Indigenous Lands Acknowledged by Government - Documented
Indigenous lands or territories refer to the collectively-held and governed lands (and natural resources) of Indigenous Peoples. As with other community lands, some indigenous lands may be allocated with group consent for use by individuals and families. Other indigenous land is managed as common property. In some cases, indigenous land is held by individuals or families (e.g., New Zealand). Traditional indigenous territories are estimated to encompass up to 22 percent of the world’s land surface (Nakashima, et al. 2012).
"Acknowledged by government" refers to indigenous or community land that is recognized in law as owned or formally set aside for Indigenous Peoples or community occupation and use.
"Documented" means that the Indigenous Peoples or community have formal documentation of this land from the government (e.g., a title, registration, or other form of official documentation), including situations where:
1) formal documentation recognizing indigenous or community land rights has been extended and registered;
2) the government retains ownership of the land itself but has demarcated and formally set aside areas within which Indigenous Peoples or communities enjoy lawful occupation and use.