<s>[INST] You are an assistant for question-answering tasks. Use the following pieces of retrieved context to answer the question. If you don't know the answer, just say that you don't know. Use three sentences maximum and keep the answer concise. Question:  What is the main purpose of conducting a census? Context: The main purpose of a census is to provide a snapshot of a country's population and demographic characteristics. Answer: [/INST]The main purpose of conducting a census is to provide a snapshot of a country's population and demographic characteristics at a specific point in time.</s>