Introduction

The English version of the Multilingual Land Tenure Thesaurus is an adaptation to the English-speaking countries of the French version published in 1999^[1].The publication includes key background information and references in addition to the basic definitions and provides examples where these help to clarify the sense and use of the term.

The English text follows the original French version’s structure and includes a significant number of the equivalent terms that are used in common. Together with the Spanish version, these three versions cross-reference similar concepts and ideas to help readers understand the similarities and the differences between the three linguistic and legal traditions.

The entries are divided into chapters. Chapter I is general, and looks at the key players, the resources and the legal rights in land. Chapter II deals with issues of space, chapter III with policies, procedures and tools, chapter IV with information systems, chapter V with taxation and economics aspects, chapter VI with non-state regulation, and chapter VII with aspects of land that apply specifically to agricultural, pastoral and forestry activities.

The entries in each chapter are listed in alphabetical order. A general index at the end of the work brings together all of the principle entries in the thesaurus together with a number of secondary terms included in the entries.

Further development of this publication is planned to include additional initial versions in Chinese and Arabic. Following this, a process of assimilation and review will enable a substantially revised, Web-based, version to be developed for wider access and use.