document_title: Appalachian Trail

question_text: what is the southern end of the appalachian trail

question_tokens: what is the southern end of the appalachian trail

text: Appalachian Trail

text: History[edit]

text: The trail was conceived by Benton MacKaye, a forester who wrote his original plan—called "An Appalachian Trail, A Project in Regional Planning"[10]—shortly after the death of his wife in 1921. MacKaye's idea detailed a grand trail that would connect a series of farms and wilderness work/study camps for city-dwellers. In 1922, at the suggestion of Major William A. Welch, director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, his idea was publicized by Raymond H. Torrey with a story in the New York Evening Post under a full-page banner headline reading "A Great Trail from Maine to Georgia!" The idea was quickly adopted by the new Palisades Interstate Park Trail Conference as their main project.[citation needed]

text: On October 7, 1923, the first section of the trail, from Bear Mountain west through Harriman State Park to Arden, New York, was opened. MacKaye then called for a two-day Appalachian Trail conference to be held in March 1925 in Washington, D.C. This meeting inspired the formation of the Appalachian Trail Conference (now called the Appalachian Trail Conservancy) (ATC).[11]

text: A retired judge named Arthur Perkins and his younger associate Myron Avery took up the cause. In 1929, Perkins, who was also a member of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association and its Blue Blazed Trails committee, found Ned Anderson, a farmer in Sherman, Connecticut, who took on the task of mapping and blazing the Connecticut leg of the trail (1929–1933). It ran from Dog Tail Corners in Webatuck, New York, which borders Kent, Connecticut, at Ashley Falls, 50 miles (80 km) through the northwest corner of the state, up to Bear Mountain at the Massachusetts border.[12] (A portion of the Connecticut trail has since been rerouted (1979–1983) to be more scenic, adhering less to highways and more to wilderness, and includes a Ned K. Anderson Memorial Bridge.)[13]

text: Anderson's efforts helped spark renewed interest in the trail, and Avery (who led the charge after Perkins' death in 1932) was able to bring other states on board. Upon taking over the ATC, Avery adopted the more practical goal of building a simple hiking trail. He and MacKaye clashed over the ATC's response to a major commercial development along the trail's path; MacKaye left the organization, while Avery was willing to simply reroute the trail. Avery reigned as Chairman of the ATC from 1932 to 1952 (he died that same year).[14][citation needed]

text: Avery became the first to walk the trail end-to-end, though not as a thru-hike, in 1936. In August 1937, the trail was completed to Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, and the ATC shifted its focus toward protecting the trail lands and mapping the trail for hikers.

text: Many of the trail's present highlights were not part of the trail in 1937: Roan Mountain, North Carolina and Tennessee; the Mount Rogers high country, including Grayson Highlands, Virginia; the Pochuck Creek swamp, New Jersey; Nuclear Lake, New York; Thundering Falls, Vermont; and Saddleback Mountain, Maine. Except for places where the Civilian Conservation Corps was brought in (mostly in Shenandoah National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Maine), the original trail often climbed straight up and down mountains, creating rough hiking conditions and a treadway prone to severe erosion. The ATC's trail crews and volunteer trail-maintaining clubs have relocated or rehabilitated miles of trail since that time.[15]

text: In 1936, A 121-day Maine to Georgia veteran's group funded and supported thru-hike was reported to have been completed, with all but three miles of the new trail cleared and blazed, by six Boy Scouts from New York City and their guides.[16] The completed thru-hike was much later recorded and accepted by the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association.[17]

text: In 1938, the trail sustained major damage from a hurricane that went through the New England area. This happened right before the start of World War II and many of the people working on the trail were called to active duty.[18]

text: In 1948, Earl Shaffer of York, Pennsylvania, brought a great deal of attention to the project by publicizing the first claimed thru-hike. The claim was later criticized for the hike's omission of significant portions due to short-cuts and car rides.[19][20][21] Shaffer later claimed the first north-to-south thru-hike, the first to claim to do so in each direction.[22] Chester Dziengielewski was later to be named the first south bound thru-hiker.[19] In 1998, Shaffer, nearly 80 years old, hiked the trail, making him the oldest person to claim a completed thru-hike.[23][24] The first solo woman to complete the hike was 67-year old Emma Gatewood who completed the northbound trek in 1955, taking 146 days. She repeated the achievement two years later.[25]

text: In the 1960s, the ATC made progress toward protecting the trail from development, thanks to efforts of politicians and officials. The National Trails System Act of 1968 designated the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail as the first national scenic trails and paved the way for a series of National Scenic Trails within the National Park and National Forest systems.[26] Trail volunteers worked with the National Park Service to map a permanent route for the trail, and by 1971 a permanent route had been marked (though minor changes continue to this day). By the close of the 20th century, the Park Service had completed the purchase of all but a few miles of the trail's span.

text: Extensions[edit]

text: The International Appalachian Trail is a 1,900-mile (3,100 km) extension running northeast from Maine into New Brunswick and Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula, where it ends at Forillon National Park. It is a separate trail and not an official extension of the Appalachian Trail.[27] Other branches are designated in parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and along the western shore of Newfoundland, to the northern end of the Appalachian Mountain range, where it enters the Atlantic Ocean, near L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. The route has since been extended to Greenland, Europe, and Morocco.[28]

text: Although the Appalachian Trail ends in Georgia, the Appalachian Mountains continue south to Flagg Mountain in Alabama.[29] In 2008, the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail in Alabama and Georgia, which terminates at Flagg Mountain, was connected to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail via the Benton MacKaye Trail. Promoters of the Southern extension refer to MacKaye's statement at the 1925 conference that the Georgia to New Hampshire trail should, in the future, extend to Katahdin, and "then to Birmingham, Alabama". As of  March 2015[update], The Pinhoti Trail terminates at the base of Flagg Mountain, near Weogufka in Coosa County, 50 miles (80 km) east of Birmingham.[30][31] In 2010, the Alabama state legislature formed the Alabama Appalachian Mountain Trail Commission to provide state resources for trail improvements, although officially designating Pinhoti as part of the Appalachian Trail would require an act of the United States Congress.[32]

text: The 8.8-mile (14.2 km) Appalachian Approach Trail begins at Amicalola Falls State Park's visitor center and ends at Springer Mountain.[33] Because Springer Mountain is in a remote area, the Approach Trail is often the beginning of North bound thru-hike attempts. Much of the Approach Trail was originally built as part of the Appalachian Trail, before the southern terminus was relocated from Mount Oglethorpe to Springer Mountain.

text: Flora and fauna[edit]

text: The Appalachian Trail is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, including 2,000 rare, threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and animal species.[34]

text: Animals[edit]

text:
The American black bear (Ursus americanus), among the largest animals along the Appalachian Trail, rarely confronts people.[35] The black bear is the largest omnivore that may be encountered on the trail, and it inhabits all regions of the Appalachians.[36] Bear sightings on the trail are uncommon, except in certain sections, especially Shenandoah National Park and portions of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts sections, where bear populations have increased steadily since 1980; confrontations are rarer still.[35]
Other hazards include venomous snakes, including the Eastern timber rattlesnake and copperhead, which are common along the trail. Both snakes are generally found in drier, rockier sections of the trail; the copperhead's range extends north to around the New Jersey–New York state line, while rattlesnakes are commonly found along the trail in Connecticut and have been reported, although rarely, as far north as New Hampshire.[37] Other large mammals commonly sighted include deer;[38] elk, reintroduced in the Smoky Mountains; and moose, which may be found in the vicinity of Massachusetts and northward.[39]

text: Small mammal species that inhabit along the trails are beaver, squirrel, river otter, chipmunk, porcupine, bobcat, two species of fox, boar, woodchuck, raccoon, and coyote. Bird species that reside in the trails are wild turkey, ruffed grouse, mourning dove, raven, two species of eagle, wood duck, three species of owl, and three species of hawk as well as warblers.

text: For most hikers, the most persistent pests along the trail are ticks, mosquitos, and black flies along with the mice that inhabit shelters.[40]

text: Plants[edit]

text: Plant life along the trail is varied. The trail passes through several different biomes from south to north, and the climate changes significantly, particularly dependent upon elevation. In the south, lowland forests consist mainly of second-growth; nearly the entire trail has been logged at one time or another. There are, however, a few old growth locations along the trail, such as Sages Ravine straddling the Massachusetts-Connecticut border and atop higher peaks along the trail on either side of the same border, the Hopper (a glacial cirque westward of the trail as it traverses Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts), and "The Hermitage", near Gulf Hagas in Maine. In the south, the forest is dominated by hardwoods, including oak and tulip trees, also known as yellow poplar.[41] Farther north, tulip trees are gradually replaced by maples and birches. Oaks begin to disappear in Massachusetts. By Vermont, the lowland forest is made up of maples, birch and beech, with colorful foliage displays in September and October.[38] While the vast majority of lowland forest south of the White Mountains is hardwood, many areas have some coniferous trees as well, and in Maine, these often grow at low elevations.[41]

text: There is a drastic change between the lowland and subalpine, evergreen forest, as well as another, higher break, at tree line, above which only hardy alpine plants grow.[41] The sub-alpine region is far more prevalent along the trail than true alpine conditions. While it mainly exists in the north, a few mountains in the south have subalpine environments, which are typically coated in an ecosystem known as the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest. Southern ranges and mountains where sub-alpine environments occur include the Great Smoky Mountains, where sub-alpine environments only begin around 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in elevation, Roan Highlands on the North Carolina-Tennessee border, where sub-alpine growth descends below 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and Mount Rogers and the Grayson Highlands in Virginia, where there is some alpine growth above 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Appalachian balds are also found in the Southern highlands, and are believed to occur due to fires or grazing in recent centuries, or in some cases due to thin, sandy soils.[42] Several balds are sprouting trees, and on some, the National Forest service actually mows the grasses periodically in order to keep the balds free of trees.[citation needed]

text: Topography[edit]

text: No sub-alpine regions exist between Mount Rogers in Virginia and Mount Greylock in Massachusetts, mainly because the trail stays below 3,000 feet (910 m) from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Mount Greylock. Mount Greylock, however, has a large subalpine region, the only such forest in Massachusetts, extending down to 3,000 feet (910 m), which in the south would be far from the sub-alpine cutoff. This is especially low because Greylock is exposed to prevailing westerly winds, as the summits along its ridgeline rise approximately 200 to 650 feet (61 to 198 m) higher than any other peak in Massachusetts. Farther north, several peaks in Vermont reach into the sub-alpine zone, the bottom of which steadily descends as one proceeds northward, so that by the White Mountains in New Hampshire, it often occurs well below 3,000 feet (910 m). At Mount Moosilauke, which summits at 4,802 feet (1,464 m), the first alpine environment on the trail is reached, where only thin, sporadic flora is interspersed with bare rocks. Between the two regions is the krummholz region, where stunted trees grow with their branches oriented away from the winter's prevailing northwest wind, thus giving the appearance of flags (they are often called "flag trees"). This region resembles lowland terrain hundreds of miles north in Canada. It also contains many endangered and threatened species. The trail has been rerouted over New Hampshire's Presidential Range so the Appalachian Mountain Club can protect certain plant life. The alpine cutoff in the Whites is generally between 4,200 and 4,800 feet (1,300 and 1,500 m). Mountains traversed by the A.T. above treeline include Mount Moosilauke, several miles along the Franconia Range and along the Presidential Range. In the Presidentials, the trail climbs as high as 6,288 feet (1,917 m) on Mount Washington and spends about 13 miles (21 km) continuously above treeline, in the largest alpine environment in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.

text: The segments of the trail through Pennsylvania are so rocky that hikers refer to the region as "Rocksylvania".[43] These small rocks—the result of erosion that has worn away the dirt along the trails—can be tough to walk on for extended periods of time without proper hard-soled shoes.

text: In Maine, the trail extends into even harsher environments, and sub-alpine and alpine growth descends to lower elevations. Alpine growth in the state ranges from around 2,500 feet (760 m) in the Mahoosuc Range to below 1,000 feet (300 m) in parts of the Hundred-Mile Wilderness,[44] where nearly every area higher than 1,000 feet (300 m) is evergreen forest. These forests include more species of evergreen, as well. In addition to the white pine, spruce and hemlock prevalent further south, Maine has many cedar trees along the trail. Near the northern terminus, there are even some tamarack (larch), a coniferous, pine-needled deciduous tree, which provides displays of yellow in the late fall after the birches and maples have gone bare. The hemlocks in Maine are also notable, as the woolly adelgid, which has ravaged populations further south, has not come into the state yet, and may be unable to make it so far north due to the cold climate.

text: Maine also has several alpine regions. In addition to several areas of the Mahoosuc Range, the Baldpates and Old Blue in southern Maine have alpine characteristics despite elevations below 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Saddleback Mountain and Mount Bigelow, further north, each only extend a bit above 4,000 feet (1,200 m), but have long alpine areas, with no tree growth on the summits and unobstructed views on clear days. From Mount Bigelow, the trail extends for 150 miles (240 km) with only a small area of alpine growth around 3,500 feet (1,100 m) on the summit of White Cap Mountain. Mount Katahdin, the second largest alpine environment in the eastern United States, has several square miles of alpine area on the flat "table land" summit as well as the cliffs and aretes leading up to it. Treeline on Mount Katahdin is only around 3,500 feet (1,100 m). This elevation in Massachusetts would barely be a sub-alpine region, and, south of Virginia, consists of lowland forest. This illustrates the drastic change in climate over 2,000 miles (3,200 km).

text: Despite the alpine environments well below 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in New Hampshire and Maine, some higher places farther south are not alpine. Examples include Wayah Bald in North Carolina 5,342 feet (1,628 m) and Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 6,643 feet (2,025 m).

text: Hiking the trail[edit]

text: Bicycles are prohibited from most of the trail, except for the sections which follow the C&O Canal in Maryland and the Virginia Creeper Trail in Virginia. Horses and pack animals are prohibited except horses on the C&O Canal and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.[45] Several short segments of the trail, in towns and scenic natural areas, were built to ADA accessibly standards for wheelchair use.[46]

text: Navigation[edit]

text: Throughout its length, the AT is marked by white paint blazes that are 2 by 6 inches (5 by 15 cm). Side trails to shelters, viewpoints and parking areas use similarly shaped blue blazes. In past years, some sections of the trail also used metal diamond markers with the AT logo, few of which survive.

text:
Original 1930 ATC copper marker from a tree in New Jersey

An old metal diamond marker beside the trail in Maine

A typical white AT blaze along the trail in Pennsylvania

An example of a side-trail blue blaze, from Mount Greylock in Massachusetts

text: Lodging and camping[edit]

text: Most hikers carry a lightweight tent, tent hammock or tarp.[47] The trail has more than 250 shelters and campsites available for hikers.[48] The shelters, sometimes called lean-tos (in Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut), huts (in Shenandoah National Park), or Adirondack shelters, are generally open, three-walled structures with a wooden floor, although some shelters are much more complex in structure. Shelters are usually spaced a day's hike or less apart, most often near a water source (which may be dry) and with a privy. They generally have spaces for tent sites in the vicinity as the shelters may be full.[1] The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) operates a system of eight huts along 56 miles (90 km) of New Hampshire's White Mountains.[38] These huts are significantly larger than standard trail shelters and offer full-service lodging and meals during the summer months. The Fontana Dam Shelter in North Carolina is more commonly referred to as the Fontana Hilton because of amenities (e.g. flush toilets) and its proximity to an all-you-can-eat buffet and post office.[48][49] Several AMC huts have an extended self-service season during the fall, with two extending self-service seasons through the winter and spring.[50] The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club maintains trail cabins, shelters, and huts throughout the Shenandoah region of Virginia.[38]

text: Shelters are generally maintained by local volunteers. Almost all shelters have one or more pre-hung food hangers (generally consisting of a short nylon cord with an upside-down tuna can suspended halfway down its length) where hikers can hang their food bags to keep them out of the reach of rodents. In hiker lingo, these are sometimes called "mouse trapezes."[51]

text: In addition to official shelters, many people offer their homes, places of business, or inns to accommodate AT hikers. One example is the Little Lyford Pond camps maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club. Inns are more common in sections of the trail that coincide with national parks, most notably Virginia's Shenandoah National Park.[52]

text: Trail towns[edit]

text: The trail crosses many roads, thus providing ample opportunity for hikers to hitchhike into town for food and other supplies. Many trail towns are accustomed to hikers passing through, and thus many have hotels and hiker-oriented accommodations.[1] Some of the most well-known trail towns are Hot Springs, North Carolina; Erwin, Tennessee; Damascus, Virginia; Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Duncannon, Pennsylvania; Port Clinton, Pennsylvania; Wingdale, New York; Kent, Connecticut; Salisbury, Connecticut; Great Barrington, Massachusetts; Hanover, New Hampshire; Lincoln, New Hampshire; Gorham, New Hampshire and Monson, Maine. In the areas of the trail closer to trail towns, many hikers have experienced what is sometimes called "trail magic,"[53] or assistance from strangers through kind actions, gifts, and other forms of encouragement.[54] Trail magic is sometimes done anonymously.[55] In other instances, persons have provided food and cooked for hikers at a campsite.

text: Hazards[edit]

text: The Appalachian Trail is relatively safe. Most injuries or incidents are consistent with comparable outdoor activities. Most hazards are related to weather conditions, human error, plants, animals, diseases, and hostile humans encountered along the trail.[56]

text: Many animals live around the trail, with bears, snakes, and wild boars posing the greatest threat to human safety. Several rodent- and bug-borne illnesses are also a potential hazard. In scattered instances, foxes, raccoons, and other small animals may bite hikers, posing risk of rabies and other diseases. There has been one reported case (in 1993) of hantavirus (HPS), a rare but dangerous rodent-borne disease affecting the lungs. The afflicted hiker recovered and hiked the trail the following year.[56] The section of the trail that runs through the Mid-Atlantic and New England states has a very high population of deer ticks carrying Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, and corresponds to the highest density of reported Lyme Disease in the country.[56]

text: Poison ivy is common the length of the trail, and more plentiful in the South.[1]

text: The weather is another major consideration of hikers on the trail. Hiking season of the trail generally starts in mid-to-late spring, when conditions are much more favorable in the South. However, this time may also be characterized by extreme heat, sometimes in excess of 100 °F (38 °C). Under such conditions, hydration is imperative. Light clothing and sunscreens are a must at high elevations and areas without foliage, even in relatively cool weather.[56] Farther north and at higher elevations, the weather can be cold, characterized by low temperatures, strong winds, hail or snow storms and reduced visibility. Prolonged rain, though not typically life-threatening, can undermine stamina and ruin supplies.[57] In March 2015, a hiker was killed on the trail in Maryland when a large tree blew over and fell onto him.[58]

text: Violent crime, including murder, has occurred on the trail in a few instances. Most have been crimes by non-hikers who crossed paths relatively randomly with the AT hiker-victims. The official website of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy points out that the number of violent crimes is extremely low when compared against the number of people (3 to 4 million) who hike on the trail every year.[59]

text: The first reported homicide on the trail was in 1974 in Georgia.[60] In 1981, the issue of violence on the Appalachian Trail received national attention when Robert Mountford, Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, both social workers in Ellsworth, Maine, were murdered by Randall Lee Smith.[61] Another homicide occurred in May 1996, when two women were abducted, bound and murdered near the trail in Shenandoah National Park. The primary suspect was later discovered harassing a female cyclist in the vicinity,[62] but charges against him were dropped, and the case remains unsolved.[63]

text: Human error can lead to casualties as well. In July 2013, 66-year-old lone hiker Geraldine Largay disappeared on the trail in Maine. She got very lost and survived 26 days before dying. Her remains were found 2 years later in October 2015.[64] In October 2015, a hiker visiting from England was killed on the trail by falling while taking photos at the Annapolis Rocks overlook in Maryland.[65]

text: Trail completion[edit]

text: Trail hikers who attempt to complete the entire trail in a single season are called "thru-hikers"; those who traverse the trail during a series of separate trips are known as "section-hikers". Rugged terrain, weather extremes, illness, injury, and the time and effort required make thru-hiking difficult to accomplish. Per 2014 estimates around 2700 hikers attempted to thru-hike the trail.[3]

text: Historically, only about 10% to 15% of those who make the attempt report to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy that they completed it.[66] However, since 2001, the number of people starting out in Georgia to do a thru-hike (or at least registering to do so) has dropped considerably, yet the number of people reporting that they have completed a thru-hike has remained approximately the same. This has resulted in an apparent increase in the completion rate to 29% (as of 2006).

text: The Appalachian Trail is usually thru-hiked south to north (that is, Georgia to Maine) rather than vice versa. Hikers typically begin in March or April and finish in late summer or early to late fall of that year.

text: A thru-hike generally requires five to seven months, although some have done it in three months, and several trail runners have completed the trail in less time. Trail runners typically tackle the AT with automobile support teams, without backpacks, and without camping in the woods.

text: Thru-hikers are classified into many informal groups. "Purists" are hikers who stick to the official AT trail, follow the white blazes, except for side trips to shelters and camp sites. "Blue Blazers" cut miles from the full route by taking side trails marked by blue blazes. The generally pejorative name "Yellow Blazers," a reference to yellow road stripes, is given to those who hitchhike to move either down or up the trail.

text: Most thru-hikers walk northward from Georgia to Maine, and generally start out in early spring and follow the warm weather as it moves north.[1] These "north-bounders" are also called NOBO (NOrthBOund) or GAME (Georgia(GA)-to-Maine(ME)), while those heading in the opposite direction are termed "south-bounders" (also SOBO or MEGA).[67][68]

text: Part of hiker subculture includes making colorful entries in logbooks at trail shelters, signed using pseudonyms called "trail names".[6]

text: The Appalachian Trail Conservancy gives the name "2000 Miler" to anyone who completes the entire trail. The ATC's recognition policy for "2000 Milers" gives equal recognition to thru-hikers and section-hikers, operates on the honor system, and recognizes blue-blazed trails or officially required roadwalks as substitutes for the official, white-blazed route during an emergency such as a flood, forest fire, or impending storm on an exposed, high-elevation stretch.[69] As of 2010, more than 11,000 people had reported completing the entire trail.[70] About three-quarters of these are thru-hikers.[70]

text: The Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail form what is known as the Triple Crown of long-distance hiking in the United States.[8][9] In 2001, Brian Robinson became the first one to complete all three trails in a year.[71] In 2015, Heather Anderson (trail name "Anish") became the first woman to hold the unsupported record on the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail simultaneously.[72]

text: Speed records[edit]

text: Fastest known times for self-supported attempts (meaning no vehicle or crew support, implying carrying a heavy backpack):

text:
Joe McConaughy completed the trail northbound, on August 31, 2017 in 45 days, 12 hours and 15 minutes.[73][74]
Heather Anderson completed the trail, southbound, on September 24, 2015, in 54 days, 7 hours and 48 minutes.[72]

text: Fastest known times for supported attempts (the athletes travel light, relying on a support crew with food, shelter, medical treatment, etc.):

text:
Karl Meltzer, southbound, on September 18, 2016, in 45 days, 22 hours, and 38 minutes.[75][76]
Scott Jurek, northbound, from late May to mid-July 2015, in 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes.[77]

text: Age records[edit]

text: On October 26, 2017, Dale "Grey Beard" Sanders became the oldest person to hike the entire Appalachian Trail at age 82.[78]

text: Route[edit]

text: The trail is currently protected along more than 99% of its course by federal or state ownership of the land or by right-of-way. The trail is maintained by a variety of citizen organizations, environmental advocacy groups, governmental agencies and individuals. Annually, more than 4,000 volunteers contribute over 175,000 hours of effort on the Appalachian Trail, an effort coordinated largely by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) organization. In total, the AT passes through eight national forests and two national parks.[48]

text: In the course of its journey, the trail follows the ridge line of the Appalachian Mountains, crossing many of its highest peaks, and running, with only a few exceptions, almost continuously through wilderness. The trail used to traverse many hundreds of miles of private property; currently 99% of the trail is on public land.[79]

text:
A hiker signs the register on Springer Mountain, Ga., southern terminus of the trail.

Appalachian Trail at Newfound Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, N.C.

Access to the Appalachian Trail at Clingmans Dome, the highest mountain in Tennessee.

The Pocosin cabin along the trail in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

text: Georgia[edit]

text: Georgia has 75 miles (121 km) of the trail, including the southern terminus at Springer Mountain at an elevation of 3,782 feet (1,153 m).[80] At 4,461 feet (1,360 m), Blood Mountain is the highest point on the trail in Georgia. The AT and approach trail, along with many miles of blue blazed side trails, are managed and maintained by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. See also: Georgia Peaks on the Appalachian Trail.

text: North Carolina[edit]

text: North Carolina has 95.7 miles (154.0 km) of the trail, not including more than 200 miles (320 km) along the Tennessee Border.[81] Altitude ranges from 1,725 to 5,498 feet (526 to 1,676 m). The trail enters from Georgia at Bly Gap, ascending peaks such as Standing Indian Mountain, Mt. Albert, and Wayah Bald. It then goes by Nantahala Outdoor Center at the Nantahala River Gorge and the Nantahala River crossing. Up to this point, the trail is maintained by the Nantahala Hiking Club. Beyond this point, it is maintained by the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. 30 miles (48 km) further north, Fontana Dam marks the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.[82]

text: Tennessee[edit]

text: Tennessee has 71 miles (114 km) of the trail,[83][84] not including more than 200 miles (320 km) along or near the North Carolina Border.[85] The section that runs just below the summit of Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is along the North Carolina and Tennessee border and is the highest point on the trail at 6,643 feet (2,025 m). The Smoky Mountains Hiking Club (Knoxville, TN) maintains the trail throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Davenport Gap. North of Davenport Gap, the Carolina Mountain Club (Asheville, NC) maintains the trail to Spivey Gap. Then the remaining Tennessee section is maintained by the Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club (Kingsport, TN).

text: Virginia[edit]

text:
Virginia has 550.3 miles (885.6 km) of the trail (one-fourth of the entire trail) including more than 20 miles (32 km) along the West Virginia border.[86] With the climate, and the timing of northbound thru-hikers, this section is wet and challenging because of the spring thaw and heavy spring rainfall.[87] Substantial portions of the trail closely parallel Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park and, further south, the Blue Ridge Parkway.[86]
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy considers as excellent for beginning hikers a well-maintained 104 miles (167 km) section of the trail that the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed in Shenandoah National Park. Climbs in this section rarely exceed 1,000 feet (300 m).[15][86] In the southwestern portion of the state, the trail goes within one half mile of the highest point in Virginia, Mount Rogers, which is a short side-hike from the AT.

text:
The AT crosses the railroad bridge at left in this photo of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

Annapolis Rock Overlook, along the trail in South Mountain State Park, Maryland.

Pedestrian bridge over US Highway 11 in Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania.

Sign within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in New Jersey.

Bear Mountain Bridge, New York.

text: West Virginia[edit]

text: West Virginia has 4 miles (6.4 km) of the trail, not including about 20 miles (32 km) along the Virginia border.[88] Here the trail passes through the town of Harpers Ferry, headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Harpers Ferry is what many consider to be the mental midpoint of the entire A.T., although the actual midpoint is further north in southern Pennsylvania. (The exact midpoint moves due to trail rerouting.)[89]

text: Maryland[edit]

text: Maryland has 41 miles (66 km) of the trail, with elevations ranging from 230 to 1,880 feet (70 to 573 m).[90] Most of the trail runs along the ridgeline of South Mountain in South Mountain State Park.[91] Hikers are required to stay at designated shelters and campsites. The trail runs through the eastern edge of Greenbrier State Park. This can serve as a luxurious stop point for a hot shower and a visit to the camp store. The trail runs along the C&O Canal Towpath route for 3 miles (4.8 km). Hikers will also pass High Rock, which offers extensive views and is also used as a hang-gliding site.[92] The section ends at Pen Mar Park, which sits on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania.

text: Pennsylvania[edit]

text: Pennsylvania has 229.6 miles (369.5 km) of the trail.[93] The trail extends from the Pennsylvania – Maryland line at Pen Mar, a tiny town straddling the state line, to the Delaware Water Gap, at the Pennsylvania – New Jersey border. The Susquehanna River is generally considered the dividing line between the northern and southern sections of the Pennsylvania AT. South of the Susquehanna, the trail passes through Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The Pennsylvania section of the trail north of the Susquehanna, from Duncannon until the Delaware Water Gap, is noted for its eroded and rocky terrain which can slow hiking.[94]

text: New Jersey[edit]

text: New Jersey is home to 72.2 miles (116.2 km) of the trail.[95] The trail enters New Jersey from the south on a pedestrian walkway along the Interstate 80 bridge over the Delaware River, ascends from the Delaware Water Gap to the top of Kittatinny Mountain in Worthington State Forest, passes Sunfish Pond (right), continues north through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Stokes State Forest and eventually reaches High Point State Park, the highest peak in New Jersey (a side trail is required to reach the actual peak). It then turns in a southeastern direction along the New York border for about 30 miles (48 km), passing over long sections of boardwalk bridges over marshy land, then entering Wawayanda State Park and then the Abram S. Hewitt State Forest just before entering New York near Greenwood Lake. In New Jersey the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference maintains and updates the Appalachian Trail.

text: Black bear activity along the trail in New Jersey increased rapidly starting in 2001. Hence, metal bear-proof trash boxes are in place at all New Jersey shelters.

text: New York[edit]

text: New York's 88.4 miles (142.3 km) of trail contain very little elevation change compared to other states.[96] From south to north, the trail summits many small mountains under 1,400 feet (430 m) in elevation, its highest point in New York being Prospect Rock at 1,433 feet (437 m), and only 3,000 feet (910 m) from the border with New Jersey. The trail continues north, climbing near Fitzgerald Falls, passing through Sterling Forest, and then entering Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park. The lowest point on the entire Appalachian Trail is in the Bear Mountain Zoo 124 feet (38 m). It crosses the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge. It then passes through Fahnestock State Park, and continues northeast and crosses the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line. This track crossing is the site of the only train station along the trail's length. It enters Connecticut via the Pawling Nature Reserve. The section of the trail that passes through Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks is the oldest section of the trail, completed in 1923. A portion of this section was paved by 700 volunteers with 800 granite-slab steps followed by over a mile of walkway supported by stone crib walls with boulders lining the path.[6] The project took four years, cost roughly $1 million, and was officially opened in June 2010.[6] The project was done by the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference. The New York–New Jersey Trail Conference maintains and updates the Appalachian Trail in New York.

text:
Housatonic River's Great Falls in Falls Village, Connecticut as viewed from the Appalachian Trail.

View from Mount Greylock in Massachusetts

Franconia Ridge, a section of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire

Northern terminus of the trail atop Mount Katahdin in Maine

text: Connecticut[edit]

text: Connecticut's 52 miles (84 km) of trail lie almost entirely along the ridges to the west above the Housatonic River valley.[97]

text: The state line is also the western boundary of a 480 acres (190 ha) Connecticut reservation inhabited by Schaghticoke Indians. Inside it, the AT roughly parallels its northern boundary, crossing back outside it after 2,000 feet (610 m). The trail proceeds northward through the Housatonic River valley and hills to its west, veering northwesterly and, at Salisbury, ascending the southern Taconic mountains, at Lion's Head affording a view northeasterly towards Mt. Greylock and other points in Massachusetts, and at Bear Mountain, reaching over 2,000 feet (610 m) in elevation for the first time since Pennsylvania and yielding views across the Hudson River valley to the Catskills and across the broad expanse of the Housatonic valley and the Berkshire and Litchfield Hills to the east. Just north of Bear, the trail, as it crosses into Massachusetts, descends into Sages Ravine, a deep gorge in the eastern Taconic ridgeline which is home to a fragile old growth forest. As the trail crosses the brook in the ravine, it leaves the area maintained by the Connecticut section of the Appalachian Mountain Club.

text: Massachusetts[edit]

text: Massachusetts has 90 miles (140 km) of trail.[98] The entire section of trail is in western Massachusetts' Berkshire County. It summits the highest peak in the southern Taconic Range, Mount Everett (2,604 feet (794 m)), then descends to the Housatonic River valley and skirts the town of Great Barrington. The trail passes through the towns of Dalton and Cheshire, and summits the highest point in the state at 3,491 feet (1,064 m), Mount Greylock. It then quickly descends to the valley within 2 miles (3.2 km) of North Adams and Williamstown, before ascending again to the Vermont state line. The trail throughout Massachusetts is maintained by the Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club.

text: Vermont[edit]

text: Vermont has 150 miles (240 km) of the trail.[99] Upon entering Vermont, the trail coincides with the southernmost sections of the generally north/south-oriented Long Trail. It follows the ridge of the southern Green Mountains, summitting such notable peaks as Stratton Mountain, Glastenbury Mountain, and Killington Peak. After parting ways with the Long Trail at Maine Junction, the AT turns in a more eastward direction, crossing the White River, passing through Norwich, and entering Hanover, New Hampshire, as it crosses the Connecticut River. The Green Mountain Club maintains the AT from the Massachusetts state border to Route 12. The Dartmouth Outing Club maintains the trail from VT Route 12 to the New Hampshire state line.

text: New Hampshire[edit]

text: New Hampshire has 161 miles (259 km) of the trail.[100] The New Hampshire AT is nearly all within the White Mountain National Forest. For northbound thru-hikers, it is the beginning of the main challenges that go beyond enduring distance and time: in New Hampshire and Maine, rough or steep ground are more frequent and alpine conditions are found near summits and along ridges. The trail reaches 17 of the 48 four-thousand footers of New Hampshire, including 6,288-foot (1,917 m) Mount Washington, the highest point of the AT north of Tennessee and most topographically prominent peak in eastern North America. The trail passes within half a mile of 7 additional 4000-footer peaks in the Whites. Entering the alpine zone on the summit of Mount Pierce, from the south, the trail continues in alpine or near-alpine scrub continuously along the high Presidential ridge until descending the southeast flank of Mount Madison into the Great Gulf Wilderness over 12 miles northward. This region is subject to extremes of weather with little natural shelter and only occasional man-made shelter from the elements. Though greatest from November to May, the threat of severe and cold conditions in the Presidentials and across the New Hampshire Section is present year-round and requires hikers' careful attention to weather forecasts and planning, provisions and gear. The Dartmouth Outing Club maintains the AT from the Vermont border past Mount Moosilauke to Kinsman Notch, northwest of Woodstock, New Hampshire, Randolph Mountain Club maintains 2.2 miles from Osgood Trail near Madison Hut to Edmands Col, with the AMC maintaining the remaining miles through the state.

text: Maine[edit]

text: Maine has 281 miles (452 km) of the trail. The northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail is on Mount Katahdin's Baxter Peak in Baxter State Park.

text: In some parts of the trail in Maine, even the strongest hikers may only average 1 mile per hour (1.6 km/h), with places where hikers must hold on to tree limbs and roots to climb or descend, which is especially hazardous in wet weather.[101] The western section includes a mile-long (1.6 km) stretch of boulders, some of which hikers must pass under, at Mahoosuc Notch, sometimes called the trail's hardest mile.

text: Although there are dozens of river and stream fords on the Maine section of the trail, the Kennebec River is the only one on the trail that requires a boat crossing. The most isolated portion of the Appalachian Trail, known as the "Hundred-Mile Wilderness", occurs in Maine. It heads east-northeast from the town of Monson and ends outside Baxter State Park just south of Abol Bridge.[102]

text: Park management strongly discourages thru-hiking within the park before May 15 or after October 15.[103]

text: The AMC maintains the AT from the New Hampshire state line to Grafton Notch, with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club responsible for maintaining the remaining miles to Mt. Katahdin. The international extension, called the International Appalachian Trail begins at Mt. Katahdin.

text: Major intersections[edit]

text: Listed from south to north.

text: Southern terminus: Springer Mountain, Georgia

text:
US 76 in Northeast Georgia
 US 64 near Nantahala River, North Carolina
  US 19/US 74 near Fontana Lake, North Carolina
 U.S. Route 441 along the North Carolina/Tennessee state line
 I-40 along the North Carolina/Tennessee state line
  US 25/US 70 in Hot Springs, North Carolina
  I-26/US 23 along the North Carolina/Tennessee state line
 US 19W along the North Carolina/Tennessee state line
 US 19E near Roan Mountain, Tennessee
 US 321 at Watauga Lake, Tennessee
 US 421 near South Holston Lake, Tennessee
 SR 16 near Sugar Grove, Virginia
 US 58 in Damascus, Virginia
 I-81 near Marion, Virginia
  I-77/U.S. Route 52 near Wytheville, Virginia
 US 460 in Pearisburg, Virginia
 I-81 near Roanoke, Virginia
 US 501 along the James River in Virginia
 US 60 near Buena Vista, Virginia
 I-64 near Waynesboro, Virginia
 US 250 near Waynesboro, Virginia
 U.S. Route 33 in Shenandoah National Park
 US 211 near Luray, Virginia
 US 522 near Front Royal, Virginia
 I-66 in Front Royal, Virginia
  US 17/US 50 near Waterloo, Virginia
 US 340 in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
 US 340 in Sandy Hook, Maryland
  I-70/US 40 near Hagerstown, Maryland
 US 30 near Fayetteville, Pennsylvania
 I-76 in Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania
 US 11 in Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania
 I-81 in Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania
  US 11/US 15 in Duncannon, Pennsylvania
  US 22/US 322 in Duncannon, Pennsylvania
 I-81 near Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania
 I-476 near Slatington, Pennsylvania
 I-80 along the Pennsylvania/New Jersey state line
 US 206 near Frankford Township, New Jersey
 I-87/New York State Thruway near Harriman, New York
   US 6/US 9W/US 202 near Fort Montgomery, New York
 Us 9 near Garrison, New York
 Taconic State Parkway near Shenandoah, New York
 I-84 near Whaley Lake, New York
 US 7 near Falls Village, Connecticut
 US 44 near Salisbury, Connecticut
 US 7 near Great Barrington, Massachusetts
 I-90 near Lee, Massachusetts
 US 20 near Lee, Massachusetts
 US 4 near Rutland, Vermont
 I-89 near West Hartford, Vermont
 US 5 in Norwich, Vermont
 I-91 in Norwich, Vermont
  I-93/US 3 near Franconia, New Hampshire
 US 302 in the White Mountain National Forest
 NH 16 at Pinkham Notch in the White Mountain National Forest
 US 2 near Gorham, New Hampshire
 US 201 in Caratunk, Maine

text: Northern terminus: Mount Katahdin, Maine

text: Management[edit]

text: The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (originally, Appalachian Trail Conference) and the National Park Service oversee the entire length of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail via memorandums of understanding with other public agencies through whose land the trail runs, including the U.S. Forest Service. national parks, national forests, the Tennessee Valley Authority, state parks, and others, who help administer portions of the trail corridor. The estimated annual contribution of volunteer services for trail upkeep is $3 million.[104]

text: Use in research[edit]

text: The Appalachian Trail has been a resource for researchers in a variety of disciplines. Portions of the trail in Tennessee were used on a study on trail maintenance for the trail's "uniform environmental conditions and design attributes and substantial gradient in visitor use."[84] Beginning in 2007, various citizen groups, including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the American Hiking Society, began a study to monitor environmental changes that have resulted from higher ozone levels, acid rain, smog, and other air quality factors.[105] Such research has been supported by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Cornell University, the National Geographic Society, and Aveda Corporation.[105]

text: Behavioral studies have also been conducted on hikers themselves. A 2007 study on hikers found that most persons hike the trail "for fun and enjoyment of life and for warm relationships with others" and that "environmental awareness, physical challenge, camaraderie, exercise, and solitude" were chief results among hikers.[106] Since the highest single demographic of thru-hikers are males between the ages of 18–29, one informal study sought to find the correlation between this group and male college drop-outs.[107]


document_title: Occluded front

question_text: what kind of weather is associated with an occluded front

root

text: Occluded front

text: Description[edit]

text: Occluded fronts usually form around mature low pressure areas. There are two types of occlusion, warm and cold:

tag: p

text:
In a cold occlusion, the air mass overtaking the warm front is colder than the cool air ahead of the warm front, and plows under both air masses.
In a warm occlusion, the air mass overtaking the warm front is not as cold as the cold air ahead of the warm front, and rides over the colder air mass while lifting the warm air.

tag: ul

text: The occluded front symbol should thus be plotted at the position where the cold air is intersecting the surface, as on the adjacent image. It thus varies between warm and a cold occlusions. The trowal on the other hand, being the projection of the warm air trough aloft, is at the same position in both cases. The position of the occluded front is often misplaced with the associated weather on a weather map but this is the position of the trowal.[3]

text: Related weather[edit]

text: A cold front would be seen as spikes and a warm front as semi-circles in a traditional weather map. An occluded front, is a combination of those two signs. They are indicated on a weather map either by a purple line with alternating semicircles and triangles pointing in direction of travel, or by red semicircles and blue triangles pointing in the same direction. On the other hand, trowal are indicated by junction of blue and red lines like the junction of cold and warm fronts aloft.

text: A wide variety of weather can be found along an occluded front, with thunderstorms possible, but usually their passage is associated with a drying of the air mass. Additionally, cold core funnel clouds are possible if shear is significant along the cold front. Small isolated occluded fronts often remain for a time after a low pressure system has decayed and these create cloudy conditions with patchy rain or showers.

text: However, the clouds and precipitation are not really where the projection on the Earth's surface of the occluded front is, but with the trowal position.[3]


document_title: Minbar

question_text: where would a minbar most likely be found

text: Minbar

text: A minbar (Arabic: منبر but pronounced mimbar, also romanized as mimber) is a pulpit in the mosque where the imam (prayer leader) stands to deliver sermons (خطبة, khutbah) or in the Hussainia where the speaker sits and lectures the congregation. The word is a derivative of the Arabic root n-b-r ("to raise, elevate"); the Arabic plural is manābir (Arabic: منابر).

text: While minbars are a kin to pulpits, they have a function and position more similar to that of a church lectern, being used instead by the minister of religion, the imam, typically for a wider range of readings and prayers. The minbar, the decoration of which some believe to be part of the sunnah, is usually shaped like a small tower with a pointed roof and stairs leading up to it. In contrast, the prophet Muhammed used only a platform with three steps. There may be a seat at the top. In contrast to most Christian pulpits, the steps up to the minbar are usually in a straight line on the same axis as the seat, as seen in those illustrated here. They also take the preacher higher above the congregation than is typical in churches. The minbar is located to the right of the mihrab, the niche that indicates the direction of prayer (i.e. towards Mecca). The minbar is also a symbol of authority.[1]

text: In some mosques there is a platform (müezzin mahfili in Turkish) opposite the minbar where the assistant of the Imam, the muezzin, stands during prayer. The muezzin recites the answers to the prayers of the Imam where applicable.

text: The oldest Islamic pulpit in the world to be preserved intact is the minbar of the Great Mosque of Kairouan (in the city of Kairouan in Tunisia).[2] Dating from the 9th century (at about 862 AD), it is an eleven-step staircase made of carved and sculptured teak wood. Composed of an assembly of over three hundred finely sculpted parts, this minbar is considered to be a jewel of Islamic wooden art.[3]


document_title: Indian general election, 2019

question_text: when will the next general election be held in india

text: Indian general election, 2019

text:
Indian general election, 2019

← 2014
April - May 2019
2024 →

543 seats in the Lok Sabha
272 seats needed for a majority

Opinion polls

First party
Second party
Third party

Leader
Narendra Modi
Sonia Gandhi
Edappadi Palaniswami

Party
BJP
INC
AIADMK

Alliance
NDA
UPA
Third Front

Leader since
7 October 2013
14 March 1998
16 February 2017

Leader's seat
Varanasi
Rae Bareli
Did not contest

Last election
282[2]
44[3]
37[1]

Fourth party
Fifth party
Sixth party

Leader
Mamata Banerjee
Naveen Patnaik
Uddhav Thackeray

Party
Trinamool Congress
BJD
Shiv Sena

Alliance

NDA

Leader since
1998
2000
2013

Leader's seat
Did not contest
Did not contest
Did not contest

Last election
34[1]
20[1]
18[1]

Seventh party
Eighth party
Ninth party

Leader
N. Chandrababu Naidu
K. Chandrashekhar Rao
Sitaram Yechury

Party
TDP
TRS
CPI(M)

Alliance
NDA
Third Front
Left Front

Leader since
1995
2001
19 April 2015

Leader's seat
Did not contest
Did not contest
Did not contest

Last election
16[1]
11[1]
9[1]

Prime Minister before election
Narendra Modi
BJP

Elected Prime Minister
TBD
TBD

tag: table

text: General elections are due to be held in India by 2019 to constitute the seventeenth Lok Sabha.

text: Electoral system[edit]

text: The 543 elected members of the Lok Sabha will be elected from single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting. The President of India nominates an additional two members.[4]

text: Parties and alliances[edit]


document_title: List of national animals

question_text: what is the national animal of the us

question_tokens: what is the national animal of the us

text: List of national animals

text: This article is incomplete. Please help to improve it, or discuss the issue on the talk page. (June 2017)

text: This is a list of national animals.

text: National animals

text:
Country

Name of animal

Scientific name

Pictures

Ref.

 Algeria
Fennec fox
Vulpes zerda

[1]

 Angola
Red-crested turaco (national bird)
Tauraco erythrolophus

[2]

 Anguilla
Zenaida dove
Zenaida aurita

[3]

 Antigua and Barbuda
Fallow deer (national animal)
Dama dama

[4]

Frigate (national bird)
Fregata magnificens

[4]

Hawksbill turtle (national sea creature)
Eretmochelys imbricata

[4]

 Argentina
Rufous hornero
Furnarius rufus

[5]

 Australia
Red kangaroo (national animal)
Macropus rufus

[6]

Emu (national bird)
Dromaius novaehollandiae

[7]

 Austria
Black eagle
 Ictinaetus malaiensis

[8]

 Azerbaijan

Karabakh horse

Equus ferus caballus

[9]

 Bangladesh
Royal Bengal tiger (national animal)
Panthera tigris tigris

[10]

Magpie robin (national bird)
Copsychus saularis

[10]

Ilish (national fish)
Tenualosa ilisha

[10]

 Belarus
European bison
Bison bonasus

[11]

 Belgium

Lion (heraldic Leo Belgicus)

Panthera leo

[12]

 Belize
Baird's tapir (national animal)
Tapirus bairdii

[11][13]

Keel-billed toucan (national bird)
Ramphastos sulfuratus

[14]

 Bhutan
Druk
Mythical

[15]

Takin
Budorcas taxicolor

[16]

 Brazil
Rufous-bellied thrush
Turdus rufiventris

[17]

 Cambodia
Kouprey
Bos sauveli

[18]

 Canada
North American beaver (sovereignty animal symbol)
Castor canadensis

[19][20]

Canadian horse (national horse)
Equus ferus caballus

[20]

 China
Giant panda (national animal)
Ailuropoda melanoleuca

[21]

Chinese dragon (national animal)
Mythical

[22]

Red-crowned crane (national bird)
Grus japonensis

[23]

 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Okapi
Okapia johnstoni

[11]

 Colombia

Andean condor
Vultur gryphus

[24]

 Costa Rica
Yigüirro (national bird)
Turdus grayi

[25]

White-tailed deer (national animal)
Odocoileus virginianus

[26]

West Indian manatee (national aquatic animal)
Trichechus manatus

[27]

 Croatia
Pine marten
Martes martes

[28][29]

 Cuba
Cuban trogon
Priotelus temnurus

[30][31]

 Cyprus
Cypriot mouflon
Ovis orientalis

[32]

 Czech Republic
Double-tailed lion
Mythical

[33]

 Denmark
Mute swan (national bird)
Cygnus olor

[34]

Small tortoiseshell (national butterfly)
Aglais urticae

[34]

 Egypt
Steppe eagle
Aquila nipalensis

[35]

 Estonia
Barn swallow (national bird)
Hirundo rustica

[36]

 Eritrea
Arabian camel
Camelus dromedarius

[37]

 Ethiopia
Lion
Panthera leo

[38]

 Faroe Islands
Eurasian oystercatcher (national bird)
Haematopus ostralgus

[39]

 Finland
Brown bear (national animal)
Ursus arctos

[40]

Whooper swan (national bird)
Cygnus cygnus

[41]

Holly blue (national butterfly)
Celastrina argiolus

[42]

European perch (national fish)
Perca fluviatilis

[43]

Seven-spot ladybird (national insect)
Coccinella septempunctata

[43]

 France

Gallic rooster

Gallus gallus domesticus

[44]

 Germany

Unspecified Eagle

Members of Accipitridae

[45]

 Greece

Phoenix
Mythical

[46][47]

Dolphins
Delphinus

[48]

 Guatemala
Quetzal
Pharomachrus mocinno

[49]

 Haiti

Hispaniolan Trogan

Priotelus roseigaster

[50]

 Honduras
White-tailed deer
Odocoileus virginianus

[51]

 Hungary
Turul
Mythical (most probably Falco cherrug) [52]

 Iceland

Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus

[53]

 India
Bengal tiger (National predator)
Panthera tigris tigris

[54]

Indian peafowl (National bird)
Pavo cristatus

[55]

King cobra (National reptile)
Ophiophagus hannah

[56]

Ganges river dolphin (National aquatic animal)
Platanista gangetica gangetica

[57]

Indian elephant (National heritage animal)
Elephas maximus indicus

[58]

 Indonesia
Komodo dragon (national animal)

Varanus komodoensis

[59]

Garuda (historic national animal)
Mythical

[60]

 Iran

Persian lion

Panthera leo persica

[46]

 Iraq

Chukar partridge

Alectoris chukar

[61]

Goat  ( KRG)

Capra aegagrus

[62]

 Israel

Hoopoe (national bird)
Upupa epops

[46]

 Jamaica
Red-billed streamertail
Trochilus polytmus

[63]

 Japan
Green pheasant (national bird)
Phasianus versicolor

[64]

Carp (national fish)
Cyprinus carpio

[65]

 Latvia
White wagtail (national bird)
Motacilla alba

[66][67]

Two-spotted ladybird (national insect)
Adalia bipunctata

[67]

 Lithuania
White stork
Ciconia ciconia

[68]

 Macedonia
Lion (in Macedonian heraldry)
Panthera leo

[69]

 Madagascar
Zebu (in Malagasy heraldry)
Bos primigenius indicus

[70]

Ring-tailed lemur (national animal)
Lemur catta

[71]

 Malaysia
Malayan tiger (national animal)
Panthera tigris jacksoni

[72]

 Malta

Pharaoh Hound (national animal)

Canis lupus familiaris

[1]

 Moldova
Aurochs (national animal)
Bos primigenius

[73]

 Mauritius
Dodo
Raphus cucullatus

[11][74][75]

 Mexico
Golden eagle (national animal)
Aquila chrysaetos

[76]

Xoloitzcuintli (national dog)
Canis lupus familiaris

[76]

Jaguar (national mammal)
Panthera onca

[76]

Grasshopper (national arthropod )
Sphenarium purpurascens

[76]

Vaquita (national marine mammal)
Phocoena sinus

[76]

   Nepal
Cow (national animal)
Bos taurus indicus

[77]

Danphe (national bird)
Lophophorus impejanus

[78]

 Netherlands
Lion (heraldic symbol)
Panthera leo

[79]

Black-tailed godwit (national bird)
Limosa limosa

[80]

 New Zealand
Kiwi
Apteryx sp.

[81]

 North Korea
Chollima
Mythical

[82][83][84]

 Norway
Lion (royal national animal)
Panthera leo

[85]

White-throated dipper (national bird)
Cinclus cinclus

[86]

Fjord horse (national horse)
Equus ferus caballus

[87]

 Oman
Arabian oryx (national animal)
Oryx leucoryx

[88]

 Pakistan
Markhor (National animal)
Capra falconeri

[89]

Indus river dolphin (National aquatic mammal)
Platanista indicus minor minor

[89]

Chukar (National bird)
Alectoris chukar

[89]

Indus crocodile (National reptile)
Crocodylus palustris

[89]

Shaheen falcon (Heritage bird)
Falco peregrinus peregrinator

[90]

Snow leopard (National predator)
Panthera uncia

[89]

 Panama
Harpy eagle
Harpia harpyja

[11]

 Papua New Guinea
Dugong (national marine mammal)
Dugong dugon

[91]

 Peru
Vicuña (national animal)
Vicugna vicugna

[92]

 Philippines

Carabao (national animal)
Bubalus bubalis

[93]

Philippine eagle (national bird)
Pithecophaga jefferyi

[94]

 Poland
White-tailed eagle (national bird)
Haliaeetus albicilla

[95][96]

White stork (national bird)
Ciconia ciconia

[97]

European bison (national animal)
Bison bonasus

[98][99]

 Qatar
Arabian oryx
Oryx leucoryx

[100]

 Romania
Lynx
Lynx lynx

[101]

 Russia
Eurasian brown bear
Ursus arctos arctos

[102]

 Rwanda
Leopard
Panthera pardus

[103]

 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent amazon
Amazona guildingii

[104]

 Serbia
Wolf
Canis lupus lupus

[105]

White eagle
Mythical

[106]

Lynx
Lynx lynx

[107]

 Somalia
Leopard (national animal)
Panthera pardus

[108]

 South Africa
Springbok (national animal)
Antidorcas marsupialis

[109]

Blue crane (national bird)[109]
Anthropoides paradiseus

Galjoen (national fish)[109]
Dichistius capensis

 South Korea
Siberian tiger
Panthera tigris altaica

[110]

Korean magpie (national bird)
Pica (pica) sericea

[110]

 Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan junglefowl (national bird)
Gallus lafayettii

[111]

 Tanzania
Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis

[112][113][114]

 Thailand

Elephant
Elephas maximus

[115]

 United Arab Emirates

Arabian oryx (national animal)
Oryx leucoryx

[116]

Peregrine falcon (national bird)
Falco peregrinus

[116]

 United Kingdom

Lion (United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales)
Panthera leo

[117][118]

Bulldog (Britain as "British Bulldog")
Canis lupus familiaris

[119]

Red kite (Wales)
Milvus milvus

[120]

Unicorn (Scotland)
Mythical

[46][121][122][123][124]

Y Ddraig Goch (Welsh Dragon Wales)
Mythical

[120][125]

 United States
Bald eagle (national bird)
Haliaeetus leucocephalus

[126][127]

American bison (national mammal)
Bison bison

[128][129]

 Zimbabwe
Sable antelope (national animal)
Hippotragus niger

[130]

African fish eagle (national bird)
Haliaeetus vocifer

[130]


document_title: Alvin and the Chipmunks (film)

question_text: who plays as alvin in alvin and the chipmunks

text: Alvin and the Chipmunks (film)

text: Plot[edit]

text: The tree that the chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore live in is cut down and driven to Los Angeles. After JETT Records buys it, the Chipmunks meet struggling songwriter and composer David Seville who had his latest song rejected by the company's executive Ian Hawke, his old college roommate. Dave also once had a relationship with his next door neighbor, Claire Wilson.

text: After interrupting Dave's interview, the Chipmunks hop into a basket Dave stole from one of Ian's coworkers and follow him home. Once there, Dave discovers the Chipmunks and kicks them out, only to hear them sing "Only You (And You Alone)". He then makes a deal with them; they sing the songs he writes, and he provides food and shelter for them. Unfortunately, when Dave tries to present the Chipmunks to Ian, they fail to sing to him on account of stage fright. The day gets worse as Dave is fired as the Chipmunks ruin his job presentation by having drawn on it. When Alvin tries to set the mood for Dave's dinner with Claire, things become peculiar and she rejects Dave after he tells her about the Chipmunks. To make it up to Dave, the Chipmunks go to Ian in an attempt to get a record deal.

text: Once the Chipmunks sing Dave's song to Ian, Ian signs them to the label and calls Dave the next day. After a few singles, the Chipmunks are an international success. When Dave expresses concern for their well-being and insists that the Chipmunks are "children" who do not need so much craziness in their lives, Ian convinces the Chipmunks that Dave is holding them back. After a misunderstanding with Dave, they go live with Ian. They are enchanted with Ian at first, but once they set off on a nationwide coast-to-coast tour, he takes advantage of their naïvete, changing their image and working them constantly. Meanwhile, Dave misses the Chipmunks and he wishes they would come back home. He calls Ian and asks to talk to them but Ian refuses, and then conceals Dave's motives from the boys, saying that he sent Dave tickets but that Dave sent them back. Later, the fact that the Chipmunks are becoming worn out is all over the news. Angered by what Ian has done to the three, Dave decides to take matters into his own hands by infiltrating their concert to reunite with them.

text: On the night before the big concert that is to transition the coast-to-coast tour into a world tour, a vet explains to Ian that the Chipmunks' voices have worn down due to exhaustion, and suggests that they take a long rest. Rather than cancel the concert and hand out refunds, Ian advises the Chipmunks to lip sync. With Claire's help, Dave sneaks into the concert, but gets ejected by security. Seeing the commotion, the Chipmunks realize that they've been tricked and, deciding that they have had enough of Ian, they stall the concert. Ian locks them in a cage and prepares to take them to the world tour. Dave tries to convince Ian to let the boys go but Ian refuses. Ian then leaves in his limo with the boys and Dave chases them but the boys have already escaped to Dave's car. Dave immediately pulls over and admits that he loves them like his own family. Meanwhile, Ian looks in the cage and is shocked to see the boys have replaced themselves with international merchandising dolls.

text: Later that night, the boys are fully accepted as part of the family, and they invite Claire over for dinner again. Alvin accidentally creates a short circuit after having difficulty opening a champagne bottle. Though Dave decides not to say his catchphrase, the short circuit causes a blackout in the kitchen. As a result, Dave can no longer prevent it and finally yells out his catchphrase, "ALLLLVINNN!!", to which Alvin responds with "Okay!".

text: In a mid-credits scene, Ian (now unemployed) tries to make three squirrels sing, but fails. After this, a message is shown dedicating the film to the creator of the Chipmunks, Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., "who was crazy enough to invent three singing chipmunks nearly fifty years ago".

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Jason Lee as David "Dave" Seville, a struggling songwriter and father figure to Alvin, Simon and Theodore
David Cross as Ian Hawke, an executive at JETT Records
Cameron Richardson as Claire Wilson, Dave's ex-girlfriend
Jane Lynch as Gail, Dave's advertising boss
Kevin Symons as Ted
Frank Maharajh as Barry
Veronica Alicino as Amy
Beth Riesgraf as Mother in Store
Adriane Lenox as Vet
Erin Chambers as Press Coordinator
Oliver Muirhead as Butler
Don Tiffany as Engineer
Lorne Green as Director
Greg Siebel as Photographer
Jayden Lund as Security Guard
Chris Classic as Dj

text: Voices[edit]

text:
Justin Long as Alvin
Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon
Jesse McCartney as Theodore
Adam Riancho as French Doll
Axel Alba as Spanish Doll

text: Release[edit]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 27% based on 108 reviews, with a rating average of 4.5 out of 10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Though cutely rendered, Alvin and the Chipmunks suffers from bland potty humor and a rehashed kids' movie formula."[4] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from film critics, the film is considered to have "generally unfavorable reviews" with a rating score of 39 based on 23 reviews.[5] Joe Leydon of Variety called the film a "harmless and frequently humorous trifle that might be a potent B.O. performer, if only by default, during a holiday season surprisingly short on kidpics" and noted that "homevid prospects are huge";[6] the home video prediction later proved to be accurate. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave it two stars out of four, saying it is "about as good as a movie with these characters can probably be...at some level, the movie may even be doing something satirical about rock stars and the hype machine."[7] The critics for The Guardian and The Observer were split, with Philip French saying it is a "film that kids will love and adults will find tolerable" and Peter Bradshaw giving it one star out of five and calling it a "thoroughly brain-dead semi-animated family comedy".[8]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Alvin and the Chipmunks was released in North America on December 14, 2007. Despite negative reviews, the film grossed $44,307,417 in 3,475 theaters its opening weekend averaging to about $12,750 per venue, and placing second at the box office behind I Am Legend.[9] According to Box Office Guru, the first weekend was twice as much as Fox originally expected. Its second weekend was $28,179,556, behind National Treasure: Book of Secrets and I Am Legend. On its third weekend, it surpassed I Am Legend for #2 at the box office, but still ranked behind National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The film closed on Thursday June 5, 2008, making $217,326,974 domestically and $144,009,659 overseas for a total of $361,336,633 worldwide, making it a huge commercial success considering the film's modest $60 million budget.[9] The sustained box-office success of the film surprised 20th Century Fox; Elizabeth Gabler of Fox 2000 told the Los Angeles Times "I look at the numbers every day, and we just laugh."[10] Given its budget, Alvin was far more profitable than either I Am Legend or National Treasure: Book of Secrets.[10] According to MTV, it also became the highest-grossing talking animal/cartoon adaptation until its sequel. It is also 20th Century Fox's highest-grossing film domestically to be released in 2007.[1]

text: Home media[edit]

text: Alvin and the Chipmunks was released for DVD and Blu-ray on April 1, 2008. The DVD release is presented on a double-sided disc, featuring both full screen (1.33:1 aspect ratio) and widescreen formats (1.85:1 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 Dolby Surround, Spanish and French Dolby Surround with English and Spanish subtitles. Special features include a preview of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!, a history of The Chipmunks, and an explanation of how the singing is created.[11] The Wal-Mart edition includes a bonus exclusive music CD.[11] The Kmart edition includes a free junior novel of the film.[11] The Best Buy edition includes 3 mini plush toys of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore in a collectible box.[11]

text: Awards[edit]

text:
2008 Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite Movie (winner)
2008 Young Artist Awards: Best Family Feature Film (Fantasy or Musical) (nominee)
2008 BMI Film & TV Awards: BMI Film Music Award (winner)

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Soundtrack album by The Chipmunks

Released
November 20, 2007 (2007-11-20)

Genre
Pop, rock, hip hop, dance, Christmas

Length
48:17

Label
Razor & Tie

Producer
Ali Dee Theodore

The Chipmunks chronology

Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks
(2004)Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks2004
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(2007)
Christmas with The Chipmunks (2008 reissue)
(2008)Christmas with The Chipmunks (2008 reissue)2008

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Sampler

Released April 1, 2008 (2008-04-01)
Genre Pop, rock, hip hop, dance
Length 16:01
Label Razor & Tie
Producer Ali Dee Theodore

text: The soundtrack was released November 20, 2007, three weeks before the film's opening and contains new versions of old songs such as "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don't Be Late)" (as made famous by David Seville and The Chipmunks), cover versions of songs such as "Bad Day" (as made famous by Daniel Powter) and "Funkytown" (as made famous by Lipps Inc.) and new songs such as "Coast 2 Coast", "Get You Goin'" and "Get Munk'd". The second track on the album is "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)", a remake version, without Jason Lee as the voice of Dave. However, the seventh track, the rock version of the song, features Lee as the voice of Dave. The soundtrack is the first album to be released in three years by Bagdasarian Productions, and is the group's 43rd album overall. Four songs from the album have charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

text: The album has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of over one million copies.

text: Reception[edit]

text:
Professional ratings

Review scores

Source
Rating

Allmusic
[12]

text: In December 2007, the album debuted at #133 on the Billboard 200. In its second week of sales, however, the album jumped to #67 on the chart.

text: The album's highest peak was #5 on the Billboard 200, making it the group's highest on the chart album since Chipmunks in Low Places (which peaked at #21).

text: The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA and has sold over 1,000,000 copies in the United States. By doing this, the album has become the group's first RIAA-certified album since Chipmunks in Low Places (which also went Platinum). Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack has become the Chipmunks' third Platinum album and sixth RIAA-certified album total.

text: Songs[edit]

text: Four songs from the album managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 during the month of December 2007. By doing this, it became the group's first charting songs in 47 years ("Alvin for President" became the last charting single for the group; it peaked at #95 in 1960). Despite this feat, none of the songs were released as singles or ever solicited to mainstream radio (although it is possible that kid-oriented radio stations, such as Radio Disney, might have played them anyway) and charted solely because of high digital downloads caused by the anticipation of the group's film, Alvin and the Chipmunks.

text: The four songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 (and with the chart peaks included and the songs' Hot Digital Songs peaks) were:

text:
Song
Chart
Position

"Witch Doctor (2007 Version)" (featuring Chris Classic)
US Billboard Hot 100
62

"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) (2007 Version)"
66

"Bad Day"
67

"Funkytown"
86

"Witch Doctor (2007 Version)" (featuring Chris Classic)
US Hot Digital Songs
16

"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) (2007 Version)"
28

"Bad Day"
51

text: Track listing[edit]

text: A soundtrack sampler was released along with the DVD of the film in a two pack sold exclusively at Walmart.[13] This features five songs produced exclusively for the soundtrack.

text:
Track listing[14] All songs performed by The Chipmunks except noted

No.
Title
Writer(s)
Performing Artist(s)
Length

1.
"Bad Day"
Daniel Powter
The Chipmunks
3:47

2.
"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) DeeTown OG Mix"
Ross Bagdasarian
The Chipmunks
2:34

3.
"Follow Me Now (featuring Jason Gleed1)"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:07

4.
"How We Roll"1"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:54

5.
"Witch Doctor (featuring Chris Classic)"
Ross Bagdasarian
The Chipmunks
3:03

6.
"Come Get It (featuring Rebecca Jones1)"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:34

7.
"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) DeeTown Rock Mix"
Ross Bagdasarian
The Chipmunks
2:14

8.
"Funkytown"
Steve Greenberg
The Chipmunks
3:34

9.
"Get You Goin'"1"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:16

10.
"Coast 2 Coast"1"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
2:47

11.
"Mess Around"1"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:20

12.
"Only You (And You Alone)"
Buck Ram, Ande Rand
The Chipmunks
2:50

13.
"Ain't No Party (featuring Rebecca Jones and Chris Classic1)"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
2:43

14.
"Get Munk'd (featuring Al D1)"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:01

text:
Bonus tracks

No.
Title
Writer(s)
Performing Artist(s)
Length

15.
"Witch Doctor Classic Version2"
Ross Bagdasarian
The Chipmunks
2:15

16.
"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) Classic Version3"
Ross Bagdasarian
The Chipmunks
2:17

text:
[show]Soundtrack CD Sampler

No.
Title
Writer(s)
Performing Artist(s)
Length

1.
"How We Roll"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:54

2.
"Get You Goin'"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:16

3.
"Get Munk'd (featuring Al D)"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:01

4.
"Ain't No Party (featuring Rebecca Jones and Chris Classic)"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
2:41

5.
"Mess Around"
The DeeTown Syndicate for DeeTown Entertainment, Inc.
The Chipmunks
3:20

text:
1Denotes original song
2Performed by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. as David Seville. This version is technically without the Chipmunks.
3Featuring Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. as David Seville (speaking only) and the singing voice for Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

text: Personnel[edit]

text:
Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. — lead guitars and the sung vocal of Alvin
Steve Vining — bass on track 8 and the sung vocal of Simon
Janice Karman — the sung vocal of Theodore
Jason Lee — spoken voiceover on track 7 (as "David Seville")
Justin Long - spoken voiceover on tracks 1 & 2 (as "Alvin")
Matthew Gray Gubler — spoken voiceover on tracks 1 & 2 (as "Simon")
Jesse McCartney — spoken voiceover on tracks 1 & 2 (as "Theodore")
Jason Gleed — guest vocals and rhythm guitars
Chris Classic — secondary guest lead vocals
Rebecca Jones — tertiary guest lead vocals
Ali Dee Theodore — keyboards, bass (except track 8) and drum programming
Alana Da Fonseca — uncharacterized backing vocals
Joey Katsaros — manipulation of original concept album samples and uncharacterized backing vocals
Zach Danzinger — live drums and uncharacterized backing vocals
Vinny Alfieri — uncharacterized backing vocals
Andy Richards — string synthesizer on track 4, piano on track 8
Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. — piano on track 15, the singing voice of Dave on track 15, and the spoken voice of Dave, as well as singing voices for Alvin, Simon, and Theodore on track 16
Aaron Sandlofer —keyboards, bass, guitar, drums & uncharacterized backing vocals

text: Charts[edit]

text:
Chart (2007)
Peak
position
Certification
Sales

United States Billboard 200
5
Platinum[15]
1,000,000+

text: Score album[edit]

text: The film's original score was composed and conducted by Christopher Lennertz, a fan of the Chipmunks since childhood.[16] La-La Land Records released a limited edition album on September 19, 2008.

text:
Main Title (1:07)
I'm Late (:40)
Ever? (2:07)
Dave's Theme (:48)
No More Nuts/Storing Food for the Winter (4:43)
Rescue the Gear/Toaster Waffles (1:44)
Leave Me Alone (2:17)
I'll Clean Out My Office (1:35)
Are You Awake? (1:13)
Christmas Morning (4:09)
Live with Uncle Ian (2:36)
Dinner! (2:07)
Dave Remembers/Missing the Boys (1:08)
Get Them! (1:03)
Dave's Phone Call (1:06)
Theodore's Nightmare (1:05)
I Want to Go Home (1:28)
Alvin!!!/You'll Never Take Us Alive (4:09)

tag: ol

text: Marketing[edit]

text: Video game[edit]

text: The video game for this film was released December 4, 2007 for the Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, and the PC, just ten days before the film was released. It was written and produced by DeeTown Entertainment.

text: Sequels[edit]

text: A sequel, titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, was released on December 23, 2009. Zachary Levi joined the cast to replace Jason Lee due to his small role and because of his role on My Name Is Earl; the main cast members reprised their roles for the sequel and the film also re-introduced the Chipettes. A third film, titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, was released on December 16, 2011. A fourth film, titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, was released on December 18, 2015.


document_title: Biathlon

question_text: what kind of gun do they use for the biathlon

text: Biathlon

text: History[edit]

text: According to Encyclopædia Britannica, the biathlon "is rooted in the skiing traditions of Scandinavia, where early inhabitants revered the Norse god Ullr as both the ski god and the hunting god". In modern times, the activity that developed into this sport was an exercise for Norwegian people that was an alternative training for the military. Norwegian skiing regiments organized military skiing contests in the 18th century, divided in four classes: shooting at mark while skiing at top speed, downhill race among trees, downhill race on big hills without falling, and a long race on flat ground while carrying rifle and military pack. In modern terminology these military contests included downhill, slalom, biathlon, and cross-country skiing.[1] One of the world's first known ski clubs, the Trysil Rifle and Ski Club, was formed in Norway in 1861 to promote national defense at the local level. 20th century variants include Forsvarsrennet (the military contest) – a 17 km cross-country race with shooting, and the military cross-country race at 30 km including marksmanship. The modern biathlon is a civilian variant of the old military combined exercise.[2] In Norway, the biathlon was until 1984 a branch of Det frivillige Skyttervesen, an organization set up by the government to promote civilian marksmanship in support of national defense. In Norwegian, the biathlon is called skiskyting (literally ski shooting).[3] In Norway there are still separate contests in skifeltskyting, a cross-country race at 12 km with large-caliber rifle shooting at various targets with unknown range.[4]

text: Called military patrol, the combination of skiing and shooting was contested at the Winter Olympic Games in 1924, and then demonstrated in 1928, 1936, and 1948, but did not regain Olympic recognition then because the small number of competing countries disagreed on the rules. During the mid-1950s, however, the biathlon was introduced into the Soviet and Swedish winter sport circuits and was widely enjoyed by the public. This newfound popularity aided the effort of having the biathlon gain entry into the Winter Olympics.

text: The first Biathlon World Championship was held in 1958 in Austria, and in 1960 the sport was finally included in the Olympic Games.[3] At Albertville in 1992, women were first allowed in the Olympic biathlon.

text: The competitions from 1958 to 1965 used high-power centerfire cartridges, such as the .30-06 Springfield and the 7.62×51mm NATO, before the .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge was standardized in 1978. The ammunition was carried in a belt worn around the competitor's waist. The sole event was the men's 20 kilometres (12 mi) individual, encompassing four separate ranges and firing distances of 100 metres (330 ft), 150 metres (490 ft), 200 metres (660 ft), and 250 metres (820 ft). The target distance was reduced to 150 metres (490 ft) with the addition of the relay in 1966. The shooting range was further reduced to 50 metres (160 ft) in 1978 with the mechanical targets making their debut at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.[5]

text: Governing body[edit]

text: In 1948, the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne et Biathlon (UIPMB) was founded, to standardise the rules for the biathlon and the modern pentathlon. In 1993, the biathlon branch of the UIPMB created the International Biathlon Union (IBU), which officially separated from the UIPMB in 1998.

text: Presidents of the UIPMB/IBU:

text:
1947–1949: Tom Wiborn (Sweden)
1949–1960: Gustaf Dyrssen (Sweden)
1960–1988: Sven Thofelt, (Sweden)
1988–1992: Igor Novikov (USSR/Russia)
Since 1992: Anders Besseberg (Norway)

text: Championships[edit]

text: The following articles list major international biathlon events and medalists. Contrary to the Olympics and World Championships (BWCH), the World Cup (BWC) is an entire winter season of (mostly) weekly races, where the medalists are those with the highest sums of World Cup points at the end of the season.

text:
Biathlon at the Winter Olympics
Biathlon World Championships
Biathlon World Cup
Biathlon Junior World Championships

text: Rules and equipment[edit]

text: The complete rules of the biathlon are given in the official IBU rule books.[6]

text: Basic concepts[edit]

text: A biathlon competition consists of a race in which contestants ski through a cross-country trail system whose total distance is divided into either two or four shooting rounds, half in prone position, the other half standing. Depending on the shooting performance, extra distance or time is added to the contestant's total skiing distance/time. The contestant with the shortest total time wins.

text: For each shooting round, the biathlete must hit five targets or receive a penalty for each missed target, which varies according to the competition rules, as follows:[6]

text:
Skiing around a 150-metre (490 ft) penalty loop—typically taking 20–30 seconds for elite biathletes to complete, depending on weather and snow conditions.
Adding one minute to the skier's total time.
Use of an extra cartridge (placed at the shooting range) to hit the target; only three such extras are available for each round, and a penalty loop must be done for each target left standing.

text: In order to keep track of the contestants' progress and relative standing throughout a race, split times (intermediate times) are taken at several points along the skiing track and upon finishing each shooting round. The large display screens commonly set up at biathlon arenas, as well as the information graphics shown as part of the TV picture, will typically list the split time of the fastest contestant at each intermediate point and the times and time differences to the closest runners-up.

text: Skiing details[edit]

text: In the Olympics, all cross-country skiing techniques are permitted in the biathlon, allows the use of skate skiing,[7] which is overwhelmingly the choice of competitors. The minimum ski length is the height of the skier minus 4 centimetres (1.6 in). The rifle has to be carried by the skier during the race at all times.

text: Shooting details[edit]

text: The biathlete carries a small-bore rifle, which weighs at least 3.5 kilograms (7.7 lb), excluding ammunition and magazines. The rifles use .22 LR ammunition and are bolt action or Fortner (straight-pull bolt) action. The rifle must weight more than 3.5 kilograms. Each rifle holds 4 magazines with 5 rounds each. Addtional rounds can be kept on the stock of the rifle for a relay race.

text: The target range shooting distance is 50 metres (160 ft). There are five circular targets to be hit in each shooting round. When shooting in the prone position, the target diameter is 45 millimetres (1.8 in); when shooting in the standing position, the target diameter is 115 millimetres (4.5 in). On all modern biathlon ranges, the targets are self-indicating, in that they flip from black to white when hit, giving the biathlete, as well as the spectators, instant visual feedback for each shot fired.

text: Competition format[edit]

text: Individual[edit]

text: The 20 kilometres (12 mi) individual race (15 kilometres (9.3 mi) for women) is the oldest biathlon event; the distance is skied over five laps. The biathlete shoots four times at any shooting lane,[8] in the order of prone, standing, prone, standing, totaling 20 targets. For each missed target a fixed penalty time, usually one minute, is added to the skiing time of the biathlete. Competitors' starts are staggered, normally by 30 seconds.

text: Sprint[edit]

text: The sprint is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) for men and 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) for women; the distance is skied over three laps. The biathlete shoots twice at any shooting lane, once prone and once standing, for a total of 10 shots. For each miss, a penalty loop of 150 metres (490 ft) must be skied before the race can be continued. As in the individual competition, the biathletes start in intervals.

text: Pursuit[edit]

text: In a pursuit, biathletes' starts are separated by their time differences from a previous race,[9] most commonly a sprint. The contestant crossing the finish line first is the winner. The distance is 12.5 kilometres (7.8 mi) for men and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) for women, skied over five laps; there are four shooting bouts (two prone, two standing, in that order), and each miss means a penalty loop of 150 metres (490 ft). To prevent awkward or dangerous crowding of the skiing loops, and overcapacity at the shooting range, World Cup Pursuits are held with only the 60 top ranking biathletes after the preceding race. The biathletes shoot on a first-come, first-served basis at the lane corresponding to the position they arrived for all shooting bouts.

text: Mass start[edit]

text: In the mass start, all biathletes start at the same time and the first across the finish line wins. In this 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) for men or 12.5 kilometres (7.8 mi) for women competition, the distance is skied over five laps; there are four bouts of shooting (two prone, two standing, in that order) with the first shooting bout being at the lane corresponding to the competitor's bib number (Bib #10 shoots at lane #10 regardless of position in race), with the rest of the shooting bouts being on a first-come, first-served basis (If a competitor arrives at the lane in fifth place, they shoot at lane 5). As in sprint and pursuit, competitors must ski one 150 metres (490 ft) penalty loop for each miss. Here again, to avoid unwanted congestion, World Cup Mass starts are held with only the 30 top ranking athletes on the start line (half that of the Pursuit as here all contestants start simultaneously).

text: Relay[edit]

text: The relay teams consist of four biathletes, who each ski 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) (men) or 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) (women), each leg skied over three laps, with two shooting rounds; one prone, one standing. For every round of five targets there are eight bullets available, though the last three can only be single-loaded manually one at a time from spare round holders or bullets deposited by the competitor into trays or onto the mat at the firing line. If after eight bullets there are still misses, one 150 m (490 ft) penalty loop must be taken for each missed target remaining. The first-leg participants start all at the same time, and as in cross-country skiing relays, every athlete of a team must touch the team's next-leg participant to perform a valid changeover. On the first shooting stage of the first leg, the participant must shoot in the lane corresponding to their bib number (Bib #10 shoots at lane #10 regardless of position in race), then for the remainder of the relay, the relay team shoots on a first-come, first-served basis (arrive at the range in fifth place, shoot at lane 5).

text: Mixed relay[edit]

text: The most recent addition to the number of biathlon competition variants, the mixed relay is similar to the ordinary relay but the teams are composed of two women and two men. Legs 1 and 2 are done by the women, legs 3 and 4 by the men. The women's legs are 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) and men's legs are 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) as in ordinary relay competitions.

text: In 2014, single mixed relay was introduced by the IBU. Each team has a man and a woman, and each runs two 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) legs, except the last leg where the man completes 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) for a total 13.5 kilometres (8.4 mi).

text: This event was first held at the Biathlon World Championships 2005 in Khanty-Mansiysk, and it was added to the 2014 Winter Olympics.

text: Team (obsolete)[edit]

text: A team consists of four biathletes, but unlike the relay competition, all team members start at the same time. Two athletes must shoot in the prone shooting round, the other two in the standing round. In case of a miss, the two non-shooting biathletes must ski a penalty loop of 150 m (490 ft). The skiers must enter the shooting area together, and must also finish within 15 seconds of each other; otherwise a time penalty of one minute is added to the total time. Since 2004, this race format has been obsolete at the World Cup level.

text: Broadcasting[edit]

text: Biathlon events are broadcast most regularly where the sport enjoys its greatest popularity, namely Germany (ARD, ZDF), Austria (ORF), Norway (NRK), France (L'Équipe 21), Finland (YLE), Estonia (ETV), Latvia (LTV), Lithuania (LRT), Croatia (HRT), Poland (Polsat), Sweden (SVT), Russia (Russia-2, Channel One), Belarus (TVR), Slovenia (RTV), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT), Bulgaria (BNT), and South Korea (KBS); it is broadcast on European-wide Eurosport, which also broadcasts to the Asia-Pacific region. World Cup races are streamed (without commentary) via the IBU website.[10]

text: The broadcast distribution being one indicator, the constellation of a sport's main sponsors usually gives a similar, and correlated, indication of popularity: for biathlon, these are the Germany-based companies E.ON Ruhrgas (energy), Krombacher (beer), and Viessmann (boilers and other heating systems).

text: Biathlon records and statistics[edit]

text: The IBU maintains biathlon records, rules, news, videos, and statistics for many years back, all of which are available at its web site.[11]


document_title: Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega

question_text: cast of love ke liye kuch bhi karega

question_tokens: cast of love ke liye kuch bhi karega

text: Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega

text: Plot[edit]

text: A story about a troubled young businessman, Prakash (Saif Ali Khan). He is married to Sapna (Sonali Bendre), who is the daughter of famous rich businessman, Rajiv Chopra (Dalip Tahil). Rajiv Chopra totally hates Prakash, and troubles him all the time. Prakash, who is fed up of being troubled by Chopra, then makes a plan to get Sapna kidnapped to make Rajiv Chopra feel the way he does. He hires two broke strugglers, Rahul (Fardeen Khan) and Harry (Aftab Shivdasani) who are to be fake kidnappers and kidnap Sapna.

text: The plan rides successfully, and Chopra believes every bit of it. Rahul and Harry demand Rs.1 crores as the ransom money, and the fooled Chopra agrees to pay. As the ransom money has been paid, Rahul and Harry set Sapna free and leave her in a forest, which is also part of Prakash's plan. Prakash arrives at the forest to pick up Sapna, however he realizes that she has been kidnapped again but this time by real kidnappers. This crime caper soon turns into one hilarious joy ride!

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Saif Ali Khan as Prakash
Fardeen Khan as  Rahul Kapoor
Aftab Shivdasani as Harry (Harilal)
Sonali Bendre as Sapna
Twinkle Khanna as Anjali
Johnny Lever as Aslam bhai
Dalip Tahil as Rajiv Chopra
Snehal Dabi as Aaj Kapoor
Sharat Saxena as Police Officer
Shrivallabh Vyas as Police Commissioner

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
#
Title
Singer(s)

1

"Aslam Bhai"

Sonu Nigam

2

"Rama Rama"

Sonu Nigam, Asha Bhosle

3

"Love Ke Liye"

Udit Narayan, Sunidhi Chauhan

4

"Dil Mera Dil Hai Akela"

Udit Narayan

5

"Love X Crime"

Sonu Nigam, Fareed Sabri

6

Dhan Dhan

KK

7

Socho Kya Karogi

KK, Asha Bhosle