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Physicians per 1,000 people — all countries

Physicians per 1,000 people — Canada

Physicians per 1,000 people in Canada in 2023 — 2.82 per 1,000. Ranked 20 in the world out of 58. Since 1961, the indicator has risen by 156.3%.

2023 2.82 per 1,000 +0.18% vs 2022
World rank 20of 58
Period maximum 2.82 per 1,0002023
Period minimum 1.1 per 1,0001961

Trend over time

1961–2023 · per 1,000 people

Physicians per 1,000 people — Canada, 1961–202311.522.5319611968197519821989199620032010201720231961: 1.1 per 1,0001962: 1.2 per 1,0001963: 1.3 per 1,0001964: 1.3 per 1,0001965: 1.3 per 1,0001966: 1.3 per 1,0001967: 1.3 per 1,0001968: 1.3 per 1,0001969: 1.4 per 1,0001970: 1.4 per 1,0001971: 1.5 per 1,0001972: 1.6 per 1,0001973: 1.6 per 1,0001974: 1.6 per 1,0001975: 1.7 per 1,0001976: 1.7 per 1,0001977: 1.7 per 1,0001978: 1.8 per 1,0001979: 1.8 per 1,0001980: 1.8 per 1,0001981: 1.8 per 1,0001982: 1.9 per 1,0001983: 1.9 per 1,0001984: 1.9 per 1,0001985: 2 per 1,0001986: 2 per 1,0001987: 2.1 per 1,0001988: 2.1 per 1,0001989: 2.1 per 1,0001990: 2.1 per 1,0001991: 2.1 per 1,0001992: 2.1 per 1,0001993: 2.2 per 1,0001994: 2.1 per 1,0001995: 2.1 per 1,0001996: 2.1 per 1,0001997: 2.1 per 1,0001998: 1.86 per 1,0001999: 2.1 per 1,0002001: 1.89 per 1,0002002: 1.9 per 1,0002004: 1.9 per 1,0002006: 1.91 per 1,0002008: 1.96 per 1,0002010: 2.04 per 1,0002012: 2.4 per 1,0002013: 2.45 per 1,0002014: 2.5 per 1,0002015: 2.54 per 1,0002016: 2.31 per 1,0002017: 2.61 per 1,0002018: 2.41 per 1,0002019: 2.42 per 1,0002020: 2.42 per 1,0002021: 2.44 per 1,0002022: 2.81 per 1,0002023: 2.82 per 1,000
Change over the period: +1.72 (+156.27%) Average annual rate: 1.53 %
Physicians per 1,000 people — Canada, by year Canada All countries CSV XLSX
Year per 1,000 Change Change, %
2023 2.82 +0 +0.18%
2022 2.81 +0.37 +15.14%
2021 2.44 +0.03 +1.2%
2020 2.42 −0 −0.12%
2019 2.42 +0.01 +0.29%
2018 2.41 −0.2 −7.63%
2017 2.61 +0.3 +12.97%
2016 2.31 −0.23 −8.99%
2015 2.54 +0.04 +1.71%
2014 2.5 +0.05 +1.84%
2013 2.45 +0.05 +2.28%
2012 2.4 — —
2010 2.04 — —
2008 1.96 — —
2006 1.91 — —
2004 1.9 — —
2002 1.9 +0.01 +0.52%
2001 1.89 — —
1999 2.1 +0.24 +12.84%
1998 1.86 −0.24 −11.38%
1997 2.1 +0 +0%
1996 2.1 +0 +0%
1995 2.1 +0 +0%
1994 2.1 −0.1 −4.55%
1993 2.2 +0.1 +4.76%
1992 2.1 +0 +0%
1991 2.1 +0 +0%
1990 2.1 +0 +0%
1989 2.1 +0 +0%
1988 2.1 +0 +0%
1987 2.1 +0.1 +5%
1986 2 +0 +0%
1985 2 +0.1 +5.26%
1984 1.9 +0 +0%
1983 1.9 +0 +0%
1982 1.9 +0.1 +5.56%
1981 1.8 +0 +0%
1980 1.8 +0 +0%
1979 1.8 +0 +0%
1978 1.8 +0.1 +5.88%
1977 1.7 +0 +0%
1976 1.7 +0 +0%
1975 1.7 +0.1 +6.25%
1974 1.6 +0 +0%
1973 1.6 +0 +0%
1972 1.6 +0.1 +6.67%
1971 1.5 +0.1 +7.14%
1970 1.4 +0 +0%
1969 1.4 +0.1 +7.69%
1968 1.3 +0 +0%
1967 1.3 +0 +0%
1966 1.3 +0 +0%
1965 1.3 +0 +0%
1964 1.3 +0 +0%
1963 1.3 +0.1 +8.33%
1962 1.2 +0.1 +9.09%
1961 1.1 — —

About the indicator

The number of practicing physicians (general practitioners and specialists alike) per 1,000 people. WHO treats a level below 2.3 health workers per 1,000 people as the critical threshold of health workforce provision — below it, basic coverage of health services cannot be secured.

Important: The data are not collected every year; countries differ in whether they count only practicing physicians or all licensed ones.

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

Other indicators for Canada

Healthcare Physicians, total

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

Canada by year Healthcare Nurses and midwives per 1,000 people

How many nurses and midwives there are per 1,000 people.

Canada by year Healthcare Hospital beds per 1,000 people

The number of hospital beds per 1,000 people — the capacity of inpatient care.

Canada by year Healthcare Health expenditure per capita

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

Canada by year
All indicators for Canada