Physicians per 1000 people in India
India: Physicians per 1000 people was 0.723 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Physicians per 1000 people in India, 1960–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
India recorded 0.723 for physicians per 1000 people in 2020.
That represents a change of down 18.7% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, physicians per 1000 people in India peaked at 1.23 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.204, in 1975.
That places India 131st out of 194 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Physicians per 1000 people in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.21 | — |
| 1965 | 0.205 | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 0.205 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.204 | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 0.371 | +81.9% |
| 1981 | 0.27 | -27.2% |
| 1984 | 0.396 | +46.7% |
| 1988 | 0.407 | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 1.23 | +202.5% |
| 2014 | 0.715 | -41.9% |
| 2015 | 0.723 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.748 | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 0.766 | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 0.84 | +9.7% |
| 2019 | 0.889 | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 0.723 | -18.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 0.723 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3555, 2.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 0.723 is below the median for South Asia, which is 0.867, 83% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Physicians per 1000 people in India 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +202.5% | 0.407 | 1.23 |
| 1980 | +81.9% | 0.204 | 0.371 |
| 1984 | +46.7% | 0.27 | 0.396 |
| 2014 | -41.9% | 1.23 | 0.715 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2075 | 0.205 | 0.21 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.2045 | 0.204 | 0.205 | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.361 | 0.27 | 0.407 | 4 |
| 1990s | 1.23 | 1.23 | 1.23 | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.7802 | 0.715 | 0.889 | 6 |
| 2020s | 0.723 | 0.723 | 0.723 | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 44,822 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.3809 % 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 0.0372 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5922 % 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 0.04 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is physicians per 1000 people in India?
- Physicians per 1000 people in India was 0.723 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest physicians per 1000 people recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 1.23 in 1991.
- What is the lowest physicians per 1000 people recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.204 in 1975.
- How does India rank for physicians per 1000 people?
- India ranks 131st out of 194 countries with data for 2020.
- Is physicians per 1000 people rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Physicians per 1000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).