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Number of pharmacists — all countries

Number of pharmacists — Western Europe

Number of pharmacists in Western Europe in 2023 — 144,755 people. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 925.7%.

2023 144,755 people −3.95% vs 2022
World rank —
Period maximum 151,753 people2009
Period minimum 14,113 people1980

Trend over time

1980–2023 · people

Number of pharmacists — Western Europe, 1980–2023050,000100,000150,000200,00019801985199019952000200520102015202020231980: 14,113 people1985: 15,522 people1986: 66,173 people1987: 68,104 people1988: 69,860 people1989: 71,411 people1990: 72,522 people1991: 114,888 people1992: 114,710 people1993: 116,196 people1994: 118,472 people1995: 121,160 people1996: 122,726 people1997: 125,213 people1998: 126,323 people1999: 129,162 people2000: 131,676 people2001: 133,713 people2002: 136,834 people2003: 138,202 people2004: 140,780 people2005: 143,445 people2006: 145,841 people2007: 148,811 people2008: 150,635 people2009: 151,753 people2010: 150,765 people2011: 139,016 people2012: 140,307 people2013: 141,810 people2014: 143,304 people2015: 144,342 people2016: 144,822 people2017: 145,399 people2018: 146,318 people2019: 148,213 people2020: 148,203 people2021: 149,850 people2022: 150,713 people2023: 144,755 people
Change over the period: +130,642 (+925.69%) Average annual rate: 5.56 %
Number of pharmacists — Western Europe, by year Western Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2023 144,755 −5,958 −3.95%
2022 150,713 +863 +0.58%
2021 149,850 +1,647 +1.11%
2020 148,203 −10 −0.01%
2019 148,213 +1,895 +1.3%
2018 146,318 +919 +0.63%
2017 145,399 +577 +0.4%
2016 144,822 +480 +0.33%
2015 144,342 +1,038 +0.72%
2014 143,304 +1,494 +1.05%
2013 141,810 +1,503 +1.07%
2012 140,307 +1,291 +0.93%
2011 139,016 −11,749 −7.79%
2010 150,765 −988 −0.65%
2009 151,753 +1,118 +0.74%
2008 150,635 +1,824 +1.23%
2007 148,811 +2,970 +2.04%
2006 145,841 +2,396 +1.67%
2005 143,445 +2,665 +1.89%
2004 140,780 +2,578 +1.87%
2003 138,202 +1,368 +1%
2002 136,834 +3,121 +2.33%
2001 133,713 +2,037 +1.55%
2000 131,676 +2,514 +1.95%
1999 129,162 +2,839 +2.25%
1998 126,323 +1,110 +0.89%
1997 125,213 +2,487 +2.03%
1996 122,726 +1,566 +1.29%
1995 121,160 +2,688 +2.27%
1994 118,472 +2,276 +1.96%
1993 116,196 +1,486 +1.3%
1992 114,710 −178 −0.15%
1991 114,888 +42,366 +58.42%
1990 72,522 +1,111 +1.56%
1989 71,411 +1,551 +2.22%
1988 69,860 +1,756 +2.58%
1987 68,104 +1,931 +2.92%
1986 66,173 +50,651 +326.32%
1985 15,522 — —
1980 14,113 — —

About the indicator

The number of pharmaceutical personnel, from WHO. The indicator matters for assessing the availability of medicines: in systems with a weak primary level the pharmacy often turns out to be the first and only point of contact a person has with medicine, and provision of pharmacists determines how safe that contact is.

Important: In different countries the category takes in both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, so comparison of absolute numbers between countries is approximate.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for Western Europe

Healthcare Physicians, total

How many physicians work in a country — in absolute numbers, from 1971 onward.

Western Europe by year Healthcare Nurses and midwives, total

How many nurses and midwives work in a country — usually three times as many as physicians.

Western Europe by year Healthcare Dentists per 10,000 people

Provision of dentists — the only category of doctors WHO counts separately.

Western Europe by year Healthcare Health expenditure (% of GDP)

All current health spending — government and private — as a percent of GDP.

Western Europe by year Healthcare Health expenditure per capita

How much is spent on health per person a year, in US dollars.

Western Europe by year Healthcare Physicians per 1,000 people

The number of physicians per 1,000 people.

Western Europe by year
All indicators for Western Europe