Halflings, "Pherianath" in elvish, are rare east of Bree, but still make up a significant part of Middle Earth. Their origin is unknown, but they seem to be closely related to Humans, and can live slightly longer, about 120 years. They are quite short, even somewhat shorter than dwarves, and beardless. They also do not wear shoes, and have very hairy feet. Their word for themselves is 'hobbit,' but this is not known widely and most peoples know them as halflings. They are generally quite peaceful and make a point of staying out of the affairs of others when possible. They tend to live in burrows in the ground, but not deep delvings such as dwarves use. When they do build above ground, they tend to make the walls bulge outwards, and use round doors and windows, so the building looks like a burrow. They are also known for the cultivation of one plant, known as pipeweed to them, because they put it in pipes and smoke it. This practice is almost unknown elsewhere in Middle Earth. Currently, most halflings are located in the region between the Baranduin and the Tower Hills, which they call "The Shire." They settled in this region some 1400 years ago, with the permission of the Kings of Arnor. A few halflings live in Bree and some other places in the north. They primarily speak Westron and their dialect, called Kuduk.