Nurses per 1,000 people - Country rankings
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
Nurses per 1,000 people, 2020:
The average for 2020 based on 25 countries was 8.71 nurses per 1,000 people. The highest value was in Switzerland: 18.37 nurses per 1,000 people and the lowest value was in South Africa: 1.03 nurses per 1,000 people. The indicator is available from 1978 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.Measure: nurses per 1,000 people; Source: OECD
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
| Countries | Nurses per 1,000 people, 2020 | Global rank | Available data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 18.37 | 1 | 2000 - 2020 |
| Norway | 18.01 | 2 | 2002 - 2021 |
| Iceland | 15.63 | 3 | 1980 - 2021 |
| Australia | 12.26 | 4 | 1980 - 2020 |
| Japan | 12.1 | 5 | 2002 - 2020 |
| Germany | 12.06 | 6 | 2000 - 2020 |
| Netherlands | 11.08 | 7 | 2002 - 2020 |
| New Zealand | 10.6 | 8 | 2005 - 2021 |
| Austria | 10.48 | 9 | 1985 - 2020 |
| Slovenia | 10.47 | 10 | 2000 - 2020 |
| Canada | 10.06 | 11 | 2003 - 2020 |
| Czechia | 8.66 | 12 | 1980 - 2020 |
| UK | 8.46 | 13 | 2000 - 2021 |
| South Korea | 8.37 | 14 | 1997 - 2020 |
| Lithuania | 7.81 | 15 | 1991 - 2020 |
| Hungary | 6.58 | 16 | 1990 - 2021 |
| Estonia | 6.38 | 17 | 1980 - 2020 |
| Italy | 6.28 | 18 | 2003 - 2021 |
| Spain | 6.1 | 19 | 1980 - 2020 |
| Israel | 5.14 | 20 | 1996 - 2020 |
| Latvia | 4.18 | 21 | 1989 - 2020 |
| China | 3.27 | 22 | 1978 - 2020 |
| Mexico | 2.91 | 23 | 1990 - 2020 |
| Brazil | 1.42 | 24 | 1990 - 2021 |
| South Africa | 1.03 | 25 | 1998 - 2020 |
Definition: Number of professional and associate professional nurses per 1,000 residents of the country.
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18.37
18.01
15.63
12.26
12.10
12.06
11.08
10.60
10.48
10.47
10.06
8.66
8.46
8.37
7.81
6.58
6.38
6.28
6.10
5.14
4.18
3.27
2.91
1.42
1.03
0
4.6
9.2
13.8
18.37
Nurses per 1,000 people in Europe Nurses per 1,000 people in Asia Nurses per 1,000 people in Africa Nurses per 1,000 people in North America Nurses per 1,000 people in South America Nurses per 1,000 people in Australia/Oceania Nurses per 1,000 people in the European union Nurses per 1,000 people in Sub Sahara Africa Nurses per 1,000 people in MENA Nurses per 1,000 people in South East Asia Nurses per 1,000 people in Latin America