Category Mountains

Is Meghalaya the wettest place on Earth?

Mawsynram in Meghalaya is the wettest place, based on rainfall in the world. Located in the Khasi Hills, it receives about 11,872mm (nearly 467 inches) of average annual rainfall According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the region received 26,000mm of rainfall in 1985. The mountainous terrain of Mawsynram and the nearby Cherrapunji, the second wettest place, are known for their lush greenery and scenic beauty The “living bridges are one of the most beautiful features of this region. These have been created by the local people by training the roots of rubber trees into natural bridges. With the root systems constantly growing, these bridges are self-sustaining.

Primarily due to the high altitude, it seldom gets truly hot in Mawsynram. Average monthly temperatures range from around 11 °C in January to just above 20 °C in August. The village also experiences a brief but noticeably drier season from December until February, when monthly precipitation on average does not exceed 30 millimetres (1.2 in). The little precipitation during the village’s “low sun” season is something that is shared by many areas with this type of climate.

Three reasons can be cited for high rainfall at Mawsynram:

The warm moist winds of the northward-moving air from the Bay of Bengal during the monsoon, which cover an extensive area but are forced to converge into the narrower zone over the Khasi Hills, thus concentrating their moisture.
The alignment of the Khasi Hills (east to west) places them directly in the path of the airflow from the Bay of Bengal, producing a significant uplift (plus cooling, further condensation and thus more rain).
Finally, uplift over the Khasi Hills is virtually continuous in the monsoon period because the lifted air is constantly being pulled up by vigorous winds in the upper atmosphere; hence, the rainfall is more or less continuous.

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Which is the highest mountain in the world?

Mount Everest, located in the Himalayas, is the highest mountain above sea level. The China-Nepal border is across its summit point. In 2020, the Chinese and Nepali authorities marked its elevation as 8,848.86 m. Mount Everest is highly revered by local people like most other mountains in the range and is known as Chomolungma in Tibetan. It means Goddess Mother of the World or Goddess of the Valley. It was identified as the highest point on the Earth’s surface in 1852, when the governmental Survey of India established this fact. It was previously named Peak XV but was renamed in 1865 to honour Sir George Everest, the British surveyor general of India from 1830 to 1843.

British mountaineers made the first recorded efforts to reach Everest’s summit. Nepal did not allow foreigners to enter the country at that time, so the British made several attempts from the Tibetan side. The first expedition by the British in 1921 reached 7,000 metres on the North Col, a pass connecting Mount Everest and Changste, a mountain in Tibet. Another expedition in 1922 reached up to 8,320 metres, making it the first instance of a human being’s climb above 8,000 metres. Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain on May 28, 1953 at 11:30 am local time.

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Why is Andes called the longest mountain range?

The Andes mountain range extends from north to south through seven South American countries and is 8900 kilometres long and about 200 to 700 kilometres wide. It is spread across Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina with an average height of 4000 metres. In fact, the Andes range has some of the tallest peaks in the world. The only mountains that are taller than the Andes are the Himalayan Mountains and their adjacent ranges like the Hindu Kush. The highest elevation in the Andes range is for Mount Aconcagua in Argentina. It is 6,962 metres above sea level. The average elevation along the range is about 3,962 metres.

The world’s highest volcano, Ojos del Salado, when measured above sea level, is part of the Andes. It is located on the Chile-Argentina border. This vast mountain range is also home to a number of cities including Huaraz and Cuzco in Peru; Quito in Ecuador; La Paz of Bolivia; Bogota and Medellin in Colombia; and Pucon and Puerto Natales in Chile.

Animals in the Andes have to be very rugged and agile. They have to keep themselves warm in order to survive the harsh climate of the region. Chinchillas are one of the popular animals of this region. Their fur gets thicker in the higher altitudes as it gets colder and their ability to jump and climb serves as a protection from predators. Llamas, alpacas and the Andean condor, which is the largest vulture in South America, are some other wild animals to be found here. The Andes is also home to a wide variety of plant population; it nurtures about 30,000 species of plants.

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Have you heard about Mount Kalam?

There is a story behind this mountain which is named after Kalam.

In October 2015, two adventure enthusiasts Arjun Vajpai and Bhupesh Kumar climbed a peak in the Himalayas which was 6180 m above sea level. No one had explored this peak till then. It overlooked the Spiti Valley.

They hoisted the Indian flag there, celebrating their joy. They named it Mount Kalam to inspire young mountaineers.

The climb is dangerous as snow covers the deep crevasses that are hidden beneath. We get a terrific view of the Himalayan landscape from the altitude of 19,000 feet.

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WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE ALPS GLACIERS?

The Alps glaciers in Switzerland are on track for their highest mass losses in at least 60 years of record keeping, data shared exclusively with Reuters shows. By looking at the difference in how much snow fell in winter, and how much ice melts in the summer, scientists can measure how much a glacier has shrunk in any given year. Since last winter, which brought relatively little snowfall, the Alps have sweltered through two big early summer heatwaves.

During this heatwave, the elevation at which water froze was measured at a record high of 17,000 feet – at an altitude higher than Mont Blanc’s compared with the normal summer level of between 9,800-11,500 feet.

“It’s really obvious that this is an extreme season,” Swiss glaciologist Andreas Linsbauer said, shouting over the roar of rushing meltwater as he checked the height of a measuring pole jutting out of the ice on the massive Morteratsch Glacier in Switzerland. The measuring poles he uses to track changes in the depth of the pack are at risk of dislodging entirely as the ice melts away and he needs to drill new holes.

Vanishing glaciers are already endangering lives and livelihoods. Further, Swiss residents worry that the glacier losses will hurt their economy. Some area ski resorts of the Alps, which rely on these glaciers, now cover them with white sheets to reflect sunlight and reduce melting.

Mountain meltdown

Most of the world’s mountain glaciers-remnants of the last ice age-are retreating due to climate change. But those in the European Alps are especially vulnerable because they are smaller with relatively little ice cover. Meanwhile, temperatures in the Alps are warming at around 0.3C per decade-around twice as fast as the global average

If greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, the Alps glaciers are expected to lose more than 80% of their current mass by 2100. Many will disappear regardless of whatever emissions action is taken now, thanks to global warming baked in by past emissions, according to a 2019 report by the UN Intergovemmental Panel on Climate Change

The dire situation this year raises concern that the Alps glaciers might vanish sooner than expected. With more years like 2022, that could happen, said Matthias Huss who leads Glacier Monitoring Switzerland (GLAMOS). “We are seeing model results expected a few decades in the future are happening now.” Huss said. “I not expect to see such an extreme year so early in the century.”

ALPS FACTS

• Located within the continent of Europe, the Alps mountain range is more than 1,000 km long.

• Though it spans several countries from France to Albania, it is Switzerland and Austria that are considered to be the Alpine heartland.

• The Alps is crucial for the livelihood of Europe as it provides water for drinking, irrigation, and hydroelectric power.

• Given its vastness and varied mountain elevation, the Alps has a huge impact on the weather patterns and the natural environment of the continent. In short, when the Alps is affected, it will have a bearing on several parts of the continent.

Himalayan thaw

Himalayan glaciers are also on track for a record ice loss year. When the summer monsoon season arrived in the Kashmir region, for example, many glaciers had already shrunk drastically, with their Snowlines starting high up the mountain, after a March-May heatwave marked by temperatures above 48C in northern India. An early June expedition in India’s Himachal Pradesh found that the Chhota Shigri Glacier had lost much of its snow cover. “The highest temperature in over a century in March through May clearly had its impacts,” said glaciologist Mohd Farooq Azam at the Indian Institute of Technology Indore.

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WHAT IS THE TUNDRA?

The tundra refers to a vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen. Tundra ecosystems are also found on the mountaintops here, where the climate is cold and windy, and rainfall is scant. These lands are covered with snow for much of the year, which melts during the summer. Yet it hosts a few species of wildlife acclimatised to harsh conditions. As the tundra faces the threat of global warming, so do its inhabitants.

Plants and Animals in Tundras:

Mountain goats, sheep, marmots, and birds live in mountain—or alpine—tundra and feed on the low-lying plants and insects. Hardy flora like cushion plants survive in the mountain zones by growing in rock depressions, where it is warmer and they are sheltered from the wind.

The Arctic tundra, where the average temperature is -34 to -6 degrees Celsius (-30 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit), supports a variety of animal species, including Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus), polar bears (Ursus maritimus), gray wolves (Canis lupus), caribou (Rangifer tarandus), snow geese (Anser caerulescens), and musk oxen (Ovibos moschatus). The summer growing season is just 50 to 60 days, when the sun shines up to 24 hours a day.

The relatively few species of plants and animals that live in the harsh conditions of the tundra are essentially clinging to life. They are highly vulnerable to environmental stresses like reduced snow cover and warmer temperatures brought on by global warming.

Climate Change Impact on Tundras

The Arctic tundra is changing dramatically due to global warming, a term that falls within a wider range of trends scientists now prefer to call climate change. The impacts in this region are broad and somewhat unpredictable. Animals that are typically found farther south, like the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), are moving north onto the tundra. This means the red fox is now competing with the Arctic fox for food and territory, and the long-term impact on the sensitive Arctic fox is unknown.

Other tundra denizens, such as the wolf spider (Lycosidae spp.), are growing bigger and thriving. Shrubs are getting taller, contributing to declines in the sensitive groups of lichen that caribou and other species depend on for food. Lakes and ponds are evaporating or draining away.

Ctedit : National geographic society 

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How are mountains created?

Most of the world’s greatest mountain ranges the Himalayas, the Andes, the Rockies, the Caucasus and the Alps were created as Earth’s tectonic plates collided. As the huge tectonic masses crashed into each other, they forced the layers of rock to fold. This is why these mountains form long, narrow ranges along the edges of continents. Mountains are also created as powerful earthquakes move Earth’s crust and lift up huge blocks of rock. Volcanic eruptions can also create mountains.

Mountains are formed by movement within the Earth’s crust. The crust itself is made up of several large plates, called tectonic plates, which are free floating. These huge chunks of the Earth’s crust move within molten rock called magma, which allows them to shift and collide over time. Even though humans live on the crust, they do not often feel these movements as they are very slow, and the sheer size of each plate is so large. Nevertheless, these shifts still have great impacts on human life as the movement of plates is what creates changes in the geographical structure of the surface of the earth. In this way, mountains are created over time. When these plates collide, there is a great deal of mass and pressure which suddenly comes to a stop, and it is this movement that forces the Earth into buckles or protrusions which are known as mountains. Depending on how these plates move or collide, one of three types of mountains can be formed. The three types of mountains or mountain ranges are: volcanic, fold, and Block Mountains, each of which is formed in a different way.

Volcanic Mountains:

Volcanic mountains are formed when a tectonic plate is pushed beneath another (or above a mid-ocean ridge or hotspot) where magma is forced to the surface. When the magma reaches the surface, it often builds a volcanic mountain, such as s shield volcano or a strato-volcano.

Fold Mountains:

As the name suggests, Fold Mountains occur when two tectonic plates collide at a convergent plate boundary, causing the crust to over thicken. This process forces the less dense crust to float on top of the denser mantle rocks – with material being forced upwards to form hills, plateaus or mountains – while a greater volume of material is forced downward into the mantle.

Block Mountains:

Block Mountains are caused by faults in the crust, a seam where rocks can move past each other. Also known as rifting, this process occurs when rocks on one side of a fault rise relative to the other. The uplifted blocks become Block Mountains (also known as horsts) while the intervening dropped blocks are known as graben (i.e. depressed regions).

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NAME EUROPE’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN?

Mont Blanc, Italian Monte Bianco, mountain massif and highest peak (15,771 feet [4,807 metres]) in Europe. Located in the Alps, the massif lies along the French-Italian border and reaches into Switzerland. It extends southwestward from Martigny, Switzerland, for about 25 miles (40 km) and has a maximum width of 10 miles (16 km). The summit is in French territory. Surrounding the massif are the Graian Alps (south), the Chamonix Valley and Savoy Alps (west), the Pennine Alps (northeast), and the Valley of Courmayeur (east). Other principal peaks within the massif include Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Maudit, Aiguille (“Peak”) du Géant, Les Grandes Jorasses, Mont Dolent, and Aiguille du Midi.

Glaciers cover approximately 40 square miles (100 square km) of Mont Blanc (whence its name, meaning “white mountain”). Ice streams stretch from the central ice dome down to below 4,900 feet (1,490 metres). The Mer de Glace, the second longest glacier in the Alps, reached the elevation of 4,100 feet (1,250 metres) in 1930. At the beginning of the 17th century, glaciers advanced to the bottom of the Chamonix Valley, destroying or burying cultivated land and dwellings. Since that time, the glaciers have periodically advanced and retreated.

 

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WHICH Is JAPAN’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN?

Japan’s highest mountain, peaking at 3776 m, is Mount Fuji, an active volcano that sits on a triple junction of tectonic activity. Interestingly, it is made up of three different volcanoes. At the base is Komitake, in the middle, Kofuji, and at the top is Mount Fuji. The volcano last erupted in December, 1707.

Mount Fuji is a symbol of Japan. The mountain contributes to Japan’s physical, cultural, and spiritual geography.

Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan, standing at 3,776 meters (12,380 feet). It is an active volcano, sitting on a “triple junction” of tectonic activity: the Amurian plate (associated with the Eurasian tectonic plate), the Okhotsk plate (associated with the North American plate) and the Filipino plate all converge in the region beneath Mount Fuji. It is only 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Tokyo, Japan’s capital and largest city. In fact, the last time Mount Fuji erupted, in 1707, volcanic ash fell on Tokyo.

Mount Fuji is the single most popular tourist site in Japan, for both Japanese and foreign tourists. More than 200,000 people climb to the summit every year, mostly during the warmer summer months. “Huts” on the route up the mountains cater to climbers, providing refreshments, basic medical supplies, and room to rest. Many people start climbing Mount Fuji at night, as better to experience sunrise from the summit—Japan, after all, is nicknamed “the Land of the Rising Sun.” The sunrise from Mount Fuji has a special name, Goraiko.

Mount Fuji has been a sacred site for practicers of Shinto since at least the 7th century. Shinto is the indigenous faith or spirituality of Japan, many Shinto shrines dot the base and ascent of Mount Fuji. Shinto shrines honor kami, the supernatural deities of the Shinto faith. The kami of Mount Fuji is Princess Konohanasakuya, whose symbol is the cherry blossom. Konohanasakuya has an entire series of shrines, called Segen shrines. The main Segen shrines are at the base and summit of Mount Fuji, but there are more than 1,000 across all of Japan.

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WHY ARE SOME MOUNTAINS SNOW-CAPPED?

As altitude increases, the air gets colder. There comes a certain height, called the snow line, above which it is always too cold for the snow to melt, which is why some mountaintops are snow-capped all year round. The snowline is at 5000m in the tropics, 2700 m in the Alps and at sea level at the poles.

The top of the mountain is actually its coldest spot. As you climb a mountain to a higher altitude (height), the atmosphere gets thinner and thinner. This is because air pressure decreases with altitude.

Even though warm air rises, as it does so the rising air expands and cools. When it expands and cools, it can’t absorb and retain heat the way it does at the bottom of the mountain.

Although mountaintops are closer to the Sun, they’re also farther away from the thermal heat of the Earth’s core that keeps the ground warm. So the top of the mountain can be much colder than the bottom.

In fact, the bottom of a mountain can be located in a tropical jungle while the top of the mountain has snow on it! That’s why it’s possible to have snow at the equator.

Cooler temperatures at the top of a mountain also mean that there’s less evaporation taking place. This leads to greater amounts of moisture in the air. More moisture means more rain and, at the very top of a mountain, more snow.

Not all mountains have snowcaps, and not all mountains that get snow have snowcaps all year. A lot depends upon their location and how tall they are. Mountains lower in altitude are less likely to have snowcaps or to have them all year long.

Many mountains, though, have snowcaps year-round. Above a certain point — called the snow line — it stays cold enough that the snow never melts.

The height of the snow line varies around the globe. It depends upon both altitude (height of the mountain) and latitude (where the mountain is located). The snow line is much higher near the equator (about 15,000 feet), for example, than it is near the poles (sea level or 0 feet in altitude).

The snow line can be affected by other factors, too. For example, in the Andes Mountains of South America, it is so dry that the mountains rarely see snow, despite their height and distance from the equator. Monte Pissis in Argentina is the tallest mountain in the world without a permanent snowcap.

Mountains that are near coastlines may have a lower snow line than other areas with the same altitude and latitude. As you get closer to a coastline, the amount of moisture in the air tends to produce more snowfall at higher altitudes.

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WHAT IS A SYNCLINE AND AN ANTICLINE?

It is important to note that syncline and anticline do not necessarily relate to the shape or orientation of folded layers, although the origin of the words implies this. The term originates from the Greek word sun (xun), meaning together, and the Greek word klei, meaning to lean, so syncline implies leaning together or leaning towards. Ant is the Greek prefix meaning opposite or opposing, so the word anticline implies oppositely leaning. Beds dip towards the fold axis in a syncline and away from the fold axis in an anticline only when the folded layers were upright before folding (i.e., where younger layers overlaid older layers). Before describing folds, it is therefore necessary to establish the primary order in which layers were deposited. To do this, facing, younging, or way-up criteria are used. These are synonymous terms for primary sedimentary structures (e.g., graded or cross-bedding) or igneous structures (e.g., vesicles, pillows) preserved in the folded layers. Where the relative ages of rocks are not known (as is often the case in metamorphic rocks), the term synform and not syncline should be used to describe folds where layers are bent downwards so that they dip towards the fold axis, and antiform and not anticline should be used where beds are arched upwards so that layers dip away from the fold axis.

Where rock layers have been inverted prior to folding, such as by folding about a larger fold with a shallowly inclined axial surface, the oldest rocks now occur in the core of folds where layers dip towards the fold axis. Such folds are called synformal anticlines; synformal because of their shape and anticline because of the relative ages of folded layers. The youngest layers in an overturned sequence occur in the core of folds called antiformal synclines where layers dip away from the fold axis.

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WHICH IS THE WORLD’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN?

Mount Everest in the Himalayas in Asia, with its peak at 8848 m above sea level. Mount Everest, China-Nepal border Syncline Anticline.

If you ask almost anyone to name the highest mountain in the world, their answer will probably be “Mount Everest.” Mount Everest, located on the border between China and Nepal, has an altitude of 8,848.86 meters (29,031.69 feet) – making it the highest mountain in the world. The altitude of 8,848.86 meters is officially recognized by China and Nepal. Both countries agreed to use the elevation of the mountain’s snow cap, rather than a bedrock elevation of 8,844 meters.

Mount Everest is called the world’s highest mountain because it has the “highest elevation above sea level.” We could also say that it has the “highest altitude.”

The peak of Mount Everest is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.69 feet) above sea level. No other mountain on Earth has a higher altitude. However, some mountains might be considered “taller” (with taller being “the total vertical distance between their base and their summit”)

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WHY IS IT COLDER IN THE MOUNTAINS?

As air expands, it becomes cooler. Air in the mountains, where the altitude (height above sea level) is higher, is under less pressure than air at lower altitudes because it is not being so compressed by the air above it. As a result, it expands and makes mountainous areas cold.

When air expands, it has to push the surrounding air out of its way, which means that it expends part of its energy to do the pushing. As a result, the expanding air cools. When air contracts, it gets pushed into a smaller space by the air around it, which means that energy is put into it, which heats it up. Eventually, the expanding or contracting air will reach the same temperature and pressure as the air surrounding it, and the heating and cooling will stop. Air at higher altitude is under less pressure than air at lower altitude because there is less weight of air above it, so it expands (and cools), while air at lower altitude is under more pressure so it contracts (and heats up).

Air in our atmosphere moves up and down as part of the weather: the sun heats up the ground (which absorbs more light than air and is thus warmer than the air), and the air in contact with the ground heats up, and expands (and then cools). Elsewhere, cooler higher-altitude air sinks, is compressed as it descends, and gets heated as this occurs. This process is called “convection”, and it is responsible for nearly all of our weather.

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Why is Himalayas such an important mountain range of Asia?

Covering an area of nearly six lakh sq.km., and spanning many regions, including India. Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, the Himalayas is one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world. Home to the world’s highest peak Mount Everest, it hosts several other high peaks too. Due to the different altitudes and climatic conditions within the vast expanse of the region, the vegetation is varied too. It spans everything from deciduous forests and alpine forests to meadows and scrubland. Many rivers and glaciers in the Himalayas too have a major influence in the shaping of the landscape.

Wildlife

The diversity in the flora of the Himalayas also means it nurtures a wide variety of birds, animals, reptiles, and amphibians. Red panda, snow leopard, clouded leopard, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan marmot, Himalayan yak, and langur, are among the animals that can be spotted in the region. Birds that can be found here include bulbuls, barbets, finches, kingfishers, flycatchers, buntings, cuckoos, thrushes, owls, pigeons, flowerpeckers, quails, woodpeckers, warblers, tits, larks and eagles. The Himalayan monal is one of the most colourful birds of the region.

Lifeline

The Himalayas has been closely tied to the lives of people in Asia, and the mountain range is revered in several cultures. It is home to millions of people, and supports the livelihood of many more. Due to the altitude and location, the region plays an important role in the climate of many countries, including India. Several important rivers such as the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra originate in the Himalayas. Melting snow, glaciers, and rainfall feed many of these perennial rivers, taking care of the water needs of millions of people across many countries. These rivers leave their nutrient-rich deposits as they flow, giving rise to fertile soil – just perfect for cultivation – across many regions. The forests of the mountain range not just host many types of wildlife but also ably support the growth of medicinal plants and timber, offer grazing grounds for cattle, in addition to several forest produce. The Himalayas is also an important place for tourists and pilgrims.

Threats

Climate change: Even though some of the areas in the Himalayas are remote, they are being affected by climate change too. Cold temperatures in most regions in the range have warmed up faster than in many parts of the world. As a result, glaciers and permafrost are melting faster. Even weather patterns have fluctuated wildly, triggering more natural disasters. This could mean dry spells, especially when farmers need water or unprecedented floods. These events affect landscapes, livelihoods, and lives too.

Human presence: While mountaineering can boost tourism in any country, it can bring with it several disadvantages too. Mount Everest in Nepal is a classic example of this. Already hit by climate change the peak is packed with mountaineers during the climbing season. Which means there’s mounds of rubbish and garbage strewn around the place. Oxygen cylinders, cans, tom tents and ropes, and human waste make a bulk of the rubbish. Sadly, due to the expenses that could be incurred, sometimes the bodies of some dead climbers are left behind too. While there have been many calls to control the number of people climbing it and what they leave behind a lasting and concrete solution to the problem has remained elusive.

Territorial disputes: Since the mountain range spans many countries, “territorial disputes” can affect ongoing projects that study the region. Among these are international collaborations on research related to climate change in the mountain range. Diplomacy issues can last for a short period or extend into years, and both do affect precious work taken up to analyse the region.

 

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