First: Population Characteristics Survey Objectives

Second: Survey sample

Third: Survey questionnaire

Fourth: Data collection and survey time reference

Fifth: Definitions

First: Population Characteristics Survey Objectives:

1. Providing demographic data and indicators on Saudi and non-Saudi population kingdom-wide and at the level of administrative regions such as:
   • Annual growth rates and normal increase of Saudi population.
   • Population’s age and gender composition.
   • Population distribution by marital and educational status.
   • Indicators on the levels of marriage and divorce.
2. Providing data and indicators to prepare and assess population estimates and projections.
3. Making comparisons with the demographic indicators extracted from previous surveys and the General Census of Population and Housing 1431 H (2010)
4. Updating the population database.
5. Providing periodical population data and indicators to measure the change in population characteristics with time, and making local, regional and international comparisons.

Second: Survey sample:

1.   Sample design:

Population Characteristics Survey is one of the household sample surveys implemented by GASTAT by using the frame of the Updated General Population and Housing Census 1431 H (2010). In order to get highly efficient and effective estimates, survey population was divided into parts that are non-overlapping and characterized by relative consistency in their units.  Each part is considered a category, and each category is addressed as an independent population. A random sample is drawn from each category independently, and eventually all drawn units   are integrated to form the total sample. It should be taken into consideration that household surveys usually need a relatively bigger sample size compared to the sample size of other household surveys. This is because the survey variables are associated with detailed levels such as age groups by gender and nationality to guarantee giving results representing the demographic variables at the level of administrative regions. 

2.  Steps of survey sample design and selection:

Prior to the design of the survey sample and the selection of the appropriate method, the objectives of the Survey of population Characteristics (2017) and the sample of the previous survey (2016) were studied and examined. The SD and CV variables were also analyzed for some of the main demographic variables in the survey, hence, the sample size of the new survey was estimated. The selected sample was a randomized cluster-stratified sample, which was selected in two Stages according to the following:

First stage:

After selecting the optimal sample size of the households for each administrative region, the process of withdrawing the primary sampling units (PSU), which are the enumeration areas, has started from the main sampling frame. About (1300) enumeration areas were drawn from (3600) enumeration areas in the main survey sample of Households. They are distributed across all the categories in all administrative regions using the proportional method of size and are distributed as follows:

Second stage:

The secondary sampling units (SSU) were randomly drawn from the enumeration areas selected in the first stage using the regular random sample. Twenty-five households (25) were selected from each enumeration area, a total of (33575) households at the Kingdom’s level are distributed as follow:

3.   Survey sample scope and coverage

The Population Characteristics Survey sample includes Saudi and non-Saudi households residing in Saudi Arabia and Saudis who are temporarily outside the Kingdom for any reason, such as treatment, study, tourism, etc., and they are included within their households members as long as their households were included in the sample. The survey sample covered all administrative regions in the Kingdom.

Third: Survey questionnaire:

The questionnaire was designed and prepared by specialists in the General Authority for Statistics, and the paper questionnaire was transferred to electronic. The design of the questionnaire considered the international recommendations, standards and definitions, in addition to the international and local requirements. The questionnaire included a set of questions classified into several main sections as follows:

• Questions about the basic characteristic of individuals such as age and sex.
• Household characteristic
• Demographic characteristics
• Social characteristics
• Economic characteristics

Fourth: Data collection and survey time reference:

The survey was conducted during the period from 17/7/1438 to 22/8/1438 H corresponding to 14/4/2017 to 18/5/2017. The interview method was used with the head of the household in the process of completing the survey questionnaire. Researchers who are assigned for field work payed field visits to households within the sample to complete their data.  

The data of the population characteristics survey questionnaire, in terms of time reference, are divided into the following:

•  The basic data of all household members in terms of their number and basic characteristics such as: age, nationality, educational status and marital status are referred to the date on which all questionnaire data were completed.
• The educational status data is referred to the week preceding the household visit.

Fifth: Definitions:

Administrative Region:

Part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that is administered by a government agency which is directly affiliated with the Ministry of Interior such as Riyadh and Makkah ... etc. And each administrative region has a capital city.

Building:

Building is every structure; whether permanent or temporary, single- or multi-storey, with one or more rooms, and has one or more doors through which to access it. A building might and might not be inhabited; and it could be intended for housing, or for economic, social or religious purposes ... etc., such as such as a complex, a palace, a villa, a popular house, a tent, a hut, a shack, a shanty, a government body, a shop, a mosque… etc.

Note that annexes to a building or a villa such as a garage or a shop are not counted as separate buildings. Likewise, bridges, power rooms, water pumps are not counted as buildings unless used for residential purposes during census period. In addition, buildings under construction are counted as buildings unless bases, foundations and walls are built.

Dwelling:

It is a single- or multi-room unit which is primarily prepared for one family and has one separate door, whether it was still under construction, occupied or inhabited during the survey and enumeration. The dwelling might accommodate one or more households, one or more businesses, or a household and a business simultaneously. For the purposes of census and field studies, every inhabited building during the numbering period shall be counted as a dwelling, even if it was not set up for that purpose such as workshops and schools. A villa, house, apartment, tent, shack and formwork are types of dwellings.

Household:

A 'household' refers to a person or a group of persons - with or without kinship binding them to one another - who share residence during the enumeration. The household includes:

• Saudi and non-Saudi nationals who usually live with the household but they were absent while the survey was conducted for being temporarily away; for example, businessmen, tourists, people who are travel for medication, students on scholarship beyond the borders of the kingdom.
• Individuals who stay with the household and were absent during conducting the study for the reason of being serving at work night shifts; for example, guards, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and airport employees, in addition to household members who were at some public dwellings during the researcher's visit to the household.
• Servants, drivers and the like who are members of the same household.
• Family members who are on a trip in the Kingdom.

Head of the household:

It refers to the person regarded by the household members as its chief member. Usually, he is responsible for undertaking the responsibility of the household and his age must not be under (15) years old. If the household consists of children and their mother, and they are cared for by a relative who does not live with them, such a relative shall not be deemed as the head of the household, nor shall he be recorded as one of its members, since he shall be recorded with his own family. In this case, the mother shall be deemed as the head of the household.

Population:

All individuals residing in the Kingdom at the time of the survey, both Saudis and non-Saudis.

Survey population:

Household members selected in the sample, living in dwellings and known as a household.

Age:

Is the estimated or calculated time period between the date of birth and the date of the visit expressed in full years with the neglect of months and days, whatever their number.

Nationality:

Is the individual legal subordination to a particular State represented by its name and is usually determined by the passport held by the individual or to which he is entitled.