Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sweden
Sweden: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 4.41 per 1,000 people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
4.41 per 1,000 people
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
20th
of 194 countries
All-time high
4.41 per 1,000 people
in 2021
All-time low
1 per 1,000 people
in 1960
Years of data
62
1960–2021
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sweden, 1960–2021
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 2021, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sweden stood at 4.41 per 1,000 people. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sweden peaked at 4.41 per 1,000 people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places Sweden 20th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sweden, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1965 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +9.1% |
| 1968 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1970 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1972 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1973 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1975 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1977 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1978 | 2 per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1979 | 2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 2.2 per 1,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1981 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2.4 per 1,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1985 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1987 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3.25 per 1,000 people | +16.0% |
| 1991 | 3.36 per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 3.47 per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 3.57 per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 3.66 per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 2.82 per 1,000 people | -22.9% |
| 1996 | 2.84 per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 2.85 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 2.92 per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 2.97 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 3.03 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 3.12 per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 3.21 per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 3.28 per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.37 per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 3.45 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 3.54 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 3.62 per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 3.68 per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 3.75 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 3.81 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 3.89 per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 3.97 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 4.04 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 4.11 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 4.17 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 4.23 per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 4.27 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 4.32 per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 4.29 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 4.32 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 4.41 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 4.41 per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.59 per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 4.41 per 1,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.73 per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 1 per 1,000 people | 1.3 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.67 per 1,000 people | 1.3 per 1,000 people | 2 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.56 per 1,000 people | 2.2 per 1,000 people | 2.8 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.17 per 1,000 people | 2.82 per 1,000 people | 3.66 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.41 per 1,000 people | 3.03 per 1,000 people | 3.75 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.11 per 1,000 people | 3.81 per 1,000 people | 4.32 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.37 per 1,000 people | 4.32 per 1,000 people | 4.41 per 1,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More health data for Sweden
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.8581 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,109 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 30 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -3.12 % 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 0.0243 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -3.2 % 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 Sweden?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sweden was 4.41 per 1,000 people in 2021, 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 4.41 per 1,000 people in 2021.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Sweden rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Sweden ranks 20th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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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