Population Characteristics Survey for 1438H (2017) is the fifth survey in the series of demographic surveys conducted by GASTAT and it is concerned with studying population characteristics of individuals in the society to obtain indicators of the mortality rate, age and gender structure, marriage and divorce levels in Saudi Arabia, and educational status of the population. This meets the local, regional, and international demands, and the planners and policy makers' requirements concerning data appertaining to population characteristics. It also reflects the real image of the development taking place in the population characteristics in Saudi Arabia. 

The most important objectives of the survey are as follows:
1) Providing data and indicators regarding the population characteristics pertaining to the population within Saudi Arabia (Saudi and non-Saudi) all over the administrative regions, such as: 

• Crude mortality rate in addition to the age-specific and gender-specific mortality rates.
• Total fertility rate in addition to the age-specific fertility rates.
• The normal growth rates and natural increase in Saudi population.
• Population age and gender structure
• Population distribution according to marital and educational status.
• Indicators of marriage and divorce levels

2) Providing required data and indicators for preparing evaluations and Population Projections through:

• Data pertaining to age and gender structure of the population.
• Data appertaining to fertility rate and type.
• Data appertaining to mortality rates.

3)Making comparison between the demographic indicators made out of previous surveys and population and housing census 1431H (2010)
4)Updating the data base of the population.
5)Providing population data and indicators periodically for measuring the change in the demographic characteristics with the passage of time, and for carrying out local, regional and international comparisons.