Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1967, Blaðsíða 174

Public Health in Iceland 1967. — A Summary.
1. The climatic conditions were rather unfavourable. The mean
temperature was 1.2° (C) under the average.
In the year 1967 the Icelandic economy experienced a unfavourable
development and in November that year the Icelandic Krona was de-
valued by 24.6 per cent. The total fish catch decreased by 27.7 per cent
and the real value of the catch by 19.4 per cent. In addition the prices
of the main export products fell considerably and the terms of trade
deteriorated by 9.8 per cent. Gross national product decreased by 2.0
per cent in total volume and by 3.5 per cent per capita. The value of
gross output from fisheries and fish processing decreased by 21.4 per
cent and industrial production by 4.3 per cent, but agricultural pro-
duction increased by 3.8 per cent and construction activity by 10.0 per
cent. Imports of goods and services increased by 6 per cent, but ex-
ports decreased by 15 per cent. The external current account showed
a deficit amounting to 2.251 mill. I. kr.
Industrial relations were rather peaceful, while wage rates rose by
5.1 per cent on average in the previous year. The cos.t of living rose
by 3.7 per cent, limiting the rise in real wages to 1.4 per cent. The pur-
chasing power of disposable earnings decreased, however, by 12.6 per
cent for married workers and seamen. Private consumption increased
by 1.2 per cent and gross fixed asset formation by 12.7 per cent. Hospital
buildings amounted to 147.8 mill. I. kr. and decreased by 4.5 per cent
from the previous year.
2. Population, Births and Deaths. The population was on December
lst 1967 199920 including Reykjavík 80090 (1966: 196933 and 79202).
The estimated midyear population was 198674 (195610). The marriage
rate was 8.6 (7.9), the live birth rate 22.2 (24.0) and the death rate 7.0
(7.1) per 1000 inhabitants. The infant mortality rate was 12.9 (13.6)
per 1000 born alive.
3. Causes of Deaths are shown on pp. 64—75. The following ten are
the most common (cf. p. 77).