Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) - Non-profit organisations whose members share the same religious beliefs.

Fauna - Animals.

Feasibility study - Research into the viabilty of a proposed project or business.

Fertility rate - The average number of children that a woman gives birth to in her lifetime.In 1998, the fertility rate in South Africa was 2.9 children per woman.

FET colleges - Previously known as technical colleges, these educational institutions offer training for NQF levels 2 to 4 and National Technical Certificates 1 to 3.

• Further Education and Training (FET) (Glossary)

Financial policy - The guidelines and rules stating how Government will spend its money.

Financial Services Board (FSB) - Independent statutory institution that oversees the South African Non-Banking Financial Services Industry in the public interest.For more information visit the FSB website.

Fiscal - Government finance, including income from taxation and loans and expenditure.

Fiscal Year (FY) - The financial year. Budgets and financial audits are based on this. In South Africa the fiscal year starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March of the following year. So the fiscal year 2003/2004 started on 1 April 2003 and ends on 31 March 2004.

Floral kingdom - The world is divided into six floral kingdoms. Each consists of a specific type of flora. The Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest but most diverse.

Fluoride - Element that is often added to the water supply and dental products (like toothpaste) to help ensure strong, healthy teeth.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) - Physical and intellectual developmental disability caused when a foetus is exposed to alcohol because the mother drank liquor while pregnant.

Food security - Access to adequate and sustainable food supplies.

Foreign exchange - The system used to exchange one currency for another. This enables international transactions to take place.

Foreign investment - Investments made in South Africa by people from outside of the country. This brings money into the country.

Foreign relations - Dealings and interactions with other countries. This impacts on trade between the countries and political relations.

Foreign trade - Commercial transactions with other countries.

Foster Child Grant - This grant is available to anyone who looks after a foster child. It is supposed to help pay for the child's food, clothes and education.

Fostering - Looking after children that don't have families or cannot live with their families. It is usually not a permanent arrangement.

Fraud - Lying or deceiving someone causing them to lose out, usually financially.

Frequently asked question (FAQ) - Questions that are regularly posed. Websites and information packs often contain sections answering these questions.

Further Education and Training (FET) - Level of education that includes Grades 10 to 12 and courses of an equivalent standard offered at technical (now called FET) colleges.

• FET colleges (Glossary)

Fynbos - The indigenous flora of the Western Cape. These plants don't grow anywhere else in the world. Fynbos is of particular botanical interest because of the great number of species.