Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1961, Side 175

Public Health in Iceland 1961. — A Summary.
1. The climatic conditions were rather unfavourable with exception
of the two first months of the year. The mean temperature was 0,8
centigrades (C) above the average. The downfall was 6% above the
average.
The year 1961 was in several respects a year of econoinic difficulties.
The winter cod fishing season was relatively poor and the trawler
fisheries failed. There was an unusally long and widespread strike in
the middle of the year, which led to wage increases of 13 to 17%. This
large increase disruoted the economic stability which had been achieved
in 1960. After the authority to determine the rate of exchange had
been transferred to the newly established Central Bank, a new rate of
exchange, 13% higher than the previous one, came into effect on August
4th. National product, private and public consumption increased by
less than 2% during the year, or approximately at the same rate as
population. Capital formation declined sharply, mainly because of the
dicline in imports of fishing boats. Because of improved export prices
and some decline in iinport prices, national income increased c.onsiderably
more than national product, or by about 5%. Economic conditions im-
proved significantly during the second half of the vear. The herring
fisheries in the summer and fall were excellent and helped to increase
exports. This, together with the stabilization policy followed by the
authorities, helped to improve the balance of payments, which came
out with a surplus on current account for the first time since the war,
and to raise foreign exchange reserves sharply during the second half
of the year.1)
2. Popnlation, Births and Deaths. The population was on Deceinber
Ist 1961 180058 including Beykjavik 73388 (1960: 177292 and 72407).
The estimated midijear population was 178675 (175574). The Marriage
rate was 7.5 (7.5), the birth rate 25.5 (28.0) and the death rate 7.0 (6.6)
per 1000 inhabitants. The infant mortalitij rate was 19.4 (13.0) per 1000
born alive.
1) The Economlc InsUtute.