Physicians per 1000 people in South Africa
South Africa: Physicians per 1000 people was 0.794 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Physicians per 1000 people in South Africa, 1965–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for physicians per 1000 people in South Africa is 0.794, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, physicians per 1000 people in South Africa peaked at 0.794 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.488, in 1965.
South Africa ranks 124th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Physicians per 1000 people in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.488 | — |
| 1975 | 0.539 | +10.5% |
| 1978 | 0.551 | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 0.613 | +11.3% |
| 1992 | 0.624 | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 0.593 | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 0.711 | +19.9% |
| 2007 | 0.679 | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 0.679 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.69 | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 0.705 | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 0.709 | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 0.715 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 0.729 | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 0.74 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 0.763 | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 0.753 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.775 | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 0.742 | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 0.779 | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 0.781 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 0.794 | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.488 | 0.488 | 0.488 | 1 |
| 1970s | 0.545 | 0.539 | 0.551 | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.613 | 0.613 | 0.613 | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.6085 | 0.593 | 0.624 | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.6897 | 0.679 | 0.711 | 4 |
| 2010s | 0.741 | 0.705 | 0.779 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7875 | 0.781 | 0.794 | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 121 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.974 compare
- 122 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.938 compare
- 123 Fiji 0.813 compare
- 125 Philippines 0.792 compare
- 126 Myanmar 0.757 compare
- 127 Timor-Leste 0.752 compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,152 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 0.4769 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 0.5816 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1293 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is physicians per 1000 people in South Africa?
- Physicians per 1000 people in South Africa was 0.794 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest physicians per 1000 people recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.794 in 2022.
- What is the lowest physicians per 1000 people recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.488 in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for physicians per 1000 people?
- South Africa ranks 124th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is physicians per 1000 people rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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
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