This note continues a regular series on mortality rates in Great Britain; the previous note in the series appeared in J.I.A.114, 135 and dealt with mortality in 1984 and 1985.

Following the 1981 Census, estimates of the resident population have been produced on a new definition. This includes residents temporarily outside the country but excludes foreign visitors. It includes members of both H.M. and foreign forces stationed in the United Kingdom but excludes members of H.M. forces who are stationed abroad. The figures for deaths are not precisely consistent with the new definition of the population, since they do not necessarily include all deaths of residents temporarily absent from the U.K.