Physicians, total — all countries

Physicians, total — Europe & Central Asia

Physicians, total in Europe & Central Asia in 2023 — 2,878,049 people. Since 1986, the indicator has risen by 66.3%.

2023 2.88M people −18.2% vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 3.52M people2022
Period minimum 1.73M people1986

Trend over time

1986–2023 · people

Physicians, total — Europe & Central Asia, 1986–20231.5M2M2.5M3M3.5M4M19861990199419982002200620102014201820221986: 1,730,542 people1989: 1,882,611 people1990: 2,095,098 people1991: 2,397,486 people1992: 2,382,280 people1993: 2,413,972 people1994: 2,467,272 people1995: 2,394,441 people1996: 2,383,599 people1997: 2,411,711 people1998: 2,482,518 people1999: 2,471,954 people2000: 2,647,226 people2001: 2,674,696 people2002: 2,713,227 people2003: 2,770,911 people2004: 2,810,984 people2005: 2,834,946 people2006: 2,892,199 people2007: 2,927,271 people2008: 2,955,427 people2009: 3,014,785 people2010: 3,054,888 people2011: 2,972,744 people2012: 2,967,893 people2013: 3,000,208 people2014: 2,986,220 people2015: 2,848,335 people2016: 2,901,935 people2017: 2,945,562 people2018: 3,073,416 people2019: 3,129,486 people2020: 3,162,409 people2021: 3,462,197 people2022: 3,518,340 people2023: 2,878,049 people
Change over the period: +1.15M (+66.31%) Average annual rate: 1.38 %
Physicians, total — Europe & Central Asia, by year Europe & Central Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2023 2.88M −640,291 −18.2%
2022 3.52M +56,143 +1.62%
2021 3.46M +299,788 +9.48%
2020 3.16M +32,923 +1.05%
2019 3.13M +56,070 +1.82%
2018 3.07M +127,854 +4.34%
2017 2.95M +43,627 +1.5%
2016 2.9M +53,600 +1.88%
2015 2.85M −137,885 −4.62%
2014 2.99M −13,988 −0.47%
2013 3M +32,315 +1.09%
2012 2.97M −4,851 −0.16%
2011 2.97M −82,144 −2.69%
2010 3.05M +40,103 +1.33%
2009 3.01M +59,358 +2.01%
2008 2.96M +28,156 +0.96%
2007 2.93M +35,072 +1.21%
2006 2.89M +57,253 +2.02%
2005 2.83M +23,962 +0.85%
2004 2.81M +40,073 +1.45%
2003 2.77M +57,684 +2.13%
2002 2.71M +38,531 +1.44%
2001 2.67M +27,470 +1.04%
2000 2.65M +175,272 +7.09%
1999 2.47M −10,564 −0.43%
1998 2.48M +70,807 +2.94%
1997 2.41M +28,112 +1.18%
1996 2.38M −10,842 −0.45%
1995 2.39M −72,831 −2.95%
1994 2.47M +53,300 +2.21%
1993 2.41M +31,692 +1.33%
1992 2.38M −15,206 −0.63%
1991 2.4M +302,388 +14.43%
1990 2.1M +212,487 +11.29%
1989 1.88M
1986 1.73M

About the indicator

The number of practicing physicians, from the WHO Global Health Observatory. The World Bank republishes only the density — physicians per thousand people — so the absolute number is available directly from WHO alone. Physicians of all specialties are counted, general practitioners and specialists included.

Important: The definition of a practicing physician differs across national registers: some countries include those working in administration and research. Physicians per thousand people is a separate indicator and suits comparison between countries better.

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