Statistical Terms Glossary

Line of transportation made up by rail exclusively for the use of railway vehicles and maintained for running trains.
Note: A line is made up of one or more tracks, according to the definition of “Track” and the corresponding exclusion criteria.

All railways in a given area.

Specific railway line connecting two or more geographical reference points. Each segment has a start and an end, being a track crossing, a country border or a railway station.

The movement by railway of a passenger from the embarkation station to the disembarkation station, whichever itinerary is followed on the railway network.

An accident involving at least one rail vehicle in motion, resulting in at least one killed or seriously injured person. A serious injury is a casualty resulting in incapacitation for more than 72 hours commencing within 7 days from the date of injury. Accidents in workshops, warehouses and depots are excluded.

Accident involving at least one rail vehicle in motion, resulting in at least one killed or seriously injured person, or in significant damage to stock, track, other installations or the environment (damage that exceeds an internationally agreed threshold), or extensive disruptions to traffic. Accidents in workshops, warehouses and depots are excluded.
Note: This definition is used by the International Union of Railways. The threshold for significant damage, adopted by the International Union of Railways, was set at EUR 150 000 in 2007.

A railway establishment either open or not to the public, generally staffed and is designed for one or more of the following operations:
- Formation, dispatch, reception and temporary stabling of trains;
- Stabling and marshalling of rolling stock;
- Boarding and alighting of passengers;
- Generally, where open to public, providing facilities for the purchase of tickets;
- Loading and unloading of goods

Any movement of a railway vehicle on lines operated.

Any movement of railway vehicles within a national territory irrespective of the country in which these vehicles are registered.

Movement of goods and/or passengers using a railway vehicle on a given railway network.
Note: When a railway vehicle is being carried on another rail vehicle, only the movement of the carrying vehicle (active mode) is being considered.

Any public or private transport operator which provides services for the transport of goods and/or passengers by rail.

A licensed public or private transport operator which provides services for the transport of goods and/or passengers by rail.

Mobile equipment running exclusively on rails, moving either under its own power (tractive vehicle) or hauled by another vehicle (coach, railcar trailer, van and wagon).

Movement of a railway vehicle from a specified point of origin to a specified point of destination.
Note: A journey can be divided into a number of sections or stages.

Mobile equipment running exclusively on rails, moving either under its own power (tractive vehicles) or hauled by another vehicle (coaches, railcar trailers, vans and wagons).

The production of field crops that completely depend on the local precipitation for their water supply.

Rainforest refers to luxuriant forest, generally composed of tall, broad—leafed evergreen trees, found in regions where annual rainfall exceeds 1,800 millimetres

Drops of fresh water that fall as precipitation from clouds, which have not joined a spring, stream or river, pond, lake or sea.

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a method of inducing, collecting, storing and conserving local surface runoff for agricultural production.

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a method of inducing, collecting, storing and conserving local surface runoff for agricultural production.; Areas where rainwater is collected and either directly applied to the cropped area, and stored in the soil profile for immediate uptake by the crop (runoff irrigation) or stored in a water reservoir for future productive use (for example used for supplementary irrigation). Rainwater harvesting includes: (i) Roof water harvesting is mainly used for domestic purposes and sometimes as water supply for family gardens; (ii) Micro-catchment water harvesting is characterized by a relatively small catchment area C (< 1 000 m²) and cropping area CA (< 100 m²) with ratio C:CA = 1:1 to 10:1. The farmer usually has control over both the catchment area and the target area. These systems are used for the irrigation of a single tree, fodder shrubs or annual crops. The construction is mainly manual. Examples are pits, semi-circular bunds, Negarim micro-catchment, eyebrow terrace, contour bench terrace, etc.; (iii) Macro-catchment water harvesting collects water that flows over the ground as turbulent runoff and channel flow. These systems are characterized by a large catchment area C (‘external' catchment area of 1 000 m² – 200 ha), located outside the cultivated area CA, with a ratio C:CA = 10:1 to 100:1. The systems are mainly implemented for the production of annual crops. The construction is manual or mechanized. Examples are trapezoidal bunds, large semi-circular bunds, stone bunds, etc.