Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 1.14 per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.14 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
115th
of 194 countries
All-time high
1.17 per 1,000 people
in 2020
All-time low
0.134 per 1,000 people
in 1981
Years of data
38
1960–2023
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sri Lanka, 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
In 2023, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sri Lanka stood at 1.14 per 1,000 people.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 47.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.17 per 1,000 people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.134 per 1,000 people, in 1981.
That places Sri Lanka 115th out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.223 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.172 per 1,000 people | -22.9% |
| 1970 | 0.169 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 0.169 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.134 per 1,000 people | -20.7% |
| 1982 | 0.134 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.181 per 1,000 people | +35.1% |
| 1989 | 0.146 per 1,000 people | -19.3% |
| 1991 | 0.148 per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 0.175 per 1,000 people | +18.2% |
| 1993 | 0.218 per 1,000 people | +24.6% |
| 1994 | 0.194 per 1,000 people | -11.0% |
| 1995 | 0.23 per 1,000 people | +18.6% |
| 1996 | 0.286 per 1,000 people | +24.3% |
| 1997 | 0.308 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1998 | 0.346 per 1,000 people | +12.3% |
| 1999 | 0.369 per 1,000 people | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 0.413 per 1,000 people | +11.9% |
| 2001 | 0.428 per 1,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 0.522 per 1,000 people | +22.0% |
| 2005 | 0.504 per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 0.505 per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.538 per 1,000 people | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 0.605 per 1,000 people | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 0.662 per 1,000 people | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 0.703 per 1,000 people | +6.2% |
| 2011 | 0.718 per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 0.742 per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 0.772 per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 0.807 per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 0.83 per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 0.856 per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 0.887 per 1,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 0.958 per 1,000 people | +8.0% |
| 2019 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | +14.6% |
| 2020 | 1.17 per 1,000 people | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 1.14 per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 1.14 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 1.14 per 1,000 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.84 per 1,000 people, 62% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 1.14 per 1,000 people is above the median for South Asia, which is 0.867 per 1,000 people, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1975 per 1,000 people | 0.172 per 1,000 people | 0.223 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.169 per 1,000 people | 0.169 per 1,000 people | 0.169 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.1487 per 1,000 people | 0.134 per 1,000 people | 0.181 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 1990s | 0.2527 per 1,000 people | 0.148 per 1,000 people | 0.369 per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.5221 per 1,000 people | 0.413 per 1,000 people | 0.662 per 1,000 people | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.8371 per 1,000 people | 0.703 per 1,000 people | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.15 per 1,000 people | 1.14 per 1,000 people | 1.17 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sri Lanka was 1.14 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1.17 per 1,000 people in 2020.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.134 per 1,000 people in 1981.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Sri Lanka ranks 115th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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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