Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 3.41 per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2023
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
Saudi Arabia recorded 3.41 per 1,000 people for medical doctors per 1,000 people in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.2% on the previous year and up 40.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Saudi Arabia peaked at 3.48 per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.061 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
Saudi Arabia ranks 49th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.061 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.106 per 1,000 people | +73.8% |
| 1970 | 0.134 per 1,000 people | +26.4% |
| 1981 | 0.55 per 1,000 people | +310.4% |
| 1986 | 1.35 per 1,000 people | +144.7% |
| 1990 | 1.43 per 1,000 people | +6.5% |
| 1993 | 1.33 per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 1997 | 1.66 per 1,000 people | +24.3% |
| 2000 | 0.924 per 1,000 people | -44.3% |
| 2001 | 0.849 per 1,000 people | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 1.97 per 1,000 people | +132.2% |
| 2009 | 1.94 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 2.24 per 1,000 people | +15.8% |
| 2011 | 2.27 per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 2.27 per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 2.43 per 1,000 people | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 2.37 per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 2.44 per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 2.47 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.68 per 1,000 people | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 2.9 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 2019 | 2.63 per 1,000 people | -9.2% |
| 2020 | 3.08 per 1,000 people | +16.8% |
| 2021 | 3.2 per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 3.48 per 1,000 people | +8.8% |
| 2023 | 3.41 per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 3.41 per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.59 per 1,000 people, 95% of the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 3.41 per 1,000 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.74 per 1,000 people, 2.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +310.4% | 0.134 per 1,000 people | 0.55 per 1,000 people |
| 1986 | +144.7% | 0.55 per 1,000 people | 1.35 per 1,000 people |
| 2008 | +132.2% | 0.849 per 1,000 people | 1.97 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0835 per 1,000 people | 0.061 per 1,000 people | 0.106 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.134 per 1,000 people | 0.134 per 1,000 people | 0.134 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 0.948 per 1,000 people | 0.55 per 1,000 people | 1.35 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.48 per 1,000 people | 1.33 per 1,000 people | 1.66 per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 2000s | 1.42 per 1,000 people | 0.849 per 1,000 people | 1.97 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 2010s | 2.47 per 1,000 people | 2.24 per 1,000 people | 2.9 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.29 per 1,000 people | 3.08 per 1,000 people | 3.48 per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.31 % 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 0.0384 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % 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 Saudi Arabia?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Saudi Arabia was 3.41 per 1,000 people in 2023, 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.48 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.061 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 49th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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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