Saudi Arabia: Nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 7.88% from 6.08 in 2018 (1.53% a year on average, compounded). Since 2000 it is up 190.65% from 2.26 in 2000 (4.75% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 9 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Saudi Arabia's nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people) rose 0.32 on 2022 (from 6.23 to 6.56).

Across the 10 yearly changes before that (2009 to 2022), the average change was +0.11 and a typical year strayed about 0.66 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above 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 1.35 in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.26 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 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.13 a year. A straight line explains 42% of the movement over 9 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 2023, Saudi Arabia had the 16th highest value of the 65 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 Saudi Arabia in the 2023 ranking

• Estonia — 13th of 65: 6.66
• Palau — 14th of 65: 6.61
• St. Kitts and Nevis — 15th of 65: 6.58
• Kazakhstan — 17th of 65: 6.49
• Tajikistan — 18th of 65: 6.45
• Moldova — 19th of 65: 6.32

What this measures

Nurses and midwives include professional nurses, professional midwives, auxiliary nurses, auxiliary midwives, enrolled nurses, enrolled midwives and other associated personnel, such as dental nurses and primary care nurses.

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 15 values

Nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 0.55 (2023)
• Bahrain — 2.65 (2020)
• Iraq — 2.65 (2022)
• Israel — 5.9 (2023)
• Jordan — 3.33 (2023)
• Kuwait — 4.55 (2020)
• Lebanon — 1.92 (2018)
• Malta — 8.24 (2023)
• Oman — 4.66 (2022)
• Pakistan — 0.52 (2021)
• Qatar — 8.49 (2023)

More health data for Saudi Arabia

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 9.7% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 6.63% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 4.28 million (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 29.28% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 4.45 million (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 19.92% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 8.73 million (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 23.62% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 9.89% (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Saudi Arabia's nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people)?

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

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 190.65% from 2.26 in 2000 (4.75% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 6.56 in 2023 and the lowest 2.26 in 2000.

How does Saudi Arabia rank?

16th highest of 65 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people) unusual for Saudi Arabia?

In 2023, Saudi Arabia's nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people) rose 0.32 on 2022 (from 6.23 to 6.56). Across the 10 yearly changes before that (2009 to 2022), the average change was +0.11 and a typical year strayed about 0.66 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above 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.NUMW.P3, 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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