Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/867

 RELKJION — INSTRUCTION — PAUPERISM, ETC.

815

The following table gives the total number of births, deaths, and marriages, with the surplus of births over deaths, for three years : —

Yesrs. Marriages.

Total Births.

Stillborn.

DmOm.

I Surplus of Births over Deaths.

547

601

2,329

1,285 1,087

1,478

1,044

1,333

941

Of the births in 1919, 141 per cent were illegitimate (14 3 per cent, in 1917).

Emigrants, chiefly to Canada, 215 in 1912, 294 in 1913, 141 in 1914, and 7 in 1915.

Religion. — The national Church, and the only one endowed by the State, is Evangelical Lutheran. But there is complete religious liberty, and no civil disabilities are attached to those not oi the national religion. The affairs of the national Church are under the superintendence of one bishop. At the census of 1910 only 288 were returned as Dissenters.

Instruction. — There is a University in Reykjavik, comprising 4 faculties (Theology, Medicine, Jurisprudence, and Philosophy). There is one grammar school, 3 public high schools, besides 2 ladies' schools, a school for elementary-school teachers, 2 schools of agriculture, a school of navigation, a commercial high school, and several other special schools. The elementary instruction is compulsory for a period of 5 years, the school age being from 10 to 14 years. Before the age of 10 the children are usually privately educated, at any rate in the country. In 191617 there were 465 elementary schools, with 353 teachers and 6,920 pupils. There are also several continuation schools for young people.

Pauperism and Old- Age Pensions.— Ordinary poor-relief is regulated by the law of November 10, 1905. Each community constitutes a jK>or district. Iu 1910 the number of paupers relieved was 2,149. The expenditure amounted to 7,500/.

There is in every community one Old-Age Pension Fund, to which all men and women from 18 to 60 years of age, to whom pensions are not other- wise secured, are bouud to contribute, unless they are considered too poor to do so. In addition the funds receive a subvention from the State. Grants are made to infirm poor persons over 60 years of age who for the preceding 5 years have not received poor-relief. In 1915 these were granted subvention from the funds to an amount of 2,500/., and at the end of that year the total property of the funds amounted to 18,000/.

Justice and Crime. — The lower courts of justice in Iceland are those of the provincial magistrates (-'yslumenn) and town judges (bcejarftgetar). From these there is an appeal to the Supreme Court (hceslirjtlt ur) in Reykjavik, which has 5 judges. In 1918, 24 persons were convicted of crimes.

Finance.— Revenue and expenditure for 6 years : —

Tear

Revenue

Eij-enditure

Tear

1918, 1919 . 19201.

Revenue

Ez|«nditnre

1915 1910 1»17.

M 157,444 181. 813,500

£

i50,oi:: 17a, 6ii

769,588

& 133,388 904,510 298,970

£ 160,010

'.Hf.- 285,33.!

1 Estimates.