World Bank Data · 137 countries
Countries With Most Doctors Per Capita
The number of physicians per capita is a key indicator of healthcare access. Cuba, Austria, and Georgia lead the world with the highest doctor-to-population ratios. Cuba's strong showing reflects its famous emphasis on medical education and healthcare as a national priority, despite being a lower-middle-income country. Sub-Saharan Africa faces the most severe physician shortages, with some countries having fewer than 1 doctor per 10,000 people. The WHO recommends a minimum of 1 physician per 1,000 people for basic healthcare coverage. Brain drain, where doctors trained in developing countries emigrate to wealthier nations, exacerbates shortages in the countries that can least afford to lose medical talent.
Key Findings
- 1Seychelles leads with a physicians per 1,000 people of 6.60, followed by Greece (6.58) and Portugal (5.85).
- 2Niger ranks last at 0.04, while Seychelles leads at 6.60.
- 3The national median across all states is 1.93 (Turkmenistan at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: Seychelles, Greece, Portugal, Georgia, Austria, Russian Federation, Argentina, Andorra, Norway, Belarus.
Full Ranking: Countries With Most Doctors Per Capita
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | Country | Physicians/1000 | Life Expectancy | GDP/Capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zimbabwe | 0.1 | 62.8 | $2,195 |
| 2 | Zambia | 0.3 | 66.3 | $1,331 |
| 3 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.1 | 69.3 | - |
| 4 | Uruguay | 4.7 | 78.1 | $23,019 |
| 5 | United States | 3.7 | 78.4 | $81,032 |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 3.3 | 81.2 | $49,944 |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | 3 | 82.9 | $49,851 |
| 8 | Ukraine | 3.5 | 73.4 | $5,140 |
| 9 | Uganda | 0.2 | 68.3 | $1,002 |
| 10 | Turkmenistan | 1.9 | 70.1 | $6,232 |
| 11 | Turkiye | 2.2 | 77.2 | $13,375 |
| 12 | Togo | 0.1 | 62.7 | $1,055 |
| 13 | Tanzania | 0.1 | 67 | $1,224 |
| 14 | Tajikistan | 1.9 | 71.8 | $1,178 |
| 15 | Taiwan | 2.4 | 80.9 | $34,430 |
| 16 | Switzerland | 4.5 | 84.2 | $100,624 |
| 17 | Suriname | 1.4 | 73.6 | $5,522 |
| 18 | Sri Lanka | 1.1 | 77.5 | $3,799 |
| 19 | Spain | 4.3 | 83.9 | $33,493 |
| 20 | South Sudan | 0 | 57.6 | - |
| 21 | South Africa | 0.8 | 66.1 | $6,034 |
| 22 | Solomon Islands | 0.2 | 70.5 | $1,883 |
| 23 | Slovenia | 3.4 | 81.9 | $32,660 |
| 24 | Slovak Republic | 3.7 | 78.1 | $24,615 |
| 25 | Singapore | 2.8 | 83.1 | $85,412 |
| 26 | Sierra Leone | 0.1 | 61.8 | $758.33 |
| 27 | Seychelles | 6.6 | 75.4 | $18,263 |
| 28 | Serbia | 3.1 | 76.1 | $12,282 |
| 29 | Senegal | 0.1 | 68.7 | $1,698 |
| 30 | Saudi Arabia | 3.4 | 78.7 | $36,157 |
| 31 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.5 | 69.7 | $2,991 |
| 32 | San Marino | 4.6 | 85.7 | $59,880 |
| 33 | Rwanda | 0.1 | 67.8 | $1,027 |
| 34 | Russian Federation | 5.1 | 73.3 | $14,159 |
| 35 | Romania | 3.6 | 76.4 | $18,244 |
| 36 | Qatar | 3 | 82.4 | $81,817 |
| 37 | Portugal | 5.9 | 82.3 | $27,635 |
| 38 | Poland | 4 | 78.3 | $22,145 |
| 39 | Peru | 1.7 | 77.7 | $7,888 |
| 40 | Paraguay | 3.9 | 73.8 | $6,300 |
| 41 | Papua New Guinea | 0.1 | 66.1 | $2,966 |
| 42 | Panama | 1.6 | 79.6 | $18,797 |
| 43 | Palau | 1.8 | 69.3 | $15,611 |
| 44 | Oman | 2 | 80 | $21,028 |
| 45 | Norway | 5 | 83 | $87,497 |
| 46 | North Macedonia | 2.9 | 75.3 | $8,674 |
| 47 | Nigeria | 0.4 | 54.5 | $2,139 |
| 48 | Niger | 0 | 61.2 | $638.34 |
| 49 | New Zealand | 3.6 | 81.8 | $49,076 |
| 50 | Netherlands | 3.9 | 81.9 | $63,516 |
| 51 | Nepal | 1 | 70.4 | $1,382 |
| 52 | Namibia | 0.6 | 67.4 | $4,188 |
| 53 | Mozambique | 0.2 | 63.6 | $622.00 |
| 54 | Montenegro | 2.8 | 77.6 | $12,260 |
| 55 | Mongolia | 4.1 | 72.1 | $5,839 |
| 56 | Moldova | 4 | 71.2 | $6,800 |
| 57 | Mexico | 2.6 | 75.1 | $13,861 |
| 58 | Mauritius | 1.4 | 73.4 | $11,270 |
| 59 | Mauritania | 0.3 | 68.5 | $2,136 |
| 60 | Malta | 4.5 | 83.4 | $40,906 |
| 61 | Mali | 0.2 | 60.4 | $1,044 |
| 62 | Malaysia | 2.3 | 76.7 | $11,386 |
| 63 | Malawi | 0.1 | 67.4 | $633.21 |
| 64 | Madagascar | 0.2 | 63.6 | $508.72 |
| 65 | Lithuania | 4.5 | 77.3 | $27,786 |
| 66 | Liberia | 0.2 | 62.2 | $799.19 |
| 67 | Lesotho | 0.2 | 57.4 | $916.28 |
| 68 | Latvia | 3.4 | 75.4 | $22,710 |
| 69 | Lao PDR | 0.3 | 69 | $2,067 |
| 70 | Kyrgyz Republic | 1.6 | 72.2 | $2,138 |
| 71 | Korea, Rep. | 2.6 | 83.4 | $35,674 |
| 72 | Kenya | 0.3 | 63.6 | $1,943 |
| 73 | Kazakhstan | 3.8 | 74.4 | $12,879 |
| 74 | Jordan | 2.9 | 77.8 | $4,466 |
| 75 | Japan | 2.6 | 84 | $33,836 |
| 76 | Jamaica | 0.5 | 71.5 | $7,542 |
| 77 | Italy | 4.2 | 83.4 | $39,277 |
| 78 | Ireland | 3.9 | 82.8 | $106,819 |
| 79 | Iraq | 1 | 72.3 | $5,965 |
| 80 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 1.8 | 77.7 | $5,049 |
| 81 | Indonesia | 0.5 | 71.1 | $4,876 |
| 82 | Iceland | 4.4 | 82.5 | $82,139 |
| 83 | Hungary | 3.5 | 76.6 | $22,231 |
| 84 | Haiti | 0.3 | 64.9 | $1,706 |
| 85 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.3 | 64.1 | $988.09 |
| 86 | Guinea | 0.2 | 60.7 | $1,555 |
| 87 | Greece | 6.6 | 81.7 | $23,344 |
| 88 | Ghana | 0.3 | 65.5 | $2,384 |
| 89 | Germany | 4.5 | 81 | $54,777 |
| 90 | Georgia | 5.6 | 74.5 | $8,284 |
| 91 | Gambia, The | 0.1 | 65.9 | $883.02 |
| 92 | Gabon | 0.5 | 68.3 | $7,803 |
| 93 | France | 3.3 | 82.8 | $44,700 |
| 94 | Ethiopia | 0.1 | 67.3 | $1,056 |
| 95 | Eswatini | 0.6 | 64.1 | $3,756 |
| 96 | Estonia | 3.5 | 78.8 | $30,264 |
| 97 | Eritrea | 0.1 | 68.6 | - |
| 98 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.2 | 63.7 | $6,678 |
| 99 | El Salvador | 1.6 | 72.1 | $5,365 |
| 100 | Dominican Republic | 2.4 | 73.7 | $10,630 |
| 101 | Djibouti | 0.2 | 66 | $3,381 |
| 102 | Czechia | 4.4 | 79.8 | $31,762 |
| 103 | Cyprus | 3.6 | 81.6 | $36,624 |
| 104 | Croatia | 3.9 | 78.5 | $22,184 |
| 105 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.2 | 61.9 | $2,592 |
| 106 | Costa Rica | 2.7 | 80.8 | $16,942 |
| 107 | Congo, Rep. | 0.2 | 65.8 | $2,478 |
| 108 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.2 | 61.9 | $660.21 |
| 109 | Comoros | 0.4 | 66.8 | $1,560 |
| 110 | Colombia | 2.5 | 77.7 | $7,001 |
| 111 | China | 3.1 | 78 | $12,951 |
| 112 | Chile | 3.3 | 81.2 | $17,067 |
| 113 | Chad | 0.1 | 55.1 | $949.33 |
| 114 | Central African Republic | 0.1 | 57.4 | $495.98 |
| 115 | Canada | 2.8 | 81.6 | $54,220 |
| 116 | Cameroon | 0.1 | 63.7 | $1,720 |
| 117 | Cabo Verde | 0.7 | 76.1 | $4,795 |
| 118 | Burundi | 0.1 | 63.7 | $250.63 |
| 119 | Burkina Faso | 0.1 | 61.1 | $873.48 |
| 120 | Bulgaria | 4.3 | 75.8 | $15,853 |
| 121 | Brazil | 2.4 | 75.8 | $10,378 |
| 122 | Botswana | 0.4 | 69.2 | $7,826 |
| 123 | Bhutan | 0.6 | 73 | $3,831 |
| 124 | Benin | 0.2 | 60.8 | $1,394 |
| 125 | Belgium | 3.6 | 82.4 | $55,291 |
| 126 | Belarus | 4.7 | 74.2 | $7,897 |
| 127 | Barbados | 3 | 76.2 | $25,584 |
| 128 | Bangladesh | 0.7 | 74.7 | $2,551 |
| 129 | Azerbaijan | 3.2 | 74.4 | $7,133 |
| 130 | Austria | 5.5 | 81.8 | $56,580 |
| 131 | Australia | 4.1 | 83.1 | $65,058 |
| 132 | Armenia | 3.4 | 77.5 | $8,159 |
| 133 | Argentina | 5.1 | 77.4 | $14,262 |
| 134 | Angola | 0.2 | 64.6 | $2,916 |
| 135 | Andorra | 5.1 | 84 | $46,812 |
| 136 | Algeria | 1.7 | 76.3 | $5,370 |
| 137 | Afghanistan | 0.3 | 66 | $413.76 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Seychelles has the highest physicians per 1,000 people at 6.60, according to latest Census ACS data. Greece and Portugal round out the top three.
Niger has the lowest physicians per 1,000 people at 0.04. South Sudan is second-lowest at 0.04.
The median across all 137 states is 1.93. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.