Bhutan: Physicians (per 1,000 people)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Bhutan's physicians (per 1,000 people) fell 0.008 on 2021 (from 0.56 to 0.55).

Across the 12 yearly changes before that (1982 to 2021), the average change was +0.02 and a typical year strayed about 0.07 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.15 in 2020 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.09 in 2017. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.03 a year. A straight line explains 73% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2022, Bhutan had the 49th highest value of the 77 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Bhutan in the 2022 ranking

• Mauritius — 46th of 77: 1.44
• Iraq — 47th of 77: 1.02
• South Africa — 48th of 77: 0.79
• Namibia — 50th of 77: 0.55
• Gabon — 51st of 77: 0.52
• São Tomé and Principe — 52nd of 77: 0.46

What this measures

Physicians include generalist and specialist medical practitioners.

Limitations: The WHO compiles data from household and labor force surveys, censuses, and administrative records. Data comparability is limited by differences in definitions and training of medical personnel varies. In addition, human resources tend to be concentrated in urban areas, so that average densities do not provide a full picture of health personnel available to the entire population.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 20 values

Physicians (per 1,000 people) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 0.72 (2023)
• India — 0.72 (2020)
• Maldives — 2.24 (2019)
• Nepal — 1.01 (2023)
• Sri Lanka — 1.14 (2023)

More health data for Bhutan

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 6.43% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 5.86% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 78,275 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 21.09% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 83,938 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 19.73% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 162,213 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 20.36% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 6.61% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, male (% of male population)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Bhutan's physicians (per 1,000 people)?

0.55 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1981?

It is up 342.4% from 0.13 in 1981 (3.69% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 0.56 in 2021 and the lowest 0.05 in 1999.

How does Bhutan rank?

49th highest of 77 economies with data for 2022.

Is the latest change in physicians (per 1,000 people) unusual for Bhutan?

In 2022, Bhutan's physicians (per 1,000 people) fell 0.008 on 2021 (from 0.56 to 0.55). Across the 12 yearly changes before that (1982 to 2021), the average change was +0.02 and a typical year strayed about 0.07 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SH.MED.PHYS.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO); Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Country data Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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