Glossary

Definitions of key terms used across this documentation.

This Glossary defines the key terms used in this documentation. We also have a broader Glossary of Data Terms on the Centre for Humanitarian Data website.

Administrative levels (admin levels)	The hierarchical geographic divisions within a country, typically ranging from Admin 0 (national boundary) to Admin 1 (provinces or states), Admin 2 (districts), and down to more granular levels such as Admin 3 or 4. These standardized levels are used to organize and analyze data at different geographic scales.
Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network (CKAN)	Open-source open data portal used by HDX. Link
Centre for Humanitarian Data	The Centre for Humanitarian Data is focused on increasing the use and impact of data in the humanitarian sector. It is managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Link
Common Operational Dataset (COD)	Authoritative reference datasets used by humanitarian organizations to support response efforts and decision-making. They provide a consistent and standardized data framework for all actors in a crisis. Link
Data Grid	Collection of core datasets in most countries with a Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). They provide a comparable way to assess data availability across locations and categories. Link
Data Responsibility	The safe, ethical and effective management of personal and non-personal data for operational response, in accordance with established frameworks for personal data protection. Link
Dataset	On HDX, the main unit or container describing data, made up of one or more resources.
Freshness	An indicator on HDX datasets that shows whether the data is up-to-date. This is calculated by comparing the dataset's latest time period with the expected update frequency. Link
Geodata	Geodata is information about geographic locations that is stored in a format that can be used with a geographic information system (GIS).
Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)	Open platform for sharing data across crises and organisations. Link
HDX Connect	Feature on HDX that allows organizations to publish only the metadata for a dataset, alongside a “Request Access” button where users can request access to the data itself.
HDX API Metadata Endpoints	Endpoints that allow users to read and write dataset metadata stored on HDX. They support actions like searching for datasets and viewing detailed metadata.
HDX Python API Library	Python wrapper built on top of the HDX “create” and “update” endpoints that simplifies publishing and maintaining data on HDX. This is designed to help data contributors easily automate data creation and updates. Link
HDX File Download	Programmatic access to download entire data files hosted on HDX. This allows users to retrieve original resources directly and integrate them into automated workflows or local analysis environments.
HDX Humanitarian API (HDX HAPI)	A way to access standardized indicators from multiple sources to automate workflows and visualizations. Link
HDX Signals	A product that monitors key datasets on HDX and generates automated emails to subscribers when significant, negative changes are detected. Link
HDX Notifications	A feature that allows users to receive alerts when datasets on the dataset pages, crisis pages or location pages that they are subscribe to are updated or changed on HDX. Link
Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL)	As of 31 January 2026, the Centre no longer supports the HXL standard and tools related to the HDX platform. HXL was created over a decade ago as a simple standard for messy data, with a primary focus on combining spreadsheets. As technology and our humanitarian data ecosystem has advanced, we are exploring new ways to standardize data, improve interoperability and speed up data processing across data sources. For more information, read our Retiring HDX Services blog.
Locations	When used on HDX, this refers to countries or areas the dataset relates to. A full list of ‘locations’ covered by HDX is available here. HDX names locations according to the UN's M49 standard.
Metadata	Data that describes a dataset, including details such as its title, source, date of publication, geographic coverage, and update frequency. Metadata helps users understand what a dataset contains and whether it is suitable for their needs.
Personally identifiable information (PII)	Personally identifiable information, also called “direct identifiers”, are variables that reveal directly and unambiguously the identity of a respondent, (e.g. names, social identity numbers). Source SDC Practice Guide.
Place Codes (P-codes)	Unique geographic identification codes, usually represented by combinations of letters and numbers, to identify a specific place, point, positional location or feature on a map or within a database. Link
Resource	A sub-container within a dataset. A resource can contain files such as a CSV file, Excel spreadsheet, or PDF document. Each resource is associated with metadata that describes the file within it.
Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC)	A technique used to assess and lower the risk of a person or group being re-identified in the analysis of microdata. Applying SDC to microdata enables organizations to share the data more widely without exposing affected people to harm. Link
Tabular Data Endpoints (TDE)	Provides programmatic access to a number of tabular datasets hosted on HDX. It supports features like customizable queries and dataset joins to enable seamless integration into external tools and systems. Link
Tags	Keywords or labels assigned to datasets to make them easier to discover and categorize. On HDX, tags might include terms like "education", "displacement", or "baseline population" to help users find relevant data.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)	The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN agency responsible for coordinating international humanitarian responses to emergencies and natural disasters. Link