What is the term used for the study of population characteristics?

The correct answer is demography, which specifically refers to the statistical study of populations, including the structure, distribution, and trends within various groups based on factors such as age, race, gender, and migration patterns. Demographers analyze data to understand how populations change over time due to births, deaths, and migration, which is crucial for sectors such as urban planning, public health, and economic policy.

Sociology, while related, focuses more broadly on the study of society, social behavior, and social institutions, rather than specifically on population characteristics. Geography studies the Earth's landscapes, environments, and the relationships between people and their environments, but it does not center primarily on the statistical aspects of populations. Statistics is a discipline that deals with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data, but it does not focus exclusively on populations. Therefore, demography is the most accurate term for the study of population characteristics.