per cent be compared with the corresponding proportion during
the years 1801 and 1845, the following table is produced:
Under 30 From 30 —60 Above 60 Total
1801 . . . . 58.40 32.70 8.90 100.00
1845 . . . . 61.60 29.80 8.60 100.00
1891 . . . . 59.40 29.40 11.20 100.00
These figures show changes that are not altogether without
importance in the composition of the population. I t must not,
however, be forgotten, that the intermediate periods are of considerable
length, and that the enumerations here given show, to
some extent, the outside limits of the variation during the present
century. In 1845 the youngest, in 1801 the middle, and in 1891
the oldest group, was relatively more numerous than at some of
the other censuses, while the years 1801, 1891 and 1845 show the
minima of the gronps during the same period.
The great increase in the number of old people during the same
period (from 9.20 % in 1876 to 11.20 % in 1891) is of a more chance
character, being accounted for by the great increase in the number
of births during the first few years after 1814. Compared with
other countries, the number of old people in Norway is very
great, exceeded by only a few countries, e. g. Sweden and France.
If we compare the composition of the Norwegian population
according to age in- general, with corresponding conditions in other
countries, we find that the first 20 years are represented about
normally, but that the succeeding period, when the population is
in its most productive and useful age, is comparatively weaker in
numbers than in European countries generally. This condition is
most marked in the rural districts, where the relative number of
children and old people is greatest, while the number of young men
and women is comparatively greatest in the towns, a circumstance
which is more especially appreciable in Kristiania. This fact places
the productive power of the population in a more unfavourable
position than is the case in most other countries.
The total number of children under 15 years of age in 1891
was 712,435, of whom 363,164 were boys and 349,271 girls.
Compared with the domiciled population as a whole, this amounted
to 35.55 per cent, a proportion that to some extent corresponds
with the normal, and shows a certain advance since 1876, when
the proportion of children was 34.37 per cent.
DISTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO MA TRIM ONIA L STATE.
In 1891, those of the population who were above the age of
15,7could be divided into two almost exactly equal parts, one of
which-S|! 647,288 persons, or 50.11 °/oS*9 consisted of the married
persons, while the remaining 49.89 °/o (in which are included the
comparatively few unspecified) were unmarried or previously married
persons. In 1876, the relative number of married persons
was somewhat smaller, but at the first census of the century,
showed a noticeably larger percentage.
The percentage of married persons varies considerably in
different countries. -The number is greatest in Hungary (in 1890
66 per cent of the population over 16 .years of age); next to it
comes Saxony with 56 per cent (over 15 years of age), while in
Ireland, in 1891, only 39 °/o of the population were married. In
this respect, therefore, Norway takes ■ up an intermediate position.
If, however, account be taken of the fact that in northern lands
matrimony is entered upon at a comparatively later age, the
number of, married persons in Norway may be said to be comparatively
large.
The relative number of married persons varies somewhat in
the two sexes. Thus while out of 100 adult males in 1891,
53.36 were married, the corresponding proportion of women was
47.45. On the other hand, the number of widows was much
greater than the number of widowers, namely) 11.71 and 6.30 per
cent respectively of the total number of adults of each sex above
15 years of age. Of unmarried persons, there were 40.29 men
and 40.80 women in every 100-adults of each sex.
Both as regards men and women, there is some increase in
the relative number of married persons since the census of 1876.
The greatest number of married men in proportion to the
whole”adult male p o p u l a t i o n 84.10 per cent — are in the age-
group 45-—50, while the maximum for the women — 72.85 per
cent -S belongs to the group 40—45 years of age. The reason
is the greater mortality among the male sex, which, in this section
of life, makes more women widows, than men widowers.
The number of unmarried women of all ages is comparatively
greater in the towns than in the country, a circumstance which
is principally due to the great influx of domestic servants. The
same is the case with widows, of whom the , towns number com