Press Release 06/06/2014

MORTALITY STATISTICS OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY (EDEF) IV/ 2013

Deaths rose by nearly 2% in the fourth quarter of 2013

However, in 2013 as a whole they fell by 3%. It is noteworthy that 210 centenarians died, 180 of which were women, and 30 of which were men

In the fourth quarter of 2013 the number of deaths in the Basque Country stood at 4,950, 1.9% up on the same period of 2012, according to Eustat data. By province, in Álava there were 666 deaths, in Bizkaia there were 2,679 and in Gipuzkoa 1,605 people died.

The provisional data totals for 2013 recorded 19,124 deaths, of which 9,851 were men and 9,273 were women. The annual variation with respect to 2012 was negative, with 3% fewer deaths.

Amongst the deaths that occurred last year, 41 corresponded to children under one year of age, 27 boys and 14 girls. As regards the 210 individuals who died aged 100 or above, 180 were women and 30 were men. The increase in longevity is clear, particularly amongst the female sex, if we take into account the fact that in 1996 the number of deaths of women aged 100 or over stood at just 50.

The main cause of death in 2013 was due to tumours

31.4% of the deaths that occurred in 2013, or 6,003 deaths, were due to tumours. Following these were those caused by diseases of the circulatory system, 27.1% (5,188 deaths) and, in third place, some way behind, were deaths associated with diseases of the respiratory system, which accounted for 9.5% (1,824).

The cause of death continued to vary according to sex: amongst men, tumours caused 12.9% more deaths than diseases of the circulatory system in 2013, whilst the main cause of death amongst women was cardiovascular disease, followed in second place by tumours.

Population growth was negative in Bizkaia, but positive in Álava and Gipuzkoa

With provisional data from 2013, population growth in the Basque Country was negative with deaths exceeding births by 116 individuals. By province, only Bizkaia had a negative balance, with its population falling by 603 people. Regarding Álava and Gipuzkoa, both increased their population by 608 and 6 inhabitants, respectively.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Instituto Vasco de Estadística C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tlf: 945 01 75 62 Further press releases on MORTALITY STATISTICS of the Basque Country Databank on the Mortality Statistics of the Basque Country