haslocation

hasLocation is a generic binary relation used in data models, ontologies, and knowledge graphs to indicate that an entity is located in or associated with a particular location. In practice, it relates a subject (the entity) to an object (the location). The location may be a Place, a GeographicLocation, a region, a coordinate set, or another geospatial entity, depending on the ontology.

In RDF and OWL contexts, hasLocation is typically an object property. Its domain is the class of entities that can have a location, and its range is a class representing places or locations. Many schemas allow multiple hasLocation values per subject to reflect multiple current or historical locations. The exact interpretation—permanent vs. temporary location, precise coordinates vs. general area—depends on the data model and accompanying annotations (precision, time intervals, confidence).

Modeling notes: For clear semantics, hasLocation is often accompanied by temporal or spatial qualifiers, or replaced by more specific properties such as bornIn, locatedIn, or locatedAt. Some datasets use a separate Location entity that carries geometry (e.g., coordinates, boundary polygons) and references via hasLocation.

Examples: A person hasLocation CityOfLondon; a warehouse hasLocation Coordinates(40.7128, -74.0060); a museum hasLocation CityOfParis.

Common variants include locatedIn, locatedAt, and isLocatedIn. When designing schemas, consider how granularity, timing, and geometry are represented to maintain consistency.