Q: The population of Western Asia was estimated at 272 million as of 2008, projected to reach 370 million by 2030 by Maddison . This corresponds to an annual growth rate of 1.4% , well above the world average of 0.9% .The population of Western Asia is estimated at about 4% of world population, up from about 39 million at the beginning of the 20th century, or about 2% of world population at the time. The most populous countries in the region are Turkey and Iran and, each with around 79 million people, followed by Iraq and Saudi Arabia with around 33 million people each. Numerically, Western Asia is predominantly Arab, Persian, Turkish, and the dominating languages are correspondingly Arabic, Persian and Turkish, each with of the order of 70 million speakers, followed by smaller communities of Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Hebrew, Armenian and Eastern Aramaic. The dominance of Arabic and Turkish is the result of the medieval Arab and Turkic invasions beginning with the Islamic conquests of the 7th century AD, which displaced the formerly dominant Aramaic and Hebrew in the Levant, and Greek in Anatolia, although Hebrew is once again the dominant language in Israel, and Aramaic  and Greek both remain present in their respective territories as minority languages. Other significant native minorities include Assyrians, Druze, Jews, Mandeans, Maronites, Shabaks, Syriac Arameans, Lurs and Yezidis.
What are thought to be the second most populated counties in Western Asia?

A: Iraq and Saudi Arabia


Q: Van Coehoorn was born in March 1641, one of six sons of Goosewijn van Coehoorn and Aaltje van Hinckena on the Lettinga State in the village of Britsum near Leeuwarden in the Dutch province of Friesland. His father was an officer of German descent in a Friesland regiment of the Dutch States Army and a member of the petty nobility. Menno was educated at home with his brothers, then later at the University of Franeker by his uncle Bernardus Fullenius, where he showed a talent for mathematics and military drawing. In 1657, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in his father's company, which formed part of the permanent garrison in Maastricht. In 1678, Van Coehoorn married Magdalena van Scheltinga; they had four surviving children, Goosewijn , Gertruda , Hendrik  and Amalia . Magdalena died in 1683 and he later married Truytje van Wigara . He died on 17 March 1704.
How many years after Van Coehoorn married Magdalena van Scheltinga did she die?

A: 5


Q: On 21 September, 2015, Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, as well as Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and  Marites Flor; a Filipino woman, were abducted on Samai island near Davao. Ridsdel was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf on 25 April 2016 following a ransom deadline. ASG reportedly demanded more than $8.1 million for Ridsdel and the others. On 3 May, 2016, a video of the Ridsdel execution was released, along with new demands for the remaining hostages. A masked captor said, "Note to the Philippine government and to the Canadian government: The lesson is clear. John Ridsdel has been beheaded. Now there are three remaining captives here. If you procrastinate once again the negotiations, we will behead this all anytime". On 15 May, Hall  appeared in a new video, announcing that he and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad would be decapitated at 3pm on Monday 13 June absent a ransom of $16 million. Both hostages wore orange coveralls, similar to hostages in videos produced by ISIL, to which Abu Sayyaf had previously pledged allegiance. The deadline passed. Hall was beheaded. On 24 June, Abu Sayyaf released Filipina Marites Flor. She was subsequently flown to Davao to meet President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte said he directed negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf. He did not elaborate. On 17 September, 2016, remaining hostage Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad was released on Jolo island. Abu Ramie, an ASG spokesman, claimed $638,000 was paid as ransom.
How much was the ransom?

A: 16 million


Q: In 2010 Turkey had a crude birth rate of 17.2 per 1000, in 2011 16.7, down from 20.3 in 2001. The total fertility rate (TFR) in 2010 was 2.05 children per woman, in 2011 2.02. The crude birth rate in 2010 ranged from 11.5 in Marmara Region (TFR 1.52) (11,5;1.55 in 2011), similar to Bulgaria, to 27.9 in Southeastern Anatolia Region (TFR 3.53) (27.1;3,42 in 2011), similar to Syria. Similarly, in 2012, the TFR ranged from 1.43 in Kırklareli, to 4.39 in Şanlıurfa. Deaths statistics from MERNIS are available as of 2009. Mortality data prior to 2009 are incomplete.
How many more crude births per 1000 were there in Turkey in 2010 compared to 2011?

A:
0.5