due to the presence of the tree Shreekhand. Its name during the Licchavi period was खम्पू which is still used predominantly by the Newar community living in this town.\n\nHistory\nShreekhandapur is historically important city which was a major part of the trade route towards the southern part of the country. Merchants would have to go through this city before the invent of modern transportation. The city was incorporated in the kingdom of Nepal by Prithvi Narayan Shah during his unification around 1820 Bikram Sambat. The various parts of the town have their own names as well.\nThe eastern part is referred to as bahatol, the part which has the Nasika temple towards north east is referred to as Nastol, the north west part is referred to as bhukhatol, the western part is referred to as basatol, and the middle part of the town is referred to as chaftol. The residents of chaftol were originally brought to Shreekhandapur from Bhaktapur and Lalitpur by Prithvi Narayan Shah to build economic foundation to this town during the unification of Nepal. Particularly, the Karmacharya's were from Bhaktapur and Dhunju's were from Lalitpur.\n\nFestivals\nBisket Jatra is a major festival which is celebrated during the new year period based on the Bikram Sambat calendar. It is as important as the Dashain festival for the locals here in the city. A tree is brought from Bhaktapur and raised in the city for seven days to celebrate the festival. They carry the statue of Ganesh, Kumar, and Bhairav in specially made Chariot and take it around all parts of the town to celebrate the festival.\nGai Jatra is celebrated yearly by the locals to honor their late family members.\n\nTransportation\nThe city is connected to the capital city Kathmandu through the Arniko Rajmarg.\n\nEducation\nShreekhandapur higher secondary school\nKathmandu University is located about 1 km towards east of the town\nPassage 2:\nOrosháza\nOrosháza is a city situated in the westernmost part of Békés county, Hungary, on the Békés ridge bordered by the rivers Maros and Körös. Orosháza is an important cultural, educational and recreational centre of the region.\n\nMain sights\nThe city's main attractions are the Orosháza-Gyopárosfürdő spa complex, the Szántó Kovács János Museum, the Darvas József Literary Memorial House, and the Town Art Gallery. The only museum in the country devoted to water wells is found in Orosháza. At the Rágyánszky Arboretum, more than 2000 plant species in 6000 varieties can be seen.The Lutheran church, was built between 1777 and 1830 in late Baroque style. It is located in the centre of the town. The bell carried by the first settlers, who migrated from Zomba, is kept in front of the altar of the church.\nA number of cultural and entertaining programmes are organised in the town every year.\n\nNotable residents\nThe cantor Marcel Lorand was born in the city in 1912. He learned music with Béla Bartók and became the cantor of the Synagogue de la Paix in Strasbourg, France, in 1964. He died in 1988.\nJúlia Goldman (b. 1974), was born in Oroshaza and is noted as an \"outstanding writer\" of fantasy and adventure.\nGyula Gömbös, prime minister of Hungary was made an honorary citizen of the city in 1932.\n\nOrosháza-Gyopárosfürdő spa complex\nThe Gyopárosfürdő dictrict of Orosháza is located 3 km from the city center. Gyopárosfürdő has been well known for its thermal water since 1869, which rises from a depth of 670 meters. Set in a 10-hectare park, the Orosháza-Gyopárosfürdő Thermal Spa, Park and Adventure Pools spa complex has 8 outdoor and 5 indoor pools, including adventure pools, thermal pools, children’s pools and even a 50-meter cold-water sports pool.\nOfficial website: https://gyoparosfurdo-oroshaza.hu/en\n\nGallery\nTwin towns – sister cities\nOrosháza is twinned with:\nPassage 3:\nCachoeirinha\nCachoeirinha (lit. \"Little Waterfall\") is a city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Cachoeirinha is an alternative for the people who want to be near Porto Alegre (capital of Rio Grande do Sul). The city is situated at a strategic point in Rio Grande do Sul state. The city shares borders with Porto Alegre, Canoas, Esteio, Sapucaia do Sul, Gravataí and Alvorada. The city holiday is on May 15, the date on which the city declared its emancipation.\n\nMunicipal policy\nThe Executive of the Municipality of Cachoeirinha is represented by the mayor and his office of Secretary, following the model proposed by the Federal Constitution. Legislative Power is represented by the City Council, composed of 17 councilors elected to office for four years. The House vote enacts laws for the administration and the Executive, especially the municipal budget.\n\nPopulation\nOne of Cachoeirinha's gaucho municipalities had higher population growth in the 1970s. As of 20, the city has 131,240 inhabitants and 43.9 square kilometers of land area.\n\nTraditions\nTraditions of the gaucho are celebrated by the Cachoeirinha Center Traditions. Rancho da Saudade holds popular events. The Creole round, held annually in the city, received the recognition of the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, and is included in the official calendar. Rodeos held in Cachoeirinha attract people from various cities of Brazil.\n\nEducation\nThe city has 15 public schools and 8 private at the elementary level and one college.\n\nExternal links\nCachoeirinha Mayor's Office (in Portuguese)\nPassage 4:\nRancho Cucamonga, California\nRancho Cucamonga ( RAN-choh KOO-kə-MUNG-gə) is a city located just south of the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest in San Bernardino County, California, United States. About 37 mi (60 km) east of Downtown Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga is the 28th most populous city in California. The city's seal, which centers on a cluster of grapes, alludes to the city's agricultural history including wine-making. The city's proximity to major transportation hubs, airports, and highways has attracted the business of several large corporations, including Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, Big Lots, Mercury Insurance Group, Southern California Edison, and Amphastar Pharmaceuticals.The city had a population of 174,453 according to the 2020 United States Census. The city experiences an average of 287 sunny days per year, compared to a national average of 205 days. Its climate is classified as warm Mediterranean, or Csa, under the Köppen climate classification system.In 2017, the California Department of Education announced that all four high schools were named California Gold Ribbon Schools.The Jack Benny Program popularized the city's name, in particular the word \"Cucamonga\".\n\nHistory\nBy 1200 AD, Kukamongan Native Americans had established a village settlement in the area around present-day Red Hill, near the city's western border, where Red Hill Country Club stands today. Kukamonga derives its name from a Tongva word meaning \"sandy place.\" Anthropologists have determined that this cluster of settlers likely belonged to the Tongva people or Kich people, at one time one of the largest concentrations of Native American peoples on the North American continent. In the 18th century, following an expedition led by Gaspar de Portola, the land was incorporated into the Mission System established by Father Junipero Serra and his group of soldiers and Franciscan friars. \n\nAfter a half century of political jockeying in the region, the land finally came under the control of Juan Bautista Alvarado, governor of Mexico. On March 3, 1839, Alvarado granted 13,000 acres of land in the area called \"Cucamonga\" to Tubercio Tapia, a first-generation Spanish native of Los Angeles, successful merchant, and notorious smuggler. Tapia went on to establish the first winery in California on his newly deeded land. Rancho Cucamonga was purchased by John Rains and his wife in 1858. The Rains family's home, Casa de Rancho Cucamonga, was completed in 1860 and now appears on the National Register of Historic Places.During the ensuing years the town prospered and grew. In 1887, irrigation tunnels were dug into Cucamonga Canyon by Chinese laborers and the Santa Fe Railroad was extended through the area. Among the town's economic mainstays was agriculture, including olives, peaches, citrus, and, most notably, vineyards. In 1913, the Pacific Electric Railway was extended through Rancho Cucamonga in an effort to improve crop transportation. Several landmarks in existence today pay tribute to the city's multicultural founding. In particular, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel remains as a relic of the area's Mexican agriculture laborers while the Chinatown House stands as a reminder of the Chinese immigrants who labored in constructing the area's infrastructure.In 1977, the unincorporated communities of Alta Loma, Cucamonga, and Etiwanda voted to incorporate, forming the city of Rancho Cucamonga.\n\nGrapeland\nThe former community of Grapeland, first settled in 1869, lay roughly between today's Victoria Groves Park and Central Park. There was a schoolhouse which also doubled as a church. In 1890 an irrigation district was formed and $200,000 in bonds were sold to pay for improvements. The Sierra Vista reservoir was built in 1886-87 by J.L. Scofield as the focal point of a network of irrigation pipes. The system was unused, however, because the bond issue was declared illegal. \"Orchards and vineyards began to die,\" The Daily Report newspaper reported in a retrospective. \"Residents moved out. The post office closed in 1905. Homes, buildings were destroyed or abandoned.\" The reservoir remained unused until 1956, when the Fontana Union Water Company filled it with 5 million gallons of water. The local school district was merged with the Etiwanda district in 1901. In 1957 the settlement was practically deserted, but there were still rabbit-proof stone walls marking boundaries of previous citrus orchards.\n\nGeography\nRancho Cucamonga is part of the Inland Empire and San Bernardino County, a region that lies inland from the Pacific coast and directly east of Los Angeles County. Rancho Cucamonga is located about 37 mi (60 km) east of Los Angeles, bordered by Upland to its west, Ontario to its south, the San Gabriel Mountains to its north and I-15 and Fontana to its east. The city sits atop an alluvial plain and views of Cucamonga Peak, one of the tallest peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains, are available from all points throughout the city. The city has a total area of 39.9 sq mi (103 km2), 99.95% of which is land and 0.05% water.\n\nClimate\nThe city's climate is classified as hot-summer Mediterranean, or Csa, under the Köppen climate classification system. Yearly precipitation is 17.68 in (449 mm) and the city experiences an average of 287 sunny days per year, compared to a national average of 205 days.\n\nDemographics\n2010\nThe 2010 United States Census reported that Rancho Cucamonga had a population of 165,269. The population density was 4,145.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,600.5/km2). The racial makeup of Rancho Cucamonga was 102,401 (62.0%) White (42.7% Non-Hispanic White), 15,246 (9.2%) African American, 1,134 (0.7%) Native American, 17,208 (10.4%) Asian, 443 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 19,878 (12.0%) from other races, and 8,959 (5.4%) from two or more races. There were 57,688 residents of Hispanic or Latino ancestry, of any race (34.9%).The census reported that 162,145 people (98.1% of the population) lived in households, 136 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2,988 (1.8%) were institutionalized.Out of a total of 54,383 households, 23,055 (42.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 30,533 (56.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 7,514 (13.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 3,257 (6.0%) had a male householder with no wife present, as well as 2,995 (5.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships and 425 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 9,956 households (18.3%) were made up of individuals, and 2,679 (4.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98. Over the 41,304 families (76.0% of all households), the average family size was 2.90.The age distribution of the city was as follows: 42,550 people (25.7%) under the age of 18, 17,365 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 48,600 people (29.4%) aged 25 to 44, 43,710 people (26.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 13,044 people (7.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.There were 56,618 housing units at an average density of 1,420.1 per square mile (548.3/km2), of which 35,250 (64.8%) were owner-occupied, and 19,133 (35.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.2%. 110,570 people (66.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 51,575 people (31.2%) lived in rental housing units.During 2009–2013, Rancho Cucamonga had a median household income of $77,835, with 6.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.\n\n2000\nAs of the 2000 census, there were 127,743 people, 40,863 households, and 31,832 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,317.0/km2 (3,411.4/mi2). There were 42,134 housing units at an average density of 434.4/km2 (1,125.2/mi2). The racial makeup of the city was 66.53% White, 9.00% Asian, 0.67% Native American, 5.99% African American, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 13.25% from other races, and 5.41% from a biracial or multiracial background. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.78% of the population.There were 40,863 households, of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18. 60.2% of households consist of a married couple living together. 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present. 22.1% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were single-person and 4.1% had a person of 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.44.In the city, the population spread was as follows: 29.9% were under the age of 18, 9.9% were from 18 to 24, 33.2% were from 25 to 44, 21.0% were from 45 to 64, and 6.1% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.The median income for a household in the city was $78,428 and the median income for a family was $91,240. Males had a median income of $50,288 versus $40,952 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,702. About 4.9% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.\n\nEconomy\nWhile most of the city's land area is devoted to residential areas, Rancho Cucamonga, like its neighbors Ontario and Fontana, is a major center for the logistics industry in Southern California. This is due to its proximity to two interstate highways and Ontario International Airport, and the space afforded by the large tracts of former agricultural land in the southern section of the city.In the area around Milliken Avenue, between Archibald and Etiwanda Avenues, Foothill Boulevard, and Fourth Street, about seven square miles of land are primarily occupied by numerous massive distribution centers, and even more, smaller manufacturing companies. This area is ringed by office parks, mostly along Haven Avenue, and shopping strips, such as the Terra Vista Town Center (part of a nearly two-square-mile master-planned community in the center of the city), and malls, such as Victoria Gardens, and the Ontario Mills, across Fourth Street in Ontario.The city is also home to a CMC Steel (formerly Gerdau, formerly TAMCO Steel) minimill, the only producer of long steel in California. This mill recycles ferrous scrap, such as junked cars and appliances, to produce rebar.The city hosts LoanMart Field, (formerly known as The Epicenter), a minor-league baseball stadium, home of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The Quakes' mascot, Tremor, is a \"Rallysaurus.\"\n\nVictoria Gardens\nVictoria Gardens is a lifestyle center near the eastern end of the city, at the intersection of Foothill and Day Creek Boulevards. Since the city had never developed a traditional commercial downtown like neighboring cities Ontario and Upland had, efforts were made in the design of Victoria Gardens to bring elements of more traditional and urban town design to what had historically been a suburban city. While retaining many characteristics of traditional shopping malls, such as large anchor stores, a food court, and vast parking lots and garages, the smaller stores are arranged as city blocks in a grid of two-lane streets, featuring lush landscaping and metered \"teaser parking\" in front of the stores, which open onto the sidewalk. There are two \"Main Streets\", which run from west to east across the center. Running from north to south between them is a pedestrian axis leading from one of the Macy's anchor stores, through a \"town square\" between a pair of mixed-use office buildings, to the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center, which contains the Lewis Playhouse (a 570-seat theater) and a branch of the city library. The east side of the development has Southern California's only Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World superstore; the 180,000-square-foot (17,000 m2) facility includes a Tracker Boat Center and the Islamorada Fish Company restaurant. There are restaurants throughout the center, both well-known chains and unique eateries, including California Pizza Kitchen, The Cheesecake Factory, Fleming's, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining, Johnny Rockets, King's Fish House, Lucille's Bar-B-Que, N7 Creamery, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Richie's Diner, T.G.I. Friday's, and Yard House. The center features a 12-screen AMC Theatre.\n\nTop employers\nAccording to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the principal employers in the city are:\n\nGovernment\nLocal government\nRancho Cucamonga is a General Law City, incorporated in 1977 under the \"Council-Manager\" form of local government. The four-member Council, plus the Mayor, City Clerk, and City Treasurer, are all elected at-large by the voters of the city. The Council then appoints the City Manager, who acts as the administrative head of the city government, and is responsible for the day-to-day operations, code enforcement, and the fiscal soundness of the municipal government. The council itself serves as a local legislative body. \nThe city's elections, which are plurality, are held on a Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.\nL. Dennis Michael has been the city's mayor since 2011, with John Gillison as the city manager.According to a city Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $278.3 million in revenues, $243.6 million in expenditures, $1,400.7 million in total assets, $492.1 million in total liabilities, and $583.3 million in cash and investments.\n\nPolitics\nIn the California State Legislature, Rancho Cucamonga is in the 23rd Senate District, represented by Republican Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, and in the 40th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Pilar Schiavo.In the United States House of Representatives, Rancho Cucamonga is in California's 33rd congressional district, represented by Democrat Pete Aguilar.In 2005, the non-partisan Bay Area Center for Voting Research ranked Rancho Cucamonga as the 28th most conservative city in the United States.\n\nLaw enforcement\nSince incorporation in 1977, law enforcement services in Rancho Cucamonga City have been provided through a contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.Rancho Cucamonga is also home to the Foothill Communities San Bernardino County Courthouse, which is housed in a building adjacent to the Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center, in a government complex located at Haven Avenue and Civic Center Drive in the city. The Civic Center houses the Rancho Cucamonga city hall, the city police department, and other local government offices.\n\nEducation\nSchools\nRancho Cucamonga has multiple public K–12 schools, operating under several different school districts, within its borders: Alta Loma School District, Central School District, Cucamonga School District, Etiwanda School District, and Chaffey Joint Union High School District. Private schools include Upland Christian Academy. In addition, Rancho Cucamonga is the home to Chaffey College and satellite campuses of the University of La Verne, Cambridge College, University of Redlands, Everest College, and University of Phoenix, as well as the automotive trade school.\nHigh Schools\n\nAlta Loma High School\nEtiwanda High School\nLos Osos High School\nRancho Cucamonga High School\n\nLibraries\nThe city of Rancho Cucamonga has two public libraries, with a combined total of over 200,000 volumes. The library at 7368 Archibald Avenue opened in 1994 and was remodeled in the summer of 2008. The Paul A. Biane library at 12505 Cultural Center Drive at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center opened in August 2006. In 2013, the Rancho Cucamonga Public Library was a recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Services, the nation's highest honor that can be bestowed on a Library or Museum.\n\nInfrastructure\nRancho Cucamonga's location at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains has necessitated the use of numerous control channels and basins to reduce the seasonal flood danger from the several streams descending from the range. In past years, some of the city's roads were known for flooding. Hermosa Avenue, in particular, now features many high curbs and extra-large storm drain grates to reduce flooding.\n\nTransportation\nRancho Cucamonga is served by Omnitrans bus service, train service from Metrolink's Rancho Cucamonga station on the San Bernardino Line, and nearby Ontario International Airport, one of four major Los Angeles-area passenger airports with multiple daily flights by most domestic carriers as well as a major shipping hub for companies like UPS and FedEx.\nInterstate 15 (I-15) and State Route 210 (SR-210) run through Rancho Cucamonga as well as the historic U.S. Route 66 (as Foothill Boulevard).\nI-15 sits atop an elevated berm, and cuts a curve through the southeastern part of the city, isolating a mostly industrial area, a small shopping center, and several housing tracts from the larger part of the city. Further north, I-15 forms part of the northeastern border with neighboring Fontana before entering the Cajon Pass through the San Gabriel Mountains. I-15 provides connectivity with the High Desert, Nevada, and points north for the Inland Empire and much of Southern California.\nSR-210 runs nearly straight east–west through the northern part of the city, roughly bisecting the residential communities of Alta Loma and Etiwanda, providing connection (in addition to I-10 and SR-60) from the San Gabriel Valley and points west to the San Bernardino area.\n\nUtilities\nRancho Cucamonga receives natural gas from the Southern California Gas Company. The city's water supply and sewage are managed by the Cucamonga Valley Water District. Garbage collection is by Burrtec Disposal, phone service is from Frontier Communications and cable TV is provided by Charter Communications.Electric power in Rancho Cucamonga is provided by Southern California Edison and the Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility, and the city is also home to the Reliant Energy Etiwanda Generating Station, on Etiwanda Avenue. This facility, one of five Reliant stations in California, is a natural gas-fired power plant, which began operation in 1963. At 640 MW (860,000 hp) net capacity, it is Reliant's second-highest capacity plant on the West Coast. It utilizes four steam turbine generators; of which units three and four remained active after turbines one and two, as well as a combustion turbine, were retired in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Several systems are in place to control gas emissions, and annually, over 900,000,000 US gal (750,000,000 imp gal; 3.4 GL) of recycled water are used for cooling.On November 29, 2011, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency installed the first wind turbine in Rancho Cucamonga.\n\nIn popular culture\nThe name \"Cucamonga\" became well known to fans of Jack Benny's popular radio program, in which an announcer, voiced by Mel Blanc, would call out: \"Train leaving on track five for Anaheim, Azusa and Cu-camonga!\" This running gag became so well known that it eventually led to a statue of Benny in Cucamonga.The city is the primary setting of the TV series Workaholics and the feature film Next Friday. Further mention of the city was made in the Netflix series Unsolved.\nThe city was claimed as the location where the \"Flamin' Hot\" flavor of Cheetos was created in the 1980s at the Frito-Lay factory.Cucamonga is referenced in the Grateful Dead song \"Pride of Cucamonga\" on the From the Mars Hotel album, and in \"Cucamonga\" on Frank Zappa’s album Bongo Fury.\n\nSee also\nList of people from Rancho Cucamonga, California\nList of U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations\nPassage 5:\nWitbank\nWitbank (), officially Emalahleni, is a city situated on the Highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa, within the Emalahleni Local Municipality. The name Witbank is Afrikaans for \"white ridge\", and is named after a white sandstone outcrop where wagon transport drivers rested. The city is known for its coal-mining in the surrounding region.\nWitbank was renamed to Emalahleni meaning the place of coal in 2006 by the government of Mpumalanga, matching the municipality.\n\nHistory\nWitbank was founded in 1890 and early attempts to exploit the coal deposits failed until the railway from Pretoria reached the area in 1894. It was proclaimed a town in 1903 and became a municipality in 1914.\nThere are many stories about the city and its origination but the top story would be the arrival of Winston Churchill at the nearby Transvaal and Delagoa Bay Colliery during his escape from Boer imprisonment in Pretoria, on his way to Delagoa Bay (later Lourenço Marques, and then Maputo, in Mozambique). \nSome local residents, loyal to the Crown, assisted him in hiding and making the final leg of his escape, thus gaining Witbank the consequent credit once the details of these events could be made known. The town has grown since then from a farming community into a business destination where companies such as Anglo American, BHP, Evraz, Eskom, Exxaro, Komatsu, the Renova Group, SABMiller, and Xstrata, among many others have found substantial returns on their investments.\n\nName change\nOn 3 March 2006, Witbank was officially renamed to Emalahleni, meaning place of coal matching the name of the municipality that contains it. A large number of signs to the town have already changed, but many still remain. Some landmarks bearing the name Witbank have remained, while others (such as the Witbank/Emalahleni dam) have been renamed.\nDespite attempts by governing bodies to establish the use of the name, Emalahleni, for the city as well as for the district, locals still tend to call the city by its original name. Similarly to the anglicised pronunciation of Johannesburg, English-speaking residents pronounce the name as “wit•bank” and not as “vit•bunk” as in the original Afrikaans pronunciation, nor as “vit•bank” as English-speaking visitors are prone to say.\n\nTransport\nWitbank is located along the railway line linking Pretoria to Maputo and for many years served as the transport gateway to the Mozambiquean port. In recent years, this line has been under frequent threat of collapse due to underground coal fires in disused mines in the area.\nTwo national highways, the N4 from Pretoria and the N12 from Johannesburg, converge at Witbank and then continue to Komatipoort, on the border of Mozambique. Together, these routes form the Maputo Corridor, a strategically important alternative to the South African ports of Richards Bay and Durban on the Indian Ocean shores of the country.\n\nEconomy\nWitbank is in a coal mining area with more than 22 collieries in the municipal radius. There are a number of power stations (such as the Duvha Power Station), as well as a steel mill (Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium Limited) nearby which all require coal. The farm land surrounding Witbank is fast being bought by investors, coal mining companies and real estate developers to accommodate the rapid growth of the city which is good for local businesses and residents. The region has the dirtiest air in the world due to the coal mining and plant power stations.Likewise, the sustained growth of the commercial areas and suburbs has presented significant challenges to the municipal government. Potable water supplies, sewage treatment, electricity distribution, refuse collection and road maintenance are particularly affected, arousing sustained ire amongst the local residents. Relatively high summer rainfall since 2008 has caused significant damage to municipal roads, creating large numbers of potholes and leaving large amounts of debris on the road surfaces.\n\nDemographics\nThe 2001 census found that Witbank had a population of 61,093, of which 50.6% were female and 49.4% male.\nAs of 2011 (Statistics South Africa) the city's population stood at 108,674 people.\n\nEthnic groups\nAccording to the 2011 census the largest ethnic groups in Witbank were Black African at 48.1%, Whites at 46.8% and the remainder consisting of Coloureds (2.0%) and Asians (2.5%).\n\nLanguage\nAmong the white population, Witbank (like the rest of Mpumalanga) is mainly Afrikaans speaking. The Black population speak mostly isiZulu, isiSwati, and isiNdebele, and Asians mostly English. According to the 2001 census the largest languages in Witbank were: Afrikaans (48.8%), Zulu (23.1%), English (11.7%), Northern Sotho (5.2%) and Swazi (3.0%).\n\nCommunities\nTo the west of the city, two large communities, Vosman and Kwa-Guqa (“the Place of Kneeling” in Zulu), and two smaller communities, Lynnville, Ackerville and Schoongesicht, are home to approximately 440,000 (in 2005) residents, predominantly black. While many of these residents aspire to relocate to the more spacious suburbs around the city center, generally this has only been affordable to a few thousand, due to the prices of the suburban real estate. There are now communities on the northwest side of the city that have been established at Pine Ridge (consisting predominantly of Indian residents), Klarinet and Siyanqoba. Pressure to develop the city's suburbs has been exacerbated by the gradual de-population of the surrounding colliery villages as well as the continued development of new coal-fired power stations in the area.\n\nTourism\nAs Witbank is en route to travellers from the Gauteng province to the Kruger National Park, attempts have been made to capture some of the potential tourist spend. Apart from a few hotels, there are many guest houses. These vary from the utilitarian to the luxurious, and also cater for many of the business travellers visiting Witbank as well as those travelling to Mbombela, eSwatini and Mozambique. A casino complex is accessible within a few hundred meters from the N4 highway, providing two hotels, cinemas, ten-pin bowling and restaurants as well as the traditional gambling facilities. The Highveld Mall is built immediately next to the casino and is a retail hub for locals as well as for many residents of towns in the vicinity.\n\nWitbank dam\nThe Witbank dam is reputed to be the largest municipal dam in South Africa. Once a thriving resort for camping, water-sports and animal viewing, the area has come under increasing criticism due to degradation of the facilities.\n\nNotable people\nAnneline Kriel, Miss World of 1974, was born and brought up in Witbank.\nJackson Mthembu, South African politician born in Witbank\nHugh Masekela, international jazz artist was born in Witbank.\nLindiwe Ntshalintshali, MEC for the Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation. Former Deputy President of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA)\nFrancois Pienaar, Captain of 1995 Springbok rugby team who won the world cup.\nPercy Tau, (born 13 May 1994) in Witbank is a South African professional footballer\nLeon Labuschagne, para-Olympic gold medalist for discus and shotput\n\nSport\nWitbank was the home town of the Mpumalanga Black Aces who are dissolved football team and used to be the home town of the Pumas provincial rugby union which has since moved to Mbombela.\n\nSee also\nRoman Catholic Diocese of Witbank\nWitbank Spurs F.C. – A football club based in Witbank\nTshwane University of Technology - Witbank Campus (incl. Mabaleng Residence)\nWitbank magistrate Court\nPassage 6:\nGeography of Thiruvananthapuram\nThe Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram is located in Thiruvananthapuram district in the state of Kerala. The city is located at 8.5°N 76.9°E / 8.5; 76.9 on the west coast, near the southern tip of mainland India. The city situated on the west coast of India, and is bounded by Arabian Sea to its west and the Western Ghats to its east. The city and the suburbs spans an area of 250 km2 (96.53 sq mi). The average elevation of the city is 16 ft above sea level. The highest point within the city limits is the observatory. (60 metres (197 ft)) Agastya Mala, which has an elevation of 1,868 metres (6,129 ft) is only about 60 km from the city. The Ponmudi hill station which has an elevation of 1,100 metres (3,609 ft) is also near the city.\n\nGeography\nThe district is situated between North latitudes at 8.17°–8.54° and East longitudes 76.41°–77.17°. The southernmost extremity, Parassala, is just 54 kilometres (34 mi) away from the southern peninsular tip of India, Cape Comorin (Kanya Kumari). The district stretches 78 kilometres (48 mi) along the shores of the Arabian Sea on the west, Kollam district lies on the north with Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu on the east and south respectively.Unlike the flat portion of the Kerala coast, at the northern coastal region cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea at Varkala. These tertiary sedimentary formation cliffs are considered as a unique geological feature. It is known among geologists as the \"Varkala Formation\" and a geological monument as declared by the Geological Survey of India.\nThe district can be divided into three geographical regions: Highlands, Midlands, and Lowlands. The Varkala, Chirayinkeezhu and Thiruvananthapuram taluks are in the midland and lowland regions, the Nedumangad taluk lies in the midland and highland regions, and the Neyyattinkara taluk stretches over all three.\nThe highland regions on the east and the northeast comprises the Western Ghats. This area is ideal for major cash crops like rubber, tea, cardamom and other spices. Timber trees like teak and rosewood are grown in this region. The Ghats maintain an average elevation of 814 metres (2,671 ft). The part Agasthyarkoodam, which is the second-highest peak in the Western Ghats (1,869 m or 6,132 ft above sea level), lies in the district. The forests in the tail end of Western Ghats form the most diverse and unknown ecosystem in Peninsular India.The midland region lying between the Western Ghats and lowlands is made up of small and tiny hills and valleys. This is an area of intense agricultural activities. This region is rich in produce such as paddy, tapioca, rubber, eucalyptus, spices and cashews. The lowlands are comparatively narrow, consisting of rivers, deltas and seashore. This area is densely covered with coconut trees. Water bodies cover about 55.25 km2 (21.3 sq mi), while forest area is estimated to be 498.61 km2 (193 sq mi).\n\nForests\nThiruvananthapuram district has a reserve forest area of 495.1 km2 (191 sq mi) and vested forest area of 3.534 km2 (1.4 sq mi). The forests are spread over three ranges: the Kulathupuzha range in the north, Palode range in the middle, and the Paruthipalli range in the south.\nThese forests may be broadly classified into three categories: Southern tropical wet evergreen forests, Southern tropical and semi-evergreen forests, and Southern tropical moist deciduous forests. Social forestry programmes are being implemented under the World Bank-aided Kerala Social Forestry Project, National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) and Rural Fuel Wood Schemes to assist small and marginal farmers.\n\nRivers\nAmong the three rivers in the district, the Neyyar (56 km or 35 mi), the southernmost river of the Kerala state, has its origin in the Agasthyamala, the second-highest peak in the Western Ghats. The Karamana river (67 km or 42 mi) originates from Vayuvanthol (Vazhuvanthol), another mountain in Western Ghats. The Vamanapuram River has its origin from Chemunji Mottai of the Western Ghats. There are 10 major back waters in the district. The major lakes are Veli, Kadinamkulam, Anchuthengu (Anjengo), Kaappil, Akathumuri and the Edava-Nadayara. Besides these, there is a fresh-water lake at Vellayani in Thiruvananthapuram taluk, which has the potential to become the major water source of Thiruvananthapuram city in future.\n\nClimate\nThe climate of Thiruvananthapuram district is generally hot tropical. The large forest reserves favourably affect the climate and induce rains. Cold weather is experienced in the mountain ranges, whereas lower down, the weather is bracing and is generally hot in the coastal regions. The mean maximum temperature is 95 °F (35 °C) and the mean minimum temperature is 69 °F (20 °C).\nAs the district stretches from north to south with the Arabian Sea in the west side, the relative humidity is generally high. It rises up to about 95% during the South-West monsoon.The total annual average rainfall in the district is about 1,500 mm (59 in) per annum. The southwest monsoon, from June to September is the principal rainy season. The district receives most of its annual rainfall in this season. The second rainy season is the Northeast monsoon. It is from October to November.\nThe district also gets thunderstorm rains in the pre-monsoon months of April and May.December to February are the coolest months. The average temperature goes down to 69 °F (20 °C) in these months. It is generally considered as the winter season. The summer season starts in February and continues until May. The average temperature goes up to 95 °F (35 °C) in these months.\n\nSeismology\nThe Geological Survey of India has identified Thiruvananthapuram as a moderately earthquake-prone urban centre and categorized the city in the Seismic III Zone.\nPassage 7:\nKellyville Ridge, New South Wales\nKellyville Ridge is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kellyville Ridge is located 41 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of City of Blacktown. It is part of Greater Western Sydney.\n\nHistory\nThe suburb takes its name from the ridge, the main geographical feature of vertical significance in the northern part of the area. Kellyville Ridge is thought to be the area where the Castle Hill Rebellion (also known as the Second Battle of Vinegar Hill) took place, many roads and reserves are named after it in Kellyville and a memorial was placed in Castlebrook Lawn Cemetery in 1988. Kellyville Ridge was originally part of Kellyville and became a separate suburb when the area west of Windsor Road was renamed in 2002.\n\nHeritage listings\nKellyville Ridge has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:\n\nMerriville House and Gardens\n\nPopulation\nIn the 2016 Census, there were 10,468 people in Kellyville Ridge. 58.2% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were India 8.3%, Philippines 4.0%, China 2.1%, Fiji 2.0% and England 1.9%. 58.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Punjabi 4.5%, Hindi 4.3%, Mandarin 2.6%, Tagalog 2.0% and Arabic 1.5%. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 29.7%, No Religion 15.4%, Anglican 10.1% and Hinduism 9.1%.\n\nGrowth\nKellyville Ridge is one of the fastest growing suburbs in Sydney. Population estimates by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicated that Kellyville Ridge and surrounding neighborhoods had the largest growth in 2013–14 in Sydney. The area experienced one of metropolitan Sydney's fastest growth rates, with a 9 per cent increase in population in 12 months.\n\nCommercial area\nThe Ponds Shopping Centre, opened on 30 May 2015, is the main shopping facility that services Kellyville Ridge. It is located on the western perimeter of the suburb at the intersection of The Ponds Boulevard and Riverbank Drive. It houses Woolworths plus other 25 specialty stores, cafes and restaurants. It also features a Medical and Dental Centre and a Priceline Pharmacy.Stanhope Village is a shopping centre adjacent to the suburb, with Aldi, Coles, Kmart and other specialised retail, service, fashion and food outlets.\nAlternative shopping is provided by the Rouse Hill Town Centre, located 1 kilometre away at Rouse Hill, where approximately 250 retail stores are available featuring Coles, Woolworths, Target, Big W and Reading Cinemas. Castle Towers, located 9 kilometres away, and Westpoint Blacktown, located 10 kilometres away, provide for other places of shopping.\n\nEducation\nSchool located in Kellyville Ridge includes:\n\nKellyville Ridge Public School (Public Primary School, Corner of Greenwich St & Singleton Ave, Kellyville Ridge NSW 2155)Kellyville Ridge has the following public school catchment:\n\nJohn Palmer Public School (Public Primary School, The Ponds).\nThe Ponds High School (Public High School, The Ponds).\nRouse Hill High School (Public High School, Rouse Hill).\n\nTransport\nRoad to Sydney CBD\nTransport to the city is provided by the M2 and M7 motorway. Driving time to Sydney CBD is approximately 34 minutes by car.\n\nTrain to Sydney CBD via Parramatta\nKellyville Ridge is located within 8 minutes drive (5.2 km) to Schofields railway station and 10 minutes (6 km) to Quakers Hill railway station. Trip by train from these stations to Sydney CBD takes around 47 minutes. Both stations have free all-day commuters parking. The train services also stop at the busy business area of Parramatta, Westmead and Strathfield.\n\nBuses to Sydney CBD\nCDC NSW services take around 1 hour to Sydney CBD from Kellyville Ridge. The suburb is serviced by the 616X which travels through Kellyville Ridge.\n\nSydney Metro to Chatswood\nThe North West Rail Link which opened 26 May 2019 – now known as Sydney Metro Northwest – provides high frequency services to Kellyville Ridge, linking it to Sydney CBD in around 50 minutes, which will drop to 40 minutes on completion of the second stage of the project. The metro service passes through Norwest Business Park, Castle Hill, Epping, Macquarie Park and University, North Ryde, Chatswood, and North Sydney.Kellyville Ridge is positioned in a strategic location surrounded by three railway stations sitting on its perimeters; Tallawong, Rouse Hill and Kellyville. Both Tallawong and Kellyville provide all-day commuter parking. CDC NSW route 663 and Busways route 731 connect Kellyville Ridge with the Rouse Hill metro station, whilst CDC NSW routes 603, 632 (from Merriville Road and Perfection Ave) and 651 (from Merriville T-way) connect to Kellyville station.\n\nBuses to other business areas\nCDC NSW provides services to Parramatta (603, 663, 665), Rouse Hill (603, 632, 651, 663, 665), Epping (651) and Pennant Hills (632).\nBusways provides services to Blacktown (731, 735) and Rouse Hill (731, 735).\n\nEntertainment\nThe Ettamogah Pub renovated in 2014 is located on the corner of Merriville & Windsor Roads. The hotel received from the Australian Hotel Association the award for Best Family Friendly Hotel in New South Wales.\n\nHousing\nKellyville Ridge has gone under many new developments since 2002, with new estates developing quickly. There are also several medium-rise apartments on the southern side of the suburb, backing Windsor Road.\nPassage 8:\nHalkarni\nHalkarni is a city situated in the south west corner of Maharashtra, TK: Gadhinglaj Taluka, Kolhapur district - 416506, India. The population of Halkarni is around 9,000. It is surrounded by hills. The distance between Gadhinglaj and Halkarni is about 20 km. Buggdikatti and Terani are villages surrounding it . A police station is situated in the village for the security of people. There are number of private hospitals and medicals are available in the village. A government hospital was built. Water is supplied to the whole village through a well in NAREWADI village through a pipeline. Farming is the main occupation of the villagers. They have a side business of selling milk cow or buffalo to the milk dairies. A Maharashtra state electricity board (MSEB) substation is installed outside the village. Halkarni is connected to Gadahinglaj via state transport buses (ST buses). Halkarni is also connected to Karnataka via Khanapur through Karnataka state transport buses . The route of entering in Karnataka from Maharashra is HALKARNI TO SANKESHWAR.\nPrivate traveller companies came to exist which gives services to reach Mumbai and Pune.\n\nLanguage\nMarathi being the state language is also spoken as a local language in Halkarni. Marathi is widely understood in Halkarni. English is also used in social communication.\nHalkarni is popular for its market area. It is famous for tobacco powder (in Marathi called as Tapkir). It is surrounded by Basarge, Khanapur, and there are many temples like Ramling, Virbhadra, laxmi, Hanuman, the Jain temple, etc.\nThe schools are in Halalkarni :\nHalkarni Bhag High School, Halkarni. Now junior college is also started...\nUrdu Vidya Mandir Halkarni, Now started Urdh High School....\nPassage 9:\nLansing, Kansas\nLansing is a city in Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States. It is situated along the west side of the Missouri River and Kansas-Missouri state border. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 11,239. It is the second most populous city of Leavenworth County and is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The Lansing Correctional Facility (formerly the Kansas State Penitentiary), which includes the state's main maximum-security prison, is located in Lansing.\n\nHistory\nLansing is named for James Lansing, a pioneer settler. Formerly William Lansing Taylor, James changed his name upon his enlistment in 1862 as a hospital steward in the 7th Kansas Cavalry. Following the Civil War, he earned a position at the new state penitentiary in Kansas as a hospital steward. He later resigned and opened a general mercantile store, which held the post office and an apothecary business, in the area called “Town of Progress”. “Doc Lansing”, as he became known, and his friend John C. Schmidt became co-owners of 90 acres (360,000 m2) of land that was platted into town lots in 1878; they named the area “Town of Lansing”. Lansing did not become an incorporated city until 1959.The Kansas State Penitentiary, later renamed the Lansing Correctional Facility in 1990, was authorized by the Kansas Constitution in 1859; it is the state's largest and oldest facility for detention and rehabilitation of male adult felons. With the opening of the coal mine at the prison the town became an important shipping point for this product.Lansing was ranked 88 in the top 100 of Money Magazine's 2007 list of best places to live.\n\nGeography\nLansing is located at 39°14′55″N 94°53′31″W (39.248689, -94.891880). The city is situated along the western bank of the Missouri River which also marks the Kansas-Missouri state border. It is bordered by the city of Leavenworth to the north; Kansas City is less than a half-hour to the southeast. U.S. Route 73 passes through the city.\nAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.50 square miles (32.37 km2), of which, 12.39 square miles (32.09 km2) is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km2) is water.\n\nClimate\nThe climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lansing has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated \"Cfa\" on climate maps.\n\nDemographics\n2010 census\nAs of the census of 2010, there were 11,265 people, 3,180 households, and 2,496 families living in the city. The population density was 909.2 inhabitants per square mile (351.0/km2). There were 3,371 housing units at an average density of 272.1 per square mile (105.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.2% White, 13.2% African American, 0.8% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.1% of the population.\nThere were 3,180 households, of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 21.5% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.15.\nThe median age in the city was 37.6 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.2% were from 25 to 44; 29.3% were from 45 to 64; and 8.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 59.4% male and 40.6% female.\n\n2000 census\nAs of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 9,199 people, 2,435 households, and 1,913 families living in the city. The population density was 1,080.1 inhabitants per square mile (417.0/km2). There were 2,548 housing units at an average density of 299.2 per square mile (115.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.0% White, 12.5% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population.\nThere were 2,435 households, out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.17.\nIn the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 38.5% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 164.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 184.9 males.\nThe median income for a household in the city was $60,994, and the median income for a family was $65,639. Males had a median income of $36,326 versus $28,315 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,655. About 1.9% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.\n\nEducation\nThe community is served by Lansing USD 469 public school district, and operates four schools with more than 2,000 students.\nLansing Elementary School, grades K–3\nLansing Intermediate School, grades 4–5\nLansing Middle School, grades 6–8\nLansing High School, grades 9–12\n\nNotable people\nJohn Bradford, member of Kansas House of Representatives.\nPaul Ranous Greever, United States Representative from Wyoming born in Lansing.\n\nSee also\nLansing Man\nPassage 10:\nCity of Blacktown\nBlacktown City Council is a local government area in Western Sydney, situated on the Cumberland Plain, approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1906 as the Blacktown Shire and becoming the Municipality of Blacktown in 1961 before gaining city status in 1979, the City occupies an area of 246.9 square kilometres (95.3 sq mi) and has a population of 366,534, making it the second most populous local government area in Sydney.The mayor of the Blacktown City Council is Cr. Tony Bleasdale, OAM, a member of the Australian Labor Party, who was elected on 9 October 2019 following the resignation of Stephen Bali, MP.\n\nSuburbs and localities of the City of Blacktown\nThese are the suburbs and localities in the local government area:\n\nHistory\nThe first road from Prospect to Richmond became known as the \"Black Town Road\" and in 1860 the Railway Department gave the name of \"Black Town Road Station\" to the railway station at the junction of the railway and the Black Town Road, with the name shortening to \"Blacktown\" by 1862. The Blacktown area was first incorporated on 6 March 1906 as the \"Shire of Blacktown\" alongside 132 other new shires across the state as a result of the passing of the Local Government (Shires) Act, 1905. The first five-member temporary council was appointed on 15 May 1906 and first met on 20 June in the Rooty Hill School of Arts. The Blacktown Shire became the \"Municipality of Blacktown\" on 17 June 1961 and was granted city status on 9 March 1979, becoming the \"City of Blacktown\".\n\nBlacktown Council Chambers and Civic Centre\nIn 1937 Blacktown council discussed the need for new Council Chambers, with the present arrangements seen as inadequate and unable to accommodate growing staff needs. In August 1938, the council discussed two schemes from architect Leslie J. Buckland for the new council chambers, with the scheme that created a new wing facing Flushcombe Road while retaining the old council chambers for other uses being the most favoured. Designed in the modernist Inter-war Functionalist style by Buckland and constructed by J. H. Abbey of Epping at a cost of £7,000, the Council Chambers were officially opened on 29 July 1939 by the Minister for Public Works and Local Government, Eric Spooner.By the early 1960s, Blacktown Council resolved to develop a new council seat and 'civic centre' and an International style design by Parramatta architects, Leslie J. Buckland & Druce (George Harley, project architect), for a multi-storey administration building, a performance hall, library and basement parking was accepted at a cost of £500,000. Built of concrete and brick, with decorative facade panels and glass curtain walling, the Civic Centre was constructed by S. J. Wood & Co Lty Ltd, with A. S. Nicholson as the consulting engineer.The foundation stone for the Civic Centre was laid by Premier of NSW, Bob Heffron, on 17 June 1961, on the same occasion marking the change of Blacktown from a Shire to a Municipality. The Civic Centre was officially opened on 25 October 1965 by the Minister for Local Government and Highways, Pat Morton, with the mayor, Alfred Ashley-Brown, declaring \"It is my sincere wish we will as a council cherish the heritage which brings us here tonight – that this chamber will be a place wherein good government within our sphere of responsibility will be made manifest, and that all decisions which are made shall be for the good of the people of the Municipality of Blacktown\". On 10 April 1967, the old 1939 Council Chambers were transformed into the first Blacktown Municipal Library, which was later demolished and became the Max Webber Library from 1980.In 1984, with the Civic Centre being overcrowded and suffering from lack of space, the council approved significant extensions to the Civic Centre at a cost of $2,781,550 that added 2,000 square metres of office floor space and enabled the consolidation of all council departments in a single location. The extensions were constructed by McNamara Constructions Pty Limited.\n\nBlacktown City Libraries\nIn 1947, Blacktown Shire Council formally adopted the Act 1939/ {{{4}}} (NSW), which had been passed to encourage (including financial subsidies) local governments to establish free public libraries, but no further action was taken due to a lack of finance. However it was not until the 1960s, with the significant growth in the area's population, the Council identified a clear need for a library service, and when the Civic Centre opened in 1965, council appointed the first Chief Librarian in 1966 and resolved to establish the first library in the old 1939 Council Chambers building on the opposite side of Flushcombe Road. The first Blacktown Municipal Library was officially opened on 10 April 1967.The Blacktown City Libraries service expanded with the opening of Library Branches at Lalor Park (1968), Mount Druitt (1977) and Riverstone (1978). In 1979, Blacktown council commissioned a new Blacktown branch library, with the old library and 1939 Council Chambers building demolished and replaced by a new building designed by architects Allen Jack & Cottier, and constructed by R. W. Tims (Builders) Pty Ltd. On 31 October 1979, Council resolved to name this new library after the Town Clerk of Blacktown, Max Webber, and the Max Webber Library was officially opened by the Deputy Premier Jack Ferguson on 8 March 1980. A new branch library in Stanhope Gardens was officially opened on 7 August 2009, and was also named after a former Town Clerk as the Dennis Johnson Branch Library.\n\nDemographics\nAt the 2016 census, there were 336,962 people resident in the Blacktown local government area, of these 49.7 per cent were male and 50.3 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.8 per cent of the population, roughly equal to the NSW and Australian averages of 2.9 and 2.8 per cent respectively. The median age of people in the City of Blacktown was 33 years, which was significantly lower than the national median of 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 22.8 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 9.0-10.3 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 52.3 per cent were married and 9.9 per cent were either divorced or separated.Population growth in the City of Blacktown between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 6.47 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 10.82 per cent. At the 2016 census, the population in the local government area increased by 11.91 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same period, being 8.8 per cent, population growth in Blacktown local government area was in excess of 35% more than the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the City of Blacktown was generally on par with the national average.At the 2016 census, the proportion of residents in the Blacktown local government area who stated their ancestry as Filipino, was in excess of six times the national average. The proportion of residents who stated a religious affiliation with Hinduism was in excess of three times the national average; the proportion of Catholics was 33 per cent above the national average; and the proportion of residents with no religion about half the national average. Meanwhile, as at the census date, the area was linguistically diverse, with Tagalog, Hindi, Punjabi, or Filipino languages spoken in households, and ranged from five times to eight times the national averages. Pacific Island languages such as Samoan and Tongan were also noticeable in the area.\n\nCouncil\nCurrent composition and election method\nBlacktown City Council is composed of fifteen councillors elected proportionally as five separate wards, each electing three councillors. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council and since 2016 has served a two-year term. The mayor from 2014 to 2019, Stephen Bali was required to stand down from council as a mayor and councillor by October 2019, due to the Local Government Amendment (Members of Parliament) Act, 2012 which requires state members of parliament to relinquish local government offices no more than two years after their election. With Bali's resignation on 9 October 2019, Cr Tony Bleasdale was elected Mayor.The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the council is as follows:\nThe current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election by ward, is:\n\nOffice-holders\nShire Presidents and Mayors\nShire/Town Clerks and General Managers\nCoat of arms\nAfter becoming a city in 1979, the council resolved to investigate and if possible obtain a coat of arms, making a request to the Chester Herald of Arms, Hubert Chesshyre. With the design completed by March 1981, Council resolved to adopt the Coat of Arms at its meeting on 1 April 1981.\n\nHeritage listings\nThe City of Blacktown has a number of heritage-listed sites, including those on the New South Wales State Heritage Register:\n\nProspect, Upper Canal System\nProspect, Great Western Highway: Veteran Hall Remains\nProspect, Ponds Road: St Bartholomew's Anglican Church and Cemetery\nProspect, Reservoir Road: Former Great Western Road Alignment, Prospect\nProspect, Reservoir Road: Prospect Reservoir\nProspect, East of Reservoir: Prospect Reservoir Valve House\nProspect, 385 Reservoir Road: Royal Cricketers Arms Inn\nProspect, 23 Tarlington Place: Prospect Post Office\n\nSister cities\nBlacktown City Council has sister city relations with the following cities:\n Porirua, Wellington Region, North Island, New Zealand, since 1984\n Suseong-gu, Daegu, South Korea, since 1994\n Liaocheng, Shandong, China, since 2003\n Liverpool Plains, New South Wales, Australia, since 2005",6 "char_len": 62051,7 "document_hash": "2dd3770cec82432e11d27b6e534bfd485a2d8d3521fc6c7c22a1582d0d4462b1",8 "questions": [9 {10 "question_id": "q00",11 "qtype": "hotpotqa",12 "question": "Where does the city situated where Kellyville Ridge is located?"13 }14 ]15}