Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 4.33 per 1,000 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
4.33 per 1,000 people
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
23rd
of 194 countries
All-time high
4.33 per 1,000 people
in 2022
All-time low
1.41 per 1,000 people
in 1960
Years of data
53
1960–2022
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Bulgaria, 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 Bulgaria is 4.33 per 1,000 people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Bulgaria peaked at 4.33 per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.41 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places Bulgaria 23rd out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.41 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 1.67 per 1,000 people | +18.6% |
| 1970 | 1.86 per 1,000 people | +11.8% |
| 1971 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 1.99 per 1,000 people | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 2.04 per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 2.15 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 2.21 per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 2.26 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 2.32 per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 2.41 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 2.46 per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 2.48 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 2.59 per 1,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 2.69 per 1,000 people | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.76 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 2.87 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1986 | 2.95 per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 3.02 per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 3.23 per 1,000 people | +6.9% |
| 1991 | 3.08 per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1992 | 3.16 per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 3.36 per 1,000 people | +6.4% |
| 1994 | 3.34 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 3.48 per 1,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 3.57 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 3.49 per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 3.5 per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 3.5 per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 3.44 per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 3.43 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 3.52 per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 3.6 per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 3.54 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 3.66 per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 3.68 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.67 per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.64 per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 3.73 per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 3.75 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 3.84 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 3.87 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 3.95 per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 3.98 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 4.04 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 4.11 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 4.18 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 4.22 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 4.24 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 4.28 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 4.3 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 4.33 per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 4.33 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)
- Bulgaria's 4.33 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 | 1.54 per 1,000 people | 1.41 per 1,000 people | 1.67 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 2.12 per 1,000 people | 1.86 per 1,000 people | 2.41 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.73 per 1,000 people | 2.46 per 1,000 people | 3.02 per 1,000 people | 8 |
| 1990s | 3.37 per 1,000 people | 3.08 per 1,000 people | 3.57 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.59 per 1,000 people | 3.43 per 1,000 people | 3.73 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.02 per 1,000 people | 3.75 per 1,000 people | 4.24 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.3 per 1,000 people | 4.28 per 1,000 people | 4.33 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More health data for Bulgaria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.5 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.615 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,422 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 39 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.2564 % 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 0.0222 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.3643 % 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 Bulgaria?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Bulgaria was 4.33 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 Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.33 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.41 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Bulgaria rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Bulgaria ranks 23rd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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.
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