---
title: "Get a single continent"
method: GET
path: "/continents/{id}"
tags: ["Continents"]
---

# Get a single continent

`GET /continents/{id}`

Retrieve a single continent by its Wikidata Q-ID.

## Path parameters

- `id` string, required

## Query parameters

- `select` string
- `api_key` string, required

## Response `200`

Successful response

- Continent — Geographic continent (7 total)
  - `id` string — The OpenAlex ID for this continent (uses Wikidata Q-IDs).
  - `display_name` string — The name of the continent.
  - `description` string — A brief description of the continent.
  - `display_name_alternatives` string[] — Alternate names for this continent.
  - `countries` object[] — The countries within this continent. Each object has `id` and `display_name`.
    - `id` string
    - `display_name` string
  - `ids` object — External identifiers:
    - `openalex` string
    - `wikidata` string
  - `created_date` string, date — When this continent was added to OpenAlex (ISO 8601 date).
  - `updated_date` string, date-time — When this continent was last updated (ISO 8601 datetime).

## Other responses

- `404` — Entity not found
- `429` — Rate limit exceeded

---

[API](https://skmtc.net/openalex/apis/openalex-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.net/openalex/apis/openalex-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-staging.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/openalex/openalex-api/versions/60b6c8bd0799/schema)