We study the problem of efficiently constructing a curve   $C$  of genus
 $C$  of genus   $2$  over a finite field
 $2$  over a finite field   $\mathbb{F}$  for which either the curve
 $\mathbb{F}$  for which either the curve   $C$  itself or its Jacobian has a prescribed number
 $C$  itself or its Jacobian has a prescribed number   $N$  of
 $N$  of   $\mathbb{F}$ -rational points.
 $\mathbb{F}$ -rational points.
In the case of the Jacobian, we show that any ‘CM-construction’ to produce the required genus-  $2$  curves necessarily takes time exponential in the size of its input.
 $2$  curves necessarily takes time exponential in the size of its input.
On the other hand, we provide an algorithm for producing a genus-  $2$  curve with a given number of points that, heuristically, takes polynomial time for most input values. We illustrate the practical applicability of this algorithm by constructing a genus-
 $2$  curve with a given number of points that, heuristically, takes polynomial time for most input values. We illustrate the practical applicability of this algorithm by constructing a genus-  $2$  curve having exactly
 $2$  curve having exactly   $10^{2014}+9703$  (prime) points, and two genus-
 $10^{2014}+9703$  (prime) points, and two genus-  $2$  curves each having exactly
 $2$  curves each having exactly   $10^{2013}$  points.
 $10^{2013}$  points.
In an appendix we provide a complete parametrization, over an arbitrary base field   $k$  of characteristic neither two nor three, of the family of genus-
 $k$  of characteristic neither two nor three, of the family of genus-  $2$  curves over
 $2$  curves over   $k$  that have
 $k$  that have   $k$ -rational degree-
 $k$ -rational degree-  $3$  maps to elliptic curves, including formulas for the genus-
 $3$  maps to elliptic curves, including formulas for the genus-  $2$  curves, the associated elliptic curves, and the degree-
 $2$  curves, the associated elliptic curves, and the degree-  $3$  maps.
 $3$  maps.
 Supplementary materials are available with this article.