continent
Let an agent explain continents by convention and geology, handle differing models neutrally, provide basic data and describe supercontinents and continental drift.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Models How many continents.
Count
Counting continents.
Count
Counting continents.
- Which continent model is used in this country or context, and how many does it count? provenance
- Are the differences explained neutrally? boundary
Borders
Boundaries.
Borders
Boundaries.
- Where is the boundary between Europe and Asia, or other continents, according to different conventions? provenance
- Which countries are transcontinental? provenance
Data Facts.
Facts
Area and population.
Facts
Facts.
- What are the area and population of this continent, according to current sources? measurement
- Which countries does it include under the chosen model? provenance
Features
Physical features.
Features
Features.
- What are the major physical features and climates of this continent? provenance
- What are its highest and lowest points? measurement
Geology Continental crust.
Crust
What makes a continent.
Crust
Continental crust.
- What defines a continent geologically, and is Zealandia one? definition
- How does continental crust differ from oceanic crust? definition
Drift
Plate tectonics.
Drift
Plate tectonics.
- How have continents moved over geological time? provenance
- What was Pangaea, and what supercontinent is projected next? provenance
Teach Education.
Classroom
Teaching continents.
Classroom
Teaching.
- How can continents be taught while acknowledging different models? action
- Which maps and resources help? provenance
Statistics
Regional schemes.
Statistics
Regional schemes.
- How do statistical schemes such as the UN geoscheme group countries? provenance
- Do they differ from continent models? boundary
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.PLC
- Other names and narrower kinds
- submerged continent, continental fragment, paleocontinent, supercontinent, future supercontinent
What it is Filled
One of Earth's major land areas identified as a continent by convention, conventionally counted as seven (Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America) though conventions differ by culture and discipline and may distinguish Europe and Asia despite their shared continuous landmass; geologically, continents are areas of continental crust and include submerged and fragmented continents, past supercontinents and projected future ones.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent explain continents by convention and geology, handle differing models neutrally, provide basic data and describe supercontinents and continental drift.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Large landmass
- Conventional and geological definitions
- Continental crust
- Moving over geological time
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Present one continental convention as the only correct one.
- Use continental labels to generalize about the people who live there.
- Misstate which countries a continent or region includes in official output.
Only with a human decision
- Choosing continental groupings for published statistics about countries.
May
- State continent counts and boundaries and name the convention used.
- Describe continental geology and geography from authoritative sources.
Moral aspects Filled
- Continental groupings carry political weight and are used in stereotypes.
- Statistical groupings affect how countries are compared and funded.
Who is affected
- People described by continental labels
- Users of statistics
- Students
Owners Filled
Steward
The public: held in common; statistical and geographic bodies publish the groupings they use.
Master systems
- United Nations geoscheme
- National geographic naming authorities
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q205895 - registry parent class
- Q35145263 - registry parent class
related
- landmass - category
- natural geographic object - category
- shore - edge
- metamorphic rock - continental crust rocks
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.continent
- Wikidata: Q5107 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5107)
Direct properties required Filled
- Surface area: km2 - Calculate area from mapped boundaries while specifying the continental convention and treatment of islands and submerged margins.
- Elevation: m - Measure surface height relative to a stated vertical datum using surveyed or remotely sensed terrain data.
- Continental crust thickness: km - Estimate thickness from geophysical observations and state the sampled location and crustal boundary interpretation.
Recognition required Filled
- Major landmasses
- Conventions vary on Europe and Asia and on the Americas
- Islands and countries are not continents
- Large landmasses visible on globes and maps.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- explain different continent models
- provide area and population data
- explain continental crust and drift
- describe past and future supercontinents
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Presenting one convention as the only correct one
- Confusing countries and continents
- Outdated population data
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- UN geoscheme for statistical regions
- No single official continent list
Context of use required Filled
- Organising world geography and understanding Earth structure.
- the conventional continents
- submerged continents such as Zealandia
- continental fragments
- palaeocontinents and supercontinents
- projected future supercontinents
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q5107: continent - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Continent - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should each continent be a separate entry?
- How should regional schemes be linked?
- How should geological data be linked?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q5107/spec.json