The objectives of the Demographic and Health Surveys Program are: to provide survey countries with data and analyses useful for informed policy choices; to expand the international population and health database; to develop in participating countries the skills and resources necessary to conduct demographic and health surveys; and to advance survey methodology.

The population and housing census is part of an integrated national statistical system, which may include other censuses (for example, agriculture), surveys, registers and administrative files. It provides, at regular intervals, the benchmark for population count at national and local levels. For small geographical areas or sub-populations, it may represent the only source of information for certain social, demographic and economic characteristics. For many countries the census also provides a solid framework to develop sampling frames. This publication represents one of the pillars for data collection on the number and characteristics of the population of a country.