Physicians, total — all countries

Physicians, total — OECD

Physicians, total in the OECD in 2023 — 3,286,102 people. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 313.6%.

2023 3.29M people −26.64% vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 4.48M people2022
Period minimum 729,121 people1981

Trend over time

1980–2023 · people

Physicians, total — OECD, 1980–202302M4M6M19801985199019952000200520102015202020231980: 794,434 people1981: 729,121 people1982: 969,787 people1983: 842,039 people1984: 1,084,192 people1985: 1,427,532 people1986: 1,178,681 people1987: 1,037,651 people1988: 1,243,266 people1989: 1,086,216 people1990: 1,514,680 people1991: 1,677,536 people1992: 1,913,781 people1993: 2,290,883 people1994: 2,573,418 people1995: 2,300,045 people1996: 2,514,988 people1997: 2,346,692 people1998: 2,658,112 people1999: 2,441,431 people2000: 2,715,990 people2001: 2,517,789 people2002: 2,830,540 people2003: 2,650,256 people2004: 2,968,672 people2005: 2,772,163 people2006: 3,113,370 people2007: 2,899,371 people2008: 3,230,547 people2009: 3,011,037 people2010: 3,355,940 people2011: 3,123,118 people2012: 3,472,718 people2013: 3,259,889 people2014: 3,581,129 people2015: 3,333,096 people2016: 3,705,178 people2017: 3,467,611 people2018: 4,008,972 people2019: 3,784,227 people2020: 4,210,127 people2021: 4,050,968 people2022: 4,479,640 people2023: 3,286,102 people
Change over the period: +2.49M (+313.64%) Average annual rate: 3.36 %
Physicians, total — OECD, by year OECD All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2023 3.29M −1.19M −26.64%
2022 4.48M +428,672 +10.58%
2021 4.05M −159,159 −3.78%
2020 4.21M +425,900 +11.25%
2019 3.78M −224,745 −5.61%
2018 4.01M +541,361 +15.61%
2017 3.47M −237,567 −6.41%
2016 3.71M +372,082 +11.16%
2015 3.33M −248,033 −6.93%
2014 3.58M +321,240 +9.85%
2013 3.26M −212,829 −6.13%
2012 3.47M +349,600 +11.19%
2011 3.12M −232,822 −6.94%
2010 3.36M +344,903 +11.45%
2009 3.01M −219,510 −6.79%
2008 3.23M +331,176 +11.42%
2007 2.9M −213,999 −6.87%
2006 3.11M +341,207 +12.31%
2005 2.77M −196,509 −6.62%
2004 2.97M +318,416 +12.01%
2003 2.65M −180,284 −6.37%
2002 2.83M +312,751 +12.42%
2001 2.52M −198,201 −7.3%
2000 2.72M +274,559 +11.25%
1999 2.44M −216,681 −8.15%
1998 2.66M +311,420 +13.27%
1997 2.35M −168,296 −6.69%
1996 2.51M +214,943 +9.35%
1995 2.3M −273,373 −10.62%
1994 2.57M +282,535 +12.33%
1993 2.29M +377,102 +19.7%
1992 1.91M +236,245 +14.08%
1991 1.68M +162,856 +10.75%
1990 1.51M +428,464 +39.45%
1989 1.09M −157,050 −12.63%
1988 1.24M +205,615 +19.82%
1987 1.04M −141,030 −11.97%
1986 1.18M −248,851 −17.43%
1985 1.43M +343,340 +31.67%
1984 1.08M +242,153 +28.76%
1983 842,039 −127,748 −13.17%
1982 969,787 +240,666 +33.01%
1981 729,121 −65,313 −8.22%
1980 794,434

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.