B 
children. In 1921—25 the death of children in the first year of life 
was only 52 per thousand (excl. still-births), that is, lower than any- 
where else in Europe, Norway excepted. In this respect there is a 
vast change for the better, as the mortality amongst children in the 
first year of life was for the years 1871—80 189 per thousand (excl. 
still-births), and for 1841—50 even 313 per thousand. 
The most common causes of death are pneumonia, tuberculosis, and 
weakness due to old age (debilitas senilis), which together account for 
more than {two-fifths of the deaths. Of all the deaths in the years 1921—25 
{5.8 per cent. were due to pneumonia, 13.8 per cent. to tuberculosis (pul- 
monary alone being responsible for 9.1 p. c), and 12.0 p. c. to old 
age weakness. In the same period 8.1 p. c of the deaths were due to 
accidents and 7.5 p. ¢. to cancer. Accidents are thus among the more 
prominent causes of death, especially deaths by drowning amongst fisher- 
men along the extensive coasts. In 1921—25 more than four-fifths of the 
deaths caused by accidents were due to drowning. Suicide is comparatively 
rare in Iceland. and murder does not occur for years and years together. 
RURAL AND URBAN POPULATION 
In spite of the great increase of the population since 1890, there 
has from 1880 been a steady decline in the number of the rural 
population, all the increase having gone to the towns, which in con- 
sequence have grown very rapidly. Formerly almost all the people 
were farmers. In 1880 there were but three towns in the country with 
a total of 3630 inhabitants, or 5 p. c. of the then population. Now 
{here are 8 towas with a total of 41000, or about two-fifths of the 
nation, besides 21 coastal villages with from 300—1200 inhabitants 
sach, or 12000 in all. If these are included in the town population it 
attains to 51 p. c. of the nation. The changes that have taken place 
in this respect are shown in the following table: 
1880 
890 
.890 
910 
1920 
1028 
Coastal villages 
with more than 
300 inhabitants 
Towns 
50 p. c. 
1.5 - 88.9 p. c. 
(2.9 ~- rE 80.3 - 
21.1 — 11.1 — 67.8 — 
30.7 — 12.0 — 57.3 — 
39.4 — 11.2 — 49.4 -- 
Rural dis- 
tricts 
Total 
00 p. c. 
100 — 
100 — 
100 — 
100 -— 
100 
in 1928 the town population was as follows: