Nursing personnel in Spain

Spain: Nursing personnel was 284,232 in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
284,232
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
19th
of 189 countries
All-time high
298,033
in 2021
All-time low
78,800
in 1980
Years of data
43
1980–2023

Nursing personnel in Spain, 1980–2023

100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k300.0k1980200120231980: 78.8k1981: 125.9k1982: 132.0k1983: 134.4k1984: 136.8k1986: 141.4k1987: 143.0k1988: 146.3k1989: 151.0k1990: 104.3k1991: 155.0k1992: 158.5k1993: 161.7k1994: 161.9k1995: 166.1k1996: 130.0k1997: 133.9k1998: 133.6k1999: 136.3k2000: 143.6k2001: 158.3k2002: 168.8k2003: 180.8k2004: 184.6k2005: 190.4k2006: 197.9k2007: 208.3k2008: 221.6k2009: 229.7k2010: 239.9k2011: 244.0k2012: 245.3k2013: 239.8k2014: 239.3k2015: 245.5k2016: 256.3k2017: 267.3k2018: 273.8k2019: 276.8k2020: 287.0k2021: 298.0k2022: 290.6k2023: 284.2k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Spain recorded 284,232 for nursing personnel in 2023.

That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, nursing personnel in Spain peaked at 298,033 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 78,800, in 1980.

Spain ranks 19th of 189 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.

Nursing personnel in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Nursing personnel (number) in Spain, 1980 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1980 78,800 —
1981 125,884 +59.8%
1982 131,999 +4.9%
1983 134,400 +1.8%
1984 136,772 +1.8%
1986 141,359 +3.4%
1987 142,960 +1.1%
1988 146,333 +2.4%
1989 150,986 +3.2%
1990 104,300 -30.9%
1991 155,035 +48.6%
1992 158,466 +2.2%
1993 161,684 +2.0%
1994 161,852 +0.1%
1995 166,060 +2.6%
1996 130,000 -21.7%
1997 133,933 +3.0%
1998 133,633 -0.2%
1999 136,300 +2.0%
2000 143,567 +5.3%
2001 158,300 +10.3%
2002 168,833 +6.7%
2003 180,833 +7.1%
2004 184,600 +2.1%
2005 190,400 +3.1%
2006 197,867 +3.9%
2007 208,267 +5.3%
2008 221,600 +6.4%
2009 229,700 +3.7%
2010 239,867 +4.4%
2011 243,967 +1.7%
2012 245,300 +0.5%
2013 239,767 -2.3%
2014 239,333 -0.2%
2015 245,533 +2.6%
2016 256,333 +4.4%
2017 267,266 +4.3%
2018 273,833 +2.5%
2019 276,833 +1.1%
2020 287,000 +3.7%
2021 298,033 +3.8%
2022 290,633 -2.5%
2023 284,232 -2.2%

Spain compared with similar countries

  • Spain's 284,232 is above the median for high income countries, which is 39,449, 7.2× the median. (63 countries reporting)
  • Spain's 284,232 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 53,789, 5.3× the median. (51 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Nursing personnel in Spain 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.

YearChange FromTo
1981 +59.8% 78,800 125,884
1991 +48.6% 104,300 155,035
1990 -30.9% 150,986 104,300

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 132,166 78,800 150,986 9
1990s 144,126 104,300 166,060 10
2000s 188,397 143,567 229,700 10
2010s 252,803 239,333 276,833 10
2020s 289,974 284,232 298,033 4

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 16 Australia 361,769 compare
  2. 17 Uzbekistan 361,351 compare
  3. 18 Argentina 288,935 compare
  4. 20 Nigeria 267,951 compare
  5. 21 South Africa 265,877 compare
  6. 22 Thailand 256,119 compare

See the full ranking of 191 places →

More health data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is nursing personnel in Spain?
Nursing personnel in Spain was 284,232 in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest nursing personnel recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 298,033 in 2021.
What is the lowest nursing personnel recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 78,800 in 1980.
How does Spain rank for nursing personnel?
Spain ranks 19th out of 189 countries with data for 2023.
Is nursing personnel rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Spain data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Nursing personnel (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Nursing personnel in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/nursing-personnel-number/spain/

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About this data

Indicator
Nursing personnel (number)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
191 places, 3,864 data points, 1971–2024
Last refreshed