Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1960, Side 182

Public Health in Iceland 1960. — A Summary.
1. The climatic conditions were,
on the whole, very favourable. The
mean temperature was 1.4 centigrades
(C) above the average. Stormy days
were fewer than in the average year
except as regards the south-east and
south coast. The downfall was 13%
below the average. In Reykjavik there
were 234 more hours of sunshine than
on the average.
During the year strong measures
were taken to stabilize the economy.
A unified exchange rate was estab-
lished. Imports and other foreign ex-
change transactions were liberalized.
The linking of wages to prices was
abolished. Interest rates were in-
creased and reserve requirements and
credit ceilings introduced. The effects
of these measures upon the standard
of living were meliorated by great
increases in old age pensions and
family allowances and reductions in
direct taxes. External economic
balance was achieved during the year
and after an intitial increase prices
became stable. There was only a
small increase in national product,
partly because of relatively poor fish
catches. Private consumption per
capita declined slightly while public
consumption increased significantly,
and capital formation increased some-
what because of substantial imports of
fishing boats.1).
2. Popnlation, Births and Deaths.
The population was on December lst
1960 177292 including Reykjavik
72407 (1959: 173855 and 71037). The
estimated midyear population was
175574 (172006). The marriage rate
was 7.5 (7.8), the birth rate 28.0
(28.1) and the death rate 6.6 (7.2) per
1000 inhabitants. The infant mortality
rate was 13.0 (16.3) per 1000 born
alive. The general death rate is now
very low and the infant mortality
figure the lowest ever registered.
3. Causes of Deaths are shown on
pp. 67—74.
The following ten are the most
common:
Number
303
Diseases of the Heart ...............
Cancer — Malignant Growths ............. 286
Apoplexy ............................... 161
Violence (all forms) .................... 76
Pneumonia (Lobar and Lobular, Pn. of
Infants included) ..................... 60
Diseases of Infants (Pneumonia excepted) 31
Congenital Malformation ................. 25
Old Age ................................. 15
Pulmonary Congestion and Hypostasis ... 14
Infections of Kidney .................... 14
Other and Unknown Causes ............... 182
Per 1000 of
deaths
259.6
245.1
138.0
65.1
51.4
26.6
21.4
12.8
12.0
12.0
156.0
Per 1000
of the
population
1.73
1.63
0.92
0.43
0.34
0.18
0.14
0.09
0.08
0.08
1.04
1) The Economic Institute.