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 deathrate
 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 illegitimate
 than in other European countries. In 1921—25 illegitimate
births amounted to 13.5 per 100. Vet illegitimate births are comparatively
 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