Statistical Terms Glossary

The composite asset constituted by the forest land and the standing timber. It includes any forest related environmental assets included in the area concerned.

Forest health is affected by both natural and human factors. Defoliation is the most commonly used factor in describing forest health. It is expressed as the amount or proportion of trees whose crown is more than 25 per cent defoliated. Other symptoms of forest damage that reduce stand quality are the amount and percentage of dead, fallen and broken trees, decayed trees, stem defects, top damage, discoloration and multiple symptoms. It should be noted, however, that dead and decayed trees are also often seen as a forest characteristic that improves biodiversity.

A community or census subdivision that derives at least 50% of employment income from the forest sector.

Land with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 10 per cent and an area of more than 0.5 hectares. The trees should be able to reach a minimum height of 5 metres at maturity in situ.

Forested land available for wood supply covers areas where legal, economic, or environmental restrictions do not have a significant impact on the supply of wood. It includes areas where harvesting of timber is not taking place, for example, because of long term utilisation plans or intentions.

Forested land not available for wood supply includes areas where legal, economic, or environmental restrictions prevent any significant wood production.

A mechanism, most commonly used in medium- and long-term credit, involving the purchase of promissory notes or bills of exchange by the forfeiter, at a discount. Banks or other financial services entities often own forfeit companies.

Length of a fish measured from the tip of the snout to the posterior end of the middle caudal rays. This measurement is used instead of standard length for fishes on which it is difficult to ascertain the end of the vertebral column, and instead of total length in fish with stiff, forked tail, e.g., tuna. Mostly used in fishery biology and not in systematics.

Vehicle equipped with power-driven horizontal forks, which allow it to lift , move or stack pallets, containers or swap bodies. The latter two are usually empty.

As contrasted with the informal economy, the part of an economy of which the government is fully aware and that is regulated by government authorities, particularly in the areas of contract and company law, taxation and labour law.

Education that is institutionalized, intentional and planned through public organizations and recognized private bodies and, in their totality, make up the formal education system of a country. Formal education programmes are thus recognized as such by the relevant national educational authorities or equivalent, e.g. any other institution in co-operation with the national or sub-national educational authorities. Formal education consists mostly of initial education. Vocational education, special needs education and some parts of adult education are often recognized as being part of the formal education system.

Principles of equality of women and men, equal recognition and the enjoyment and exercise of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as measures providing for equal treatment of, and equal opportunities for, women and men in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil, domestic or any other field.

Formal sector enterprises comprise corporations (including quasi-corporate enterprises), non-profit institutions, unincorporated enterprises owned by government units, and those private unincorporated enterprises producing goods or services for sale or barter, which are not part of the informal sector.

A standard or accepted way of doing or making something

Investment technique based on predetermined timing or asset allocation model that eliminates emotional decisions. Examples include constant dollar plan and (dollar cost) averaging.

A forward contract is an unconditional financial contract that represents an obligation for settlement on a specified date; at the inception of the contract, risk exposures of equal market value are exchanged and hence the contract has zero value; some time must elapse for the market value of each party’s risk to differ so that an asset (creditor) position is created for one party and a liability (debtor) position for the other.

Purchase or sale of a specific quantity of a commodity, security, currency or other financial instrument at the current or spot price with delivery and settlement at a specified future date.

The arrangement of a forward foreign exchange contract to protect a buyer or seller of foreign currency from unexpected fluctuations in the exchange rate.

A forward exchange rate is the exchange rate in contract for receipt of and payment for foreign currency at a specified date usually for 30 days, 90 days or 180 days in the future, at a stipulated current or “spot” price

Forward foreign exchange contracts involve two counterparties who agree to transact in foreign currencies at an agreed exchange rate in a specified amount at some agreed future date