Class BorderEvolution

java.lang.Object

org.episteme.social.history.BorderEvolution

public final class BorderEvolution
extends Object

Models and visualizes the evolution of political borders over historical time. Provides tools for spatial-temporal queries regarding sovereignty and territorial changes.

Nested Class Summary

Nested Classes

Modifier and Type	Class	Description
static final record	BorderEvolution.BorderChange	Represents a specific event that changed territorial boundaries.
static enum	BorderEvolution.ChangeType	Types of events that cause border modifications.
static final record	BorderEvolution.Territory	Represents a defined geographical territory under specific sovereignty.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
static void	addBorderChange(BorderEvolution.BorderChange change)	Registers a border change in the global historical database.
static void	addTerritory(BorderEvolution.Territory territory)	Registers a territory in the global historical database.
static double	calculateTerritorialExtent(String entityName, TimeCoordinate date)	Calculates the total territorial extent (approx. area in km²) of an entity at a given date.
static String	generateTimeline(int startYear, int endYear)	Generates a human-readable timeline of border changes within a year range.
static List<BorderEvolution.BorderChange>	getChangesForEntity(String entityName)	Retrieves all recorded border changes affecting a specific political entity.
static Optional<String>	getSovereignAt(double latitude, double longitude, TimeCoordinate date)	Determines which sovereign entity controlled a specific location at a given date.
static List<BorderEvolution.Territory>	getTerritoriesAtDate(TimeCoordinate date)	Retrieves all territories that were active at a specific historical date.
static void	loadSampleData()	Populates the database with sample historical territorial data.

Methods inherited from class Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Method Details

addTerritory

public static void addTerritory(BorderEvolution.Territory territory)

Registers a territory in the global historical database.

Parameters:

territory - the territory to add

Throws:

NullPointerException - if territory is null

addBorderChange

public static void addBorderChange(BorderEvolution.BorderChange change)

Registers a border change in the global historical database.

Parameters:

change - the border change event to add

Throws:

NullPointerException - if change is null

getTerritoriesAtDate

public static List<BorderEvolution.Territory> getTerritoriesAtDate(TimeCoordinate date)

Retrieves all territories that were active at a specific historical date.

Parameters:

date - the date to query

Returns:

unmodifiable list of active territories

Throws:

NullPointerException - if date is null

getSovereignAt

public static Optional<String> getSovereignAt(double latitude,
 double longitude,
 TimeCoordinate date)

Determines which sovereign entity controlled a specific location at a given date.

Parameters:

latitude - geographical latitude

longitude - geographical longitude

date - historical date

Returns:

name of the sovereign entity, if found as an Optional

Throws:

NullPointerException - if date is null

getChangesForEntity

public static List<BorderEvolution.BorderChange> getChangesForEntity(String entityName)

Retrieves all recorded border changes affecting a specific political entity.

Parameters:

entityName - the name of the entity

Returns:

unmodifiable sorted list of border changes

Throws:

NullPointerException - if entityName is null

calculateTerritorialExtent

public static double calculateTerritorialExtent(String entityName,
 TimeCoordinate date)

Calculates the total territorial extent (approx. area in km²) of an entity at a given date.

Parameters:

entityName - the name of the entity

date - historical date

Returns:

approximate area in km²

Throws:

NullPointerException - if entityName or date is null

generateTimeline

public static String generateTimeline(int startYear,
 int endYear)

Generates a human-readable timeline of border changes within a year range.

Parameters:

startYear - starting year

endYear - ending year

Returns:

formatted timeline string

loadSampleData

public static void loadSampleData()

Populates the database with sample historical territorial data.