Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Somalia
Somalia: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 0.048 per 1,000 people in 2014. ▲ Rising
Latest (2014)
0.048 per 1,000 people
World rank
193rd
of 194 countries
All-time high
0.071 per 1,000 people
in 1984
All-time low
0.024 per 1,000 people
in 1960
Years of data
11
1960–2014
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Somalia, 1960–2014
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 Somalia is 0.048 per 1,000 people, measured in 2014.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 77.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Somalia peaked at 0.071 per 1,000 people in 1984 and was at its lowest, 0.024 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
Somalia ranks 193rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Somalia, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.024 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.027 per 1,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1970 | 0.037 per 1,000 people | +37.0% |
| 1975 | 0.038 per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 0.046 per 1,000 people | +21.1% |
| 1981 | 0.041 per 1,000 people | -10.9% |
| 1984 | 0.071 per 1,000 people | +73.2% |
| 1993 | 0.042 per 1,000 people | -40.8% |
| 1997 | 0.04 per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 0.027 per 1,000 people | -32.5% |
| 2014 | 0.048 per 1,000 people | +77.8% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 0.048 per 1,000 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.1455 per 1,000 people, 33% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 0.048 per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.188 per 1,000 people, 26% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0255 per 1,000 people | 0.024 per 1,000 people | 0.027 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.0375 per 1,000 people | 0.037 per 1,000 people | 0.038 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.0527 per 1,000 people | 0.041 per 1,000 people | 0.071 per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 1990s | 0.041 per 1,000 people | 0.04 per 1,000 people | 0.042 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.027 per 1,000 people | 0.027 per 1,000 people | 0.027 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.048 per 1,000 people | 0.048 per 1,000 people | 0.048 per 1,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 190 Central African Republic 0.074 per 1,000 people compare
- 191 Papua New Guinea 0.061 per 1,000 people compare
- 192 Malawi 0.054 per 1,000 people compare
- 194 Niger 0.038 per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Somalia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8681 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 987.7 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 32,421 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 182 (2013)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0897 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people in Somalia?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Somalia was 0.048 per 1,000 people in 2014, 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.071 per 1,000 people in 1984.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.024 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Somalia rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Somalia ranks 193rd out of 194 countries with data for 2014.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia 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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