Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Belgium
Belgium: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 3.57 per 1,000 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
3.57 per 1,000 people
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
44th
of 194 countries
All-time high
3.73 per 1,000 people
in 1998
All-time low
1.3 per 1,000 people
in 1960
Years of data
62
1960–2022
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Belgium, 1960–2022
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for medical doctors per 1,000 people in Belgium is 3.57 per 1,000 people, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Belgium peaked at 3.73 per 1,000 people in 1998 and was at its lowest, 1.3 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places Belgium 44th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Belgium, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1963 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1966 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1969 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1972 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1973 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1974 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1975 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1976 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2 per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1979 | 2.2 per 1,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1981 | 2.4 per 1,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 2.5 per 1,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +12.0% |
| 1984 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 2.9 per 1,000 people | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 3 per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 3.1 per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 3.2 per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 3.27 per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 3.33 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 3.39 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 3.44 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 3.51 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 3.54 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 3.61 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 3.68 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 3.73 per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | -25.0% |
| 2000 | 2.83 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 2.85 per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 2.86 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 2.86 per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 2.87 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 2.87 per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 2.89 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 2.9 per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 2.92 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 2.92 per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.91 per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 2.92 per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 2.93 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 3.13 per 1,000 people | +6.8% |
| 2014 | 3.16 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 3.22 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 3.28 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 3.29 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 3.35 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 3.42 per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 3.51 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 3.54 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 3.57 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 3.57 per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.59 per 1,000 people, 100% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 3.57 per 1,000 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.73 per 1,000 people, 96% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Belgium 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | -25.0% | 3.73 per 1,000 people | 2.8 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.45 per 1,000 people | 1.3 per 1,000 people | 1.6 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.86 per 1,000 people | 1.5 per 1,000 people | 2.2 per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 1980s | 2.77 per 1,000 people | 2.3 per 1,000 people | 3.2 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.43 per 1,000 people | 2.8 per 1,000 people | 3.73 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.88 per 1,000 people | 2.83 per 1,000 people | 2.92 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.16 per 1,000 people | 2.91 per 1,000 people | 3.42 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.54 per 1,000 people | 3.51 per 1,000 people | 3.57 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,160 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 59 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.11 % 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 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.96 % 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 per 1,000 people in Belgium?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Belgium was 3.57 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 3.73 per 1,000 people in 1998.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Belgium rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Belgium ranks 44th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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