Jamaica: Physicians (per 1,000 people)

Key figures

How it compares

In 2023, Jamaica had the 40th highest value of the 58 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 Jamaica in the 2023 ranking

• Bangladesh — 37th of 58: 0.72
• Eswatini — 38th of 58: 0.56
• Indonesia — 39th of 58: 0.52
• Nigeria — 41st of 58: 0.38
• Botswana — 42nd of 58: 0.38
• Afghanistan — 43rd of 58: 0.32

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 18 values

Physicians (per 1,000 people) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 2.92 (2017)
• Argentina — 5.11 (2023)
• Bahamas, The — 1.9 (2017)
• Barbados — 2.96 (2022)
• Belize — 1.09 (2018)
• Bolivia — 1.28 (2021)
• Brazil — 2.36 (2023)
• Chile — 3.33 (2023)
• Colombia — 2.54 (2023)
• Costa Rica — 2.69 (2022)
• Cuba — 9.54 (2021)
• Dominica

More health data for Jamaica

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 5.5% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 5.83% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 254,729 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 17.76% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 264,030 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 18.83% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 518,759 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 18.29% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 5.79% (2025)

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Questions people ask

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

0.46 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 19.17% from 0.39 in 1960 (0.28% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 0.85 in 2003 and the lowest 0.36 in 1981.

How does Jamaica rank?

40th highest of 58 economies with data for 2023.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, 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.

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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