User:Xaxafrad/Animated map generator

I'm still trying to come up with the foundational conceptual functions of this program. I think I'll have to spend time moving in the direction of defining a multitude of geographic regions.

Coastlines
First, coastlines need to be defined. That is, what are the series of x,y (or long/lat) coords that coorespond to the coastline of the following islands:

Rivers
With one land/water boundary defined, the second definition should be the land between any two rivers. To add complexity and ensure evolutive potential, mountains, or deserts, or other landform will be another secondary boundary, overlapping with the rivers' source "point". For this, a list of rivers following the compass directions seems desirable.

List of empires
Visions of cities throughout history and across the globe, pulsating with the projection of power towards each other, are dancing in my head. These visions must be digitally captured, programmatically generated. Let's start with a definition: the settlement of a people. Choosing some arbitrarily long date, 12,007 years ago, or, if not mathematically accurate, then by definition 10,000 BC(E) will be our starting point, the new year 0. Future program references will be in this absolute (and arbitrary) timeframe. So for the first 7,000-8,000 years under consideration, walled settlements (the first type more advanced than tents, perhaps) began to be experimented with, while they fell under the occassional, and inevitable, raids from neighboring unsettled peoples. I've tried to make that as abstract as possible, as it roughly mirrors the definition of civilized and barbarian. I can't imagine all the neighbors were on violent terms; surely some cities had some neighbors who traded peacefully while retained a semi-nomadic/hunting-gathering lifestyle.

But, one by one, cities sprouted up for various lengths of time, until they finally invented reading and writing. Now, for the next 4,007-5,007 years, we have an incredibly dirty reflection (in the forms of historical texts and archaeological evidence) of the events of the days. So, let the cities project power over their countrysides, and each other....

This is a list of 110 states, nations, or empires that jumped out at me as I did a preliminary survey of the history of human civilization (or what I like to call: domesticated humans). They're roughly organized by region and date of founding, although my subjective definitions of any particular regions were made mostly on whims, and my demarcation years will certainly be debatable.

North Africa (Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Morocco) (6):
 * Egyptian Empire (3150 BC - 525 BC) (Nile river valley, Levant)
 * Kushite Kingdom (800 BC - 350) (Sudan)
 * Carthaginian Empire (575 BC - 272 BC) (Levant, north Africa, Spain)
 * Garamantian Kingdom (500 BC - 500) (central Libya)
 * Aksumite Empire (100 BC - 800) (southern Red Sea)
 * Makurian Kingdom (651 - 1397) (Sudan)

West Africa (Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and coastal countries) (12):
 * Ghana Empire (300 - 1240) (southeastern Mauritania, Mali)
 * Almoravid dynasty (1050 - 1147) (northwestern Africa, Spain)
 * Mali Empire (1235 - 1645) (Niger river area, Atlantic coast)
 * Oyo Kingdom (1400 - 1888) (Nigeria?)
 * Songhai Empire (1464 - 1591) (greater Niger river area)
 * Benin Empire (1470 - 1897) (greater Nigeria)
 * Kénédougou Kingdom (1650 - 1898) (southern Mali)
 * Ashanti Kingdom (1675 - 1896) (Ghana area)
 * Aro Confederacy (1690 - 1902) (greater western Nigeria)
 * Bambara Empire (1712 - 1861) (Niger river area)
 * Fulani Empire (1804 - 1903) (greater Nigeria)
 * Massina Empire (1818 - 1862) (Niger river delta area)

Central Africa (Chad, Cameroon, Congo) (7):
 * Kanem-Bornu Empire (1068 - 1846) (greater Chad)
 * Kingdom of Kongo (1400 - 1888) (greater Congo river valley)
 * Kingdom of Baguirmi (1480 - 1897) (Chad area)
 * Luba Empire (1585 - 1889) (southern DR Congo)
 * Ouaddai Kingdom (1635 - 1912) (Lake Chad area)
 * Lunda Empire (1760 - 1884) (DR Congo)
 * Belgian Congo (1885 - 1960) (DR Congo)

Southern Africa (Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa) (2):
 * Munhumutapa Empire (1450 - 1629) (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
 * Zulu Kingdom (1709 - 1883) (eastern South Africa)

East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania) (0)

Western Europe (15):
 * Merovingian dynasty (450 - 751) (France)
 * Carolingian Empire (718 - 888) (France, Germany, northern Italy)
 * Republic of Venice (726 - 1797) (northeast Italian coast
 * Holy Roman Empire (912 - 1806) (greater Germany, northern Italy)
 * Capetian dynasty (987 - 1792) (France)
 * Republic of Genoa (1000 - 1797) (northwest Italian coast, Middle Eastern colonies, Aegean islands, Black Sea, Corsica)
 * Portuguese Empire (1415 - 1999) (Portugal, Brazil, coasts of Africa and India)
 * Spanish Empire (1469 - 1806) (Caribbean, North and South American continents, east Indies?)
 * Dutch Empire (1602 - 1940) (Indonesia, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, South Africa, Ceylon, Taiwan)
 * First French colonial empire (1605 - 1815) (St. Lawrence river valley, Mississippi river basin, Carribean, Senegal, French India)
 * British Empire (1604 - 1947) (British Isles, Canada, African colonies, India, Australia)
 * Second French colonial empire (1830 - 1962) (north, west, and central Africa, southeast Asia, French Polynesia)
 * Belgian colonial empire (1867 - 1962) (Belgian Congo)
 * Italian Empire (1889 - 1943) (Italy, Libya, east Africa)
 * Nazi Germany (1933 - 1945) (Germany, France, eastern Europe)

Eastern Europe (7):
 * Macedonian Empire (700 BC - 168 BC) (Balkans, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia)
 * Roman Empire (31 BC - 450) (western Europe, Balkans, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, north Africa)
 * Byzantine Empire (330 - 1453) (Balkans, Anatolia, Levant, Egypt, Italy, north Africa)
 * First Bulgarian Empire (630 - 1018) (Balkans and north of the Black Sea)
 * Kingdom of Hungary (1000 - 1526) (Pannonia)
 * Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 - 1396) (Balkans)
 * Russian Empire (1303 - 1917) (northeastern Europe, central Asia, Siberia)

Greater Southwest Asia (25):
 * Sumerian Empire (5300 BC - 2004 BC) (southern Mesopotamia, Euphrates/Tigris delta)
 * Elamite dynasties (2700 BC - 539 BC) (southeastern Mesopotamia)
 * Hurrian kingdoms (2500 BC - 1300 BC) (northern Mesopotamia, Khabur river valley, Syria)
 * Akkadian Empire (2350 BC - 2150 BC) (central Mesopotamia, north of Sumer)
 * Early and Middle Assyrian periods (2000 BC - 1075 BC) (northern Mesopotamia)
 * Old Babylonian Empire (2000 BC - 1595 BC) (southern Mesopotamia)
 * Hittite Empire (1800 BC - 1000 BC) (Anatolia)
 * Kassite Empire (1595 BC - 1155 BC) (southern Mesopotamia)
 * Neo-Assyrian Empire (911 BC - 609 BC) (northern Mesopotamia)
 * Median Empire (750 BC - 559 BC) (roughly northwestern Iran, plus territory into Afghanistan)
 * Neo-Babylonian Empire (626 BC - 539 BC) (Mesopotamia)
 * Achaemenid Empire (559 BC - 338 BC) (Persia, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt)
 * Seleucid Empire (323 BC - 60 BC) (Persia, Mesopotamia)
 * Parthian Empire (200 BC - 224) (greater Persia)
 * Sassanid Empire (226 - 651) (Persia, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt)
 * Rashidun Caliphate (622 - 661) (Arabia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia)
 * Umayyad Caliphate (661 - 750) (Arabia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, North Africa, Spain)
 * Abbasid Caliphate (750 - 1258) (Arabia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, North Africa, Spain)
 * Fatmide Caliphate (910 - 1171) (Egypt, Levant)
 * Ghaznavid Empire (962 - 1187) (Eastern Persia, Northern India)
 * Seljuq dynasty (1037 - 1307) (Greater Persia, Mesopotamia)
 * Khwarezmian Empire (1150 - 1220) (Persia)
 * Ilkhanate (1250 - 1353) (Persia, Mesopotamia, Eastern Anatolia)
 * Ottoman Empire (1299 - 1922) (Anatolia, Balkans, Pannonia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, north Africa)
 * Timurid dynasty (1370 - 1522) (Persia, Mesopotamia)

Central Asia (7):
 * Scythia (800 BC - 200) (north of the Black Sea, and eastward to the Himalayas)
 * Hunnic Empire (360 - 469) (central Asian steppes, beyond the Volga River, northwest of the Caspian)
 * Gokturk Empire (552 - 745) (north of the Black Sea, and eastward to the Pacific north of Korea)
 * Khazar Empire (650 - 960) (north of the Black and Caspian Seas)
 * Mongol Empire (1206 - 1294) (northern China, the Black and Caspian Seas, Persia, Anatolia)
 * Golden Horde (1245 - 1502) (north of the Black, Caspian, and Aral Seas)
 * Chagatai Khanate (1294 - 1370) (truly central Asia, Aral Sea to Mongolia to Himalayas)

South Asia (12):
 * Magadha Empire (684 BC - 321 BC) (lower Ganges river valley)
 * Maurya Empire (322 BC - 185 BC) (Ganges and Indus river valleys, Bactria)
 * Satavahana dynasty (230 BC - 220) (central and southern India)
 * Sunga Empire (185 BC - 73 BC) (greater Ganges river valley)
 * Kushan Empire (1 - 225) (Bactria and Ganges river valley)
 * Gupta Empire (240 - 550) (greater Ganges river valley)
 * Harsha Empire (606 - 647) (Ganges and Indus river valleys)
 * Pala Empire (750 - 1174) (Ganges and Indus river valleys, Bactria)
 * Chola Dynasty (848 - 1279) (southeast India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia)
 * Hoysala Empire (1026 - 1343) (western Deccan plateau)
 * Delhi Sultanate (1206 - 1526) (Ganges river valley)
 * Vijayanagara Empire (1336 - 1565) (southern India, Sri Lanka)
 * Mughal Empire (1504 - 1857) (Ganges and Indus river valleys)

Southeast Asia (17):
 * Funan Empire (1 - 630) (greater Thailand)
 * Srivijaya Empire (500 - 1374) (Indonesia/Malaysia)
 * Chenla Kingdom (630 - 802) (greater Thailand)
 * Khmer Empire (802 - 1432) (greater Thailand)
 * Pagan Kingdom (849 - 1287) (Myanmar)
 * Sukhothai Kingdom (1238 - 1438) (greater Thailand)
 * Lanna Kingdom (1259 - 1558) (northern Thailand)
 * Majapahit Empire (1293 - 1527) (Indonesia/Malaysia)
 * Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350 - 1767) (greater Thailand)
 * Ava dynasty (1364 - 1555) (Myanmar)
 * Malacca Sultanate (1402 - 1511) (Malay peninsula, parts of Sumatra)
 * Sulu Sultanate (1450 - 1882) (southern Philippines)
 * Toungoo Dynasty (1486 - 1752) (Myanmar)
 * Johor Sultanate (1528 - 1824) (Malay peninsula, parts of Sumatra)
 * Konbaung dynasty (1752 - 1885) (Myanmar)
 * Siam (1768 - 1932) (greater Thailand)
 * British Burma (1885 - 1948) (Myanmar)

East Asia (14):
 * Erlitou culture (2070 BC - 1600 BC) (Yellow river valley)
 * Erligang culture (1600 BC - 1400 BC) (Yellow river valley)
 * Shang Dynasty (1766 BC - 1050 BC) (Yellow river valley)
 * Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC) (Yellow river valley)
 * Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC) (Yellow river valley, and northeastern China)
 * Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220) (Yellow and Yangtze river valleys, and northeastern China)
 * 1st Jin Dynasty (265 - 420) (here and there)
 * Tang Empire (619 - 907) (greater Yellow and Yangtze river valleys)
 * Liao Dynasty (907 - 1125) (northern China)
 * Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) (greater Yangtze and Yellow river valleys)
 * Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368) (greater China)
 * Ming Empire (1368 - 1662) (greater Yellow and Yangtze river valleys)
 * Qing Empire (1644 - 1912) (China)
 * Japanese Empire (1869 - 1945) (Japan, Manchuria, northeastern China, greater Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines)

North and Central Americas (8):
 * Mayan Empire (1800 BC - 1050) (greater southern Mexico)
 * Olmec (1200 BC - 400 BC) (southern Mexico)
 * Woodland period (1000 BC - 400) (eastern United States
 * American Southwest cultures (150 - 1350) (American southwest)
 * Mississippian culture (1000 - 1500) (Mississippi river valley)
 * Aztec Empire (1248 - 1521) (valley of Mexico)
 * New Spain (1535 - 1821) (central America, western United States)
 * American Empire (1776 - present) (United States, Pacific islands, military colonies)

South America (9):
 * Norte Chico (3000 BC - 1800 BC) (northern coastal Peru)
 * Chavín culture (900 BC - 200 BC) (coastal Peru)
 * Nazca culture (300 BC - 800) (southern coastal Peru)
 * Moche (100 BC - 700) (Chicama, Moche and Viru river valleys)
 * Tiwanaku (200 BC - 1000) (western Bolivia, to the Pacific coast)
 * Huari Culture (500 - 1200) (greater coastal Peru)
 * Inca Empire (1200 - 1533) (greater southern Andes)
 * Colonial Brazil (1530 - 1822) (Brazil)
 * Brazilian Empire (1822 - 1889) (Brazil)

List of natural boundaries commonly recognized as political boundaries

 * Volga River
 * Danube River
 * Don River
 * Syr Darya
 * Indus River (West Asia/South Asia,
 * Ural River (Europe/Asia, from the Caspian Sea northwards))


 * Caucasus Mountains (Europe/Asia, between the Black and Caspian Seas)
 * Ural Mountains (Europe/Asia, northeast of the Caspian Sea)
 * Zagros Mountains (Mesopotamia/Persia)