RESUMEN
The aim of the present study is to examine the hypothesis that there is an increase in mortality in Ninevah which reflects a national increase in mortality during the period from 1977 to 1992. Besides the officially published sources of data, the study utilized the information recorded on [7977] death certificates representing the total deaths certificates for Ninevah residents who died in 1992. Comparison of mortality statistics based on registered deaths with those derived from special population surveys for Iraq, indicate that the degree of under registration of death is still high and is 40% of total deaths in Ninevah in 1992. Despite under registration, total mortality shows a marked increase mostly due to increase in infant deaths during the period under investigation. Application of standardized mortality ratio [SMR] affirms that the increase in mortality in Ninevah is a real and steady one. The annual increase is 4% for each of the 15 years from 1977 to 1992