Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1954, Blaðsíða 219

Public Health in Iceland 1954. — A Summary.
1. In 1954 the climatic conditions
cluring the winter were on the whole
favourable, and in some places even
cxceptionally so. In January the mean
temperature was 2—3 centigrades, in
February and March nearly 1 centi-
grade above the average. However the
sunshine during the winter months in
Reykjavík and Akureyri was of some-
■what shorter duration than the aver-
age. On the South and West Coast the
summer months were mild and dry,
but on the North and East Coast rain
Was frequent and the climate on the
whole rough and cold. In June—
August sunshine was in Reykjavik 89
and in Akureyri 83 hours under the
average. September was unusually
cold, the temperature 1—2 centigrades
below the average, in Akureyri this
was the coldest September since 1882,
the September of 1918 excepted. On
the South and West Coast September
vvas exceptionally brigth, the sun-
shine in Reykjavík of 75 hour’s longer
duration than the average.
There was general prosperity
throughout the year with an excellent
yield of the fisheries, the herring
catch excepted. The agricultural pro-
duction increased and there was an
cnormous capital investment and
building activities. The sale of Ice-
landic produce was good and the
export value attained a maximum, but
there was, nevertheless, considerable
adverse trade balance. No direct for-
eign aid was extended this year but
considerable revenue in foreign cur-
rency was obtained on account of
construction work done by the De-
fence Force in Keflavík. There was
no unemployment, but rather a con-
siderable lack of manpower. The
reverse side of this prosperity reveals
a continuous deterioration in the
situation of the export industries and
an instability in the labour market.
In spite of some wage increases prices
remained tolerably stable to the end
of the year.
2. Population, Births and Deaths.
The population was on December lst
1954: 156033 including Reykjavík
62035 (1953: 152506 and 60124). The
estimated midyear population was
154270 (150722). The marriage rate
was 9.3 (8.1), the birth rate 27.8
(28.7), and the death rate 6.9 (7.4) per
1000 inhabitants. Tlie infant mortality
rate was 18.2 (18.7) per 1000 born
alive. The general death rate is by
far the lowest on record, the last
year’s figure being the next lowest. The
infant mortality figure is likewise the
lowest ever registered, the last year’s
figure being the next lowest.
3. Causes of Deaths are shown on
pp. 64—72.
The following ten are tlie most
common:
28
L