BIRTHS AND DEATHS 
The movement of the population will appear from the figures 
given below : 
1876—1885 
1886 —1896 
1896—1905 
1906—1915 
916—1920 
1921—1925 
926 . . . 
927. . . . . 
a2 . 
Born living: 
31 4 Clo 
Excess of births: 
6.6 %00 
i1.5 — 
11.9 — 
.8 — 
RS 25 — 
26.3 12,56 — 
26. 1l.e 15.4 — 
25.8 125 — 13.3 — 
7 oe 10.8 -—-— 14.0 — 
This table shows a steady decline in the number of births during 
the past 40 years, accompanied by a still greater fall in the death- 
rate and an ever growing natural increase of the population, due to 
the excess of births. 
The decline in the birth-rate has, however, been very slow, and the 
number of births is at present comparatively higher in Iceland than 
in other countries in north-western Europe. 
Of every 1000 children, born in the years 1920—25, twenty five were 
still-born. In this number there has, however, been a,steady decline of 
late (of every 1000 children born during 1886— 95, 36 were still-born). 
Of children born in Iceland a comparatively greater number is ille- 
gitimate than in other European countries. In 1921—25 illegitimate 
births amounted to 13.5 per 100. Vet illegitimate births are compara- 
tively much fewer now than they were 40 years ago, as the following 
table will make clear: 
1876—1885 . 
I886—18%5 . 
{896—1905 . 
906—1915 
1916—1920 
1921-—1925 
20.2 p. c. 
19.3 — 
14.8 — 
13.2 — 
13.3 
13 5 
The death-rate in Iceland is at present rather low, compared with 
‘he mortality in other countries, and as the above table shows there 
has been a great decline during the last 40 years. In the years 1926 
—28 there have been only 11.5 deaths per 1000 of the population. 
During the same period the death-rate was lower only in 3 European 
countries, viz. The Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark. 
The low death-rate is primarily due to the low mortality amongst