Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Portugal
Portugal: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 5.85 per 1,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
5.85 per 1,000 people
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
5th
of 194 countries
All-time high
5.85 per 1,000 people
in 2022
All-time low
0.8 per 1,000 people
in 1960
Years of data
53
1960–2022
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Portugal, 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 Portugal is 5.85 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 2.5% on the previous year and up 38.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Portugal peaked at 5.85 per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.8 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
Portugal ranks 5th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Portugal, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.8 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 0.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.9 per 1,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1963 | 0.8 per 1,000 people | -11.1% |
| 1964 | 0.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.9 per 1,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1966 | 0.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1 per 1,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1969 | 0.9 per 1,000 people | -10.0% |
| 1970 | 0.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1 per 1,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1972 | 1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1974 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +9.1% |
| 1975 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1977 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +15.4% |
| 1978 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +13.3% |
| 1979 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +11.8% |
| 1990 | 2.81 per 1,000 people | +47.6% |
| 1991 | 2.84 per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 2.86 per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 2.88 per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 2.9 per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 2.93 per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 3.01 per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 3.05 per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 3.11 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 3.13 per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 3.21 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 3.26 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 3.29 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 3.34 per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 3.42 per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 3.5 per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 3.57 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 3.66 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 3.75 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 3.86 per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 3.98 per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 4.12 per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 4.24 per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 4.4 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 4.56 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 4.75 per 1,000 people | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 4.93 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 5.1 per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 5.28 per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 5.42 per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 5.58 per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 5.71 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 5.85 per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 5.85 per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.59 per 1,000 people, 1.6× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 5.85 per 1,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.73 per 1,000 people, 1.6× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Portugal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +47.6% | 1.9 per 1,000 people | 2.81 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.87 per 1,000 people | 0.8 per 1,000 people | 1 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.28 per 1,000 people | 0.9 per 1,000 people | 1.9 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.95 per 1,000 people | 2.81 per 1,000 people | 3.13 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.49 per 1,000 people | 3.21 per 1,000 people | 3.86 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.68 per 1,000 people | 3.98 per 1,000 people | 5.42 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.71 per 1,000 people | 5.58 per 1,000 people | 5.85 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More health data for Portugal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.56 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1616 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,112 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 38 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.39 % 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 0.0199 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.15 % 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 Portugal?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Portugal was 5.85 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 5.85 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Portugal rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Portugal ranks 5th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal 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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