Medical doctors in Ireland
Ireland: Medical doctors was 20,961 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Medical doctors in Ireland, 1985–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, medical doctors in Ireland stood at 20,961. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 49.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors in Ireland peaked at 20,961 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5,220, in 1989.
Ireland ranks 71st of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Medical doctors in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 5,750 | — |
| 1986 | 5,680 | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 5,500 | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 5,590 | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 5,220 | -6.6% |
| 1990 | 5,450 | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 5,995 | +10.0% |
| 1992 | 7,096 | +18.4% |
| 1993 | 7,212 | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 7,129 | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 7,563 | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 7,622 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 7,801 | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 8,102 | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 8,469 | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 8,438 | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 9,166 | +8.6% |
| 2002 | 9,444 | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 10,270 | +8.7% |
| 2004 | 11,141 | +8.5% |
| 2005 | 14,671 | +31.7% |
| 2006 | 15,509 | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 16,872 | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 17,741 | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 18,168 | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 18,838 | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 18,812 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 17,896 | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 18,160 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 14,029 | -22.7% |
| 2015 | 14,666 | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 15,178 | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 15,660 | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 15,962 | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 16,366 | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 17,231 | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 20,256 | +17.6% |
| 2022 | 17,180 | -15.2% |
| 2023 | 20,135 | +17.2% |
| 2024 | 20,961 | +4.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 20,961 is above the median for high income countries, which is 20,208, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 20,961 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 26,942, 78% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors in Ireland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +31.7% | 11,141 | 14,671 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5,548 | 5,220 | 5,750 | 5 |
| 1990s | 7,244 | 5,450 | 8,469 | 10 |
| 2000s | 13,142 | 8,438 | 18,168 | 10 |
| 2010s | 16,557 | 14,029 | 18,838 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19,153 | 17,180 | 20,961 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,122 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 20 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7228 % 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 0.026 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6489 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors in Ireland?
- Medical doctors in Ireland was 20,961 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest medical doctors recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 20,961 in 2024.
- What is the lowest medical doctors recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,220 in 1989.
- How does Ireland rank for medical doctors?
- Ireland ranks 71st out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is medical doctors rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Medical doctors (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).