Which term describes the characteristics or makeup of a population?

The term that accurately describes the characteristics or makeup of a population is demographics. Demographics encompass a variety of factors, including age, gender, income, education level, and ethnicity, that collectively provide a detailed profile of a population's structure. This information is crucial for businesses, policymakers, and researchers as it aids in understanding trends, making informed decisions, and targeting specific groups effectively.

Statistics, on the other hand, refers more broadly to the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of numerical data, which can include demographic data but is not limited to it. Population density specifically focuses on the number of people living in a given area, which is just one aspect of demographics. Surveys are tools used for data collection that can gather demographic information but do not define or represent the characteristics of a population on their own. Therefore, demographics is the most precise term for describing the overall characteristics and makeup of a population.