Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) in Australia
Australia: Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) was 3.82 per 1,000 people in 2016. ▼ Falling
Hospital beds in Australia, 1960–2016
Source: WHO data, supplemented by country data, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for hospital beds in Australia is 3.82 per 1,000 people, measured in 2016.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, hospital beds in Australia peaked at 12.3 per 1,000 people in 1980 and was at its lowest, 3.72 per 1,000 people, in 2013.
That places Australia 44th out of 179 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) in Australia, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.2 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 11.3 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 11.4 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 11.7 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 11.8 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 11.9 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 11.8 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 11.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 11.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 11.7 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 11.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 11.6 per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 11.8 per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 11.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 12 per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 11.9 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 11.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 12.1 per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 12.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 12.2 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 12.3 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 12.2 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 12.1 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 11.9 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 11.7 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 10.9 per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 1987 | 10.5 per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 9.8 per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 1991 | 9.2 per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 1992 | 8.9 per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 8.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 8.7 per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 8.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 8.5 per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 8.3 per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 8.2 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 7.9 per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 4.02 per 1,000 people | -49.1% |
| 2001 | 3.94 per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 3.91 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 3.95 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 3.97 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 3.88 per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 3.9 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 3.8 per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 3.76 per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 3.76 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.76 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.73 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 3.72 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 3.77 per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 3.79 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 3.82 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 3.82 per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.3 per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Australia's 3.82 per 1,000 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.44 per 1,000 people, 1.6× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | -49.1% | 7.9 per 1,000 people | 4.02 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.64 per 1,000 people | 11.2 per 1,000 people | 11.9 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.91 per 1,000 people | 11.6 per 1,000 people | 12.2 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.43 per 1,000 people | 9.8 per 1,000 people | 12.3 per 1,000 people | 8 |
| 1990s | 8.59 per 1,000 people | 7.9 per 1,000 people | 9.2 per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.9 per 1,000 people | 3.76 per 1,000 people | 4.02 per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.76 per 1,000 people | 3.72 per 1,000 people | 3.82 per 1,000 people | 7 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 41 Dominica 3.97 per 1,000 people compare
- 42 Luxembourg 3.95 per 1,000 people compare
- 43 Sri Lanka 3.93 per 1,000 people compare
- 44 Montenegro 3.82 per 1,000 people compare
- 46 Mauritius 3.8 per 1,000 people compare
- 47 Kyrgyzstan 3.73 per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is hospital beds in Australia?
- Hospital beds in Australia was 3.82 per 1,000 people in 2016, according to WHO data, supplemented by country data, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest hospital beds recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 12.3 per 1,000 people in 1980.
- What is the lowest hospital beds recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.72 per 1,000 people in 2013.
- How does Australia rank for hospital beds?
- Australia ranks 44th out of 179 countries with data for 2016.
- Is hospital beds rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from WHO data, supplemented by country data, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Hospital beds (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases beds for both acute and chronic care are included.