On Monday Safar 10th,1439 (October 30th, 2017), the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) started the process of updating the enumeration areas in the regions of Medina and Tabuk that will continue for 20 days. More than 6000 statisticians will start visiting households in all cities, governorates, centers and hamlets located in Medina region and Tabuk region in the east and north of the Kingdom.
The official spokesman of Gastat, Mr.Taiseer Almofarrej, explained that this update comes within the framework of the procedures that GaStat works on in preparation for the next population census in 2020 which will be a register-based census for the first time. He added that the update carried out by GaStat in Medina and Tabuk is not considered a separate census or a new census. It is part of the statistical work conducted by GaStat to test the next record-based census. The transformation from the traditional census to the record-based census has some requirements that GaStat worked on during the last period. GaStat finished the electronic linking with the National Information Center and the Saudi Post (National address). In order to verify the success of the linking process, GaStat decided to conduct similar statistical work of the next census before the approved date to identify the gaps and problems before the actual start of the enumeration. At the beginning of 2017, GaStat started the first test of the electronic linking with the National Address in one of the surveys carried out. To continue this work, GaStat chose Medina region and Tabuk region to conduct a comprehensive survey on the population and updated the enumeration areas with the same mechanisms that will be used in the next census in 2020. 
Mr. Almofarrej also explained that the reason for choosing Medina and Tabuk in this stage was based on a number of criteria that will make the use of the mechanisms of the next census (2020) useful and can be developed for the rest of the Kingdom in a timely manner. These two regions are characterized by a wide diversity of environment (urban areas, rural areas, desert). In addition, a number of governorate in these two regions have its own geographical characteristics. Some governorates are located on the coast and other areas are in the desert and it also includes mountain areas. In addition, they include international and local airports, ports, culture centers, military cities, and water resources as well as the diversity of the composition of the population in these areas. Madinah varies in the composition of the population because it has the Prophet’s Holy Mosque and Tabuk because it’s a border area. The outputs of this statistical work will be the base of new development projects in these regions which require updated data before the next census 2020.
Mr.Almofarrej added that the updates of data and enumeration areas include all populated areas in Median Region which is (2.892) areas, and (895) areas in Tabuk including all cities, villages, hamlets and water resources in the governorates of the two regions. The visits of households will end on Saturday Safar 29th, 1439 (November 18th, 2017). GaStat invites all households (citizens or residents) of the two regions to cooperate with the statisticians starting from 1:00 p.m until 10:00 p.m throughout the 20 days. GaStat stressed that the official statistician is carrying an official ID card. You can verify his ID through the card he is holding or through calling 920020081, and all statisticians wear the official field uniform of GaStat.
The official spokesman confirmed that all data obtained will be treated with complete confidentiality in accordance with the general statistics system issued by the Council of Ministers. The General Authority for Statistics is committed to maintain the confidentiality of individual’s data and information and strict it uses to statistical purposes only through the total results and general indicators according the regulations applied in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.