Physicians (per 1,000 people) in Iceland
Iceland: Physicians (per 1,000 people) was 4.37 per 1,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
4.37 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
21st
of 194 countries
All-time high
4.44 per 1,000 people
in 2022
All-time low
1.2 per 1,000 people
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Physicians in Iceland, 1960–2023
Source: Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, physicians in Iceland stood at 4.37 per 1,000 people.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and up 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, physicians in Iceland peaked at 4.44 per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.2 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
Iceland ranks 21st of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Physicians (per 1,000 people) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1969 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 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 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1975 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1976 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1977 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2 per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1979 | 2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1981 | 2.2 per 1,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2.4 per 1,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1986 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 2.85 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 2.85 per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 2.95 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 2.95 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3 per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 3.02 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 3.12 per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 3.26 per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 3.32 per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 3.38 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 3.44 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 3.47 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 3.58 per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 3.62 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 4.19 per 1,000 people | +16.0% |
| 2005 | 3.61 per 1,000 people | -13.8% |
| 2006 | 3.6 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 3.61 per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 3.64 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 3.65 per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 3.59 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 3.5 per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 3.56 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 3.61 per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 3.64 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 3.77 per 1,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 3.85 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 3.87 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 3.89 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 3.89 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4.32 per 1,000 people | +10.9% |
| 2021 | 4.38 per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 4.44 per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 4.37 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 4.37 per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.59 per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 4.37 per 1,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.73 per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.22 per 1,000 people | 1.2 per 1,000 people | 1.3 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.74 per 1,000 people | 1.4 per 1,000 people | 2 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.47 per 1,000 people | 2.1 per 1,000 people | 2.8 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.07 per 1,000 people | 2.85 per 1,000 people | 3.38 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.64 per 1,000 people | 3.44 per 1,000 people | 4.19 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.72 per 1,000 people | 3.5 per 1,000 people | 3.89 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.38 per 1,000 people | 4.32 per 1,000 people | 4.44 per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More health data for Iceland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2085)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4982 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 0 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.1533 % 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 0.0283 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1097 % 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 0.0302 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is physicians in Iceland?
- Physicians in Iceland was 4.37 per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest physicians recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 4.44 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest physicians recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Iceland rank for physicians?
- Iceland ranks 21st out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is physicians rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Physicians include generalist and specialist medical practitioners.