Physicians in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Physicians was 0.317 per 1,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Physicians in Afghanistan, 1960–2023
Source: Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for physicians in Afghanistan is 0.317 per 1,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of up 25.3% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, physicians in Afghanistan peaked at 0.317 per 1,000 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.035 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places Afghanistan 151st out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Physicians in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.035 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.063 per 1,000 people | +80.0% |
| 1970 | 0.065 per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 0.077 per 1,000 people | +18.5% |
| 1986 | 0.183 per 1,000 people | +137.7% |
| 1987 | 0.179 per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1989 | 0.129 per 1,000 people | -27.9% |
| 1990 | 0.109 per 1,000 people | -15.5% |
| 1993 | 0.143 per 1,000 people | +31.2% |
| 1997 | 0.11 per 1,000 people | -23.1% |
| 2001 | 0.202 per 1,000 people | +83.6% |
| 2006 | 0.166 per 1,000 people | -17.8% |
| 2007 | 0.182 per 1,000 people | +9.6% |
| 2008 | 0.183 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 0.22 per 1,000 people | +20.2% |
| 2010 | 0.244 per 1,000 people | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 0.258 per 1,000 people | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 0.246 per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 0.29 per 1,000 people | +17.9% |
| 2014 | 0.304 per 1,000 people | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 0.29 per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 0.284 per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 0.245 per 1,000 people | -13.7% |
| 2018 | 0.303 per 1,000 people | +23.7% |
| 2019 | 0.214 per 1,000 people | -29.4% |
| 2020 | 0.253 per 1,000 people | +18.2% |
| 2023 | 0.317 per 1,000 people | +25.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.049 per 1,000 people | 0.035 per 1,000 people | 0.063 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.065 per 1,000 people | 0.065 per 1,000 people | 0.065 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 0.142 per 1,000 people | 0.077 per 1,000 people | 0.183 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 1990s | 0.1207 per 1,000 people | 0.109 per 1,000 people | 0.143 per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.1906 per 1,000 people | 0.166 per 1,000 people | 0.22 per 1,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 0.2678 per 1,000 people | 0.214 per 1,000 people | 0.304 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.285 per 1,000 people | 0.253 per 1,000 people | 0.317 per 1,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 812.4 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 14,735 (2100)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, annual growth rate 3.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per capita 0.0243 units per person (2025)
- Population, female, annual growth rate 2.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, female, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population, female, per capita 0.495 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is physicians in Afghanistan?
- Physicians in Afghanistan was 0.317 per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest physicians recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.317 per 1,000 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest physicians recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.035 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Afghanistan rank for physicians?
- Afghanistan ranks 151st out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is physicians rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Physicians (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Physicians include generalist and specialist medical practitioners.