We are currently developing the documentation of statistics. At the moment, the content is not necessarily up-to-date in all respects.
Forest accounts: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Forest accounts
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics have been discontinued. Forest accounts describe changes in the resources and flows of wood material, as well as their values in the national economy. Besides wood resources, the accounts also cover other benefits with known volumes of monetary values derived from forests, as well as data relating to forest areas.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Forest accounting
Forest accounts are statistics that describe changes and flows in wood resources and their related economic values in the national economy. Apart from wood, forest accounting also extends to some other benefits from forests with known volumes or monetary values, as well as to data on the sizes of forest areas.
Mass balance
In the mass balance, raw materials and products of the forest industry are converted into equivalent measurement units, dry matter tonnes of wood, and the amounts of wood material bound as raw wood in the forest industry, and as intermediate products, final products, fuel and waste are monitored.
Supply-use balance
Annual data on the supply, foreign trade, consumption and production of wood and forestry products by economic activity and commodity group are gathered into one table in the supply-use balance. The balance monitors the consumption of wood and its processing into intermediate and final products, final consumption of wood products, use of by-products from wood processing as raw material or energy sources, and production of forestry products. Volumes of saw timber, pulpwood and fuel wood, and forest processed chips, residues, sawn timber, plywood and chipboard are reported in thousands of solid cubic metres. Volumes of fibreboard, mechanical and chemical pulp, spent liquor, paper and board, and recycled paper are reported in thousands of tonnes.
Timber balance
Timber balance is an estimate of annual changes in the volume of growing stock resulting from biological increment, natural drain and fellings. The estimate for the annual increase in growing stock is calculated as the difference between the average annual increment and annual total drain over 5-yearly periods. The measurement unit is million solid cubic metres with bark.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information:
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data.
Further information: The terms of use for statistical data
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (eur-lex.europa.eu) and the Finnish Data Protection Act (Finlex.fi) are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (Finlex.fi).
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection