Physicians (per 1,000 people) in Canada
Canada: Physicians (per 1,000 people) was 2.82 per 1,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.82 per 1,000 people
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
68th
of 194 countries
All-time high
2.82 per 1,000 people
in 2023
All-time low
1.1 per 1,000 people
in 1961
Years of data
57
1961–2023
Physicians in Canada, 1961–2023
Source: Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, physicians in Canada stood at 2.82 per 1,000 people. That is the highest value across all 57 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, physicians in Canada peaked at 2.82 per 1,000 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.1 per 1,000 people, in 1961.
Canada ranks 68th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 57 years of available data.
Physicians (per 1,000 people) in Canada, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1962 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +9.1% |
| 1963 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1964 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1970 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1972 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1973 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1979 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2 per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.2 per 1,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1995 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.86 per 1,000 people | -11.4% |
| 1999 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +12.8% |
| 2001 | 1.89 per 1,000 people | -10.1% |
| 2002 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.91 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.96 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 2.04 per 1,000 people | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 2.4 per 1,000 people | +17.6% |
| 2013 | 2.45 per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 2.5 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 2.54 per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 2.31 per 1,000 people | -9.0% |
| 2017 | 2.61 per 1,000 people | +13.0% |
| 2018 | 2.41 per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 2.42 per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 2.42 per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 2.44 per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 2.81 per 1,000 people | +15.1% |
| 2023 | 2.82 per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 2.82 per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.59 per 1,000 people, 78% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.28 per 1,000 people | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 1.4 per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.64 per 1,000 people | 1.4 per 1,000 people | 1.8 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.96 per 1,000 people | 1.8 per 1,000 people | 2.1 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.09 per 1,000 people | 1.86 per 1,000 people | 2.2 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.91 per 1,000 people | 1.89 per 1,000 people | 1.96 per 1,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 2.41 per 1,000 people | 2.04 per 1,000 people | 2.61 per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 2020s | 2.62 per 1,000 people | 2.42 per 1,000 people | 2.82 per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 65 Antigua and Barbuda 2.92 per 1,000 people compare
- 66 Jordan 2.85 per 1,000 people compare
- 67 Singapore 2.83 per 1,000 people compare
- 69 Uzbekistan 2.81 per 1,000 people compare
- 70 Montenegro 2.78 per 1,000 people compare
- 71 Costa Rica 2.69 per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Canada
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.79 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3588 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 385 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5214 % 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 0.023 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5024 % 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 0.0242 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is physicians in Canada?
- Physicians in Canada was 2.82 per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest physicians recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 2.82 per 1,000 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest physicians recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1 per 1,000 people in 1961.
- How does Canada rank for physicians?
- Canada ranks 68th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is physicians rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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.