The Handbook for Inhabited Areas or Inhabited Areas Handbook in short, is a tool to support decision-makers in developing a recovery strategy following a radiation incident. The Handbook is a compilation of information to help users identify the important issues and evaluate management options. It has been produced with financial support from the European Commission as part of an integrated project ‘EURANOS’. The overall aim of the project is to increase the coherence of emergency preparedness and management in Europe, following accidental or deliberate releases of radionuclides to the environment. This handbook focuses on inhabited areas. Two other complementary handbooks consider contamination of food production systems and drinking water supplies (http://www.euranos.fzk.de). The Inhabited Areas Handbook should be regarded as a living document which requires updating from time to time to remain state-of-the-art