This book describes the variety of direct and indirect population size estimation (PSE) methods available along with their strengths and weaknesses. Direct estimation methods, such as enumeration and mapping, involve contact with members of hard-to-reach groups. Indirect methods have practical appeal because they require no contact with members of hard-to-reach groups. One indirect method in particular, network scale-up (NSU), has several strengths over other PSE methods: It can be applied at a province/country level, it can estimate size of several hard-to-reach population in a single study, and it is implemented with members of the general population rather than members of hard-to-reach groups.

The book discusses methods to collect, analyze, and adjust results and presents methods to triangulate and finalize PSEs.