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Physicians per 1,000 people — all countries

Physicians per 1,000 people — OECD

Physicians per 1,000 people in the OECD in 2022 — 3.43 per 1,000. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 65.4%.

2022 3.43 per 1,000 +0.73% vs 2021
World rank —
Period maximum 3.43 per 1,0002022
Period minimum 2.07 per 1,0001990

Trend over time

1990–2022 · per 1,000 people

Physicians per 1,000 people — OECD, 1990–202222.533.51990199419982002200620102014201820221990: 2.07 per 1,0001991: 2.28 per 1,0001992: 2.24 per 1,0001993: 2.36 per 1,0001994: 2.46 per 1,0001995: 2.44 per 1,0001996: 2.31 per 1,0001997: 2.43 per 1,0001998: 2.37 per 1,0001999: 2.49 per 1,0002000: 2.4 per 1,0002001: 2.46 per 1,0002002: 2.75 per 1,0002003: 2.54 per 1,0002004: 2.54 per 1,0002005: 2.62 per 1,0002006: 2.57 per 1,0002007: 2.72 per 1,0002008: 2.65 per 1,0002009: 2.79 per 1,0002010: 2.73 per 1,0002011: 2.87 per 1,0002012: 2.8 per 1,0002013: 2.93 per 1,0002014: 2.89 per 1,0002015: 3 per 1,0002016: 2.95 per 1,0002017: 3.09 per 1,0002018: 2.92 per 1,0002019: 3.29 per 1,0002020: 3.27 per 1,0002021: 3.4 per 1,0002022: 3.43 per 1,000
Change over the period: +1.36 (+65.42%) Average annual rate: 1.59 %

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: OECD

OECD 3.43 per 1,000
World 1.86 per 1,000
Physicians per 1,000 people — OECD, by year OECD All countries CSV XLSX
Year per 1,000 Change Change, %
2022 3.43 +0.02 +0.73%
2021 3.4 +0.14 +4.27%
2020 3.27 −0.03 −0.83%
2019 3.29 +0.37 +12.73%
2018 2.92 −0.17 −5.37%
2017 3.09 +0.13 +4.47%
2016 2.95 −0.04 −1.5%
2015 3 +0.11 +3.77%
2014 2.89 −0.04 −1.24%
2013 2.93 +0.12 +4.37%
2012 2.8 −0.07 −2.44%
2011 2.87 +0.15 +5.32%
2010 2.73 −0.06 −2.18%
2009 2.79 +0.14 +5.46%
2008 2.65 −0.07 −2.58%
2007 2.72 +0.14 +5.51%
2006 2.57 −0.05 −1.91%
2005 2.62 +0.08 +3.29%
2004 2.54 +0 +0.1%
2003 2.54 −0.21 −7.79%
2002 2.75 +0.29 +11.99%
2001 2.46 +0.06 +2.62%
2000 2.4 −0.09 −3.62%
1999 2.49 +0.12 +5.04%
1998 2.37 −0.06 −2.45%
1997 2.43 +0.12 +5.1%
1996 2.31 −0.13 −5.24%
1995 2.44 −0.02 −0.9%
1994 2.46 +0.09 +3.91%
1993 2.36 +0.12 +5.54%
1992 2.24 −0.04 −1.67%
1991 2.28 +0.21 +9.92%
1990 2.07 — —

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 the OECD

Healthcare Physicians, total

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

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

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

OECD by year Healthcare Hospital beds per 1,000 people

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

OECD by year Healthcare Health expenditure per capita

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

OECD by year
All indicators for the OECD