Sweden's physicians (per 1,000 people) was 4.41 in 2021, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 13.37% from 3.89 in 2011 (1.26% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 4.41 | 2021 |
| Five years earlier | 4.23 | 2016 |
| Ten years earlier | 3.89 | 2011 |
| Highest | 4.41 | 2021 |
| Lowest | 1 | 1960 |
| Average since 2012 | 4.21 | 2012–2021 |
| First recorded | 1 | 1960 |
What the numbers say
In 2021, Sweden's physicians (per 1,000 people) rose 0.09 on 2020 (from 4.32 to 4.41).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was +0.04 and a typical year strayed about 0.17 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 0.45 in 1990 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.84 in 1995. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.04 a year. A straight line explains 93% 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 2021, Sweden had the 3rd highest value of the 17 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 Sweden in the 2021 ranking
- Cuba — 1st of 17: 9.54
- Denmark — 2nd of 17: 4.5
- Trinidad and Tobago — 4th of 17: 4.16
- Finland — 5th of 17: 3.61
- Uzbekistan — 6th of 17: 2.81
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 62 values
| Year | Physicians (per 1,000 people) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4.41 |
| 2020 | 4.32 |
| 2019 | 4.29 |
| 2018 | 4.32 |
| 2017 | 4.27 |
| 2016 | 4.23 |
| 2015 | 4.17 |
| 2014 | 4.11 |
| 2013 | 4.04 |
| 2012 | 3.97 |
| 2011 |
Physicians (per 1,000 people) in nearby economies
More health data for Sweden
- Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 4.89% (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 5.09% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female — 859,842 (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 16.35% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male — 910,481 (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 17.05% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total — 1.77 million (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 16.71% (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 5.64% (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male (% of male population)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Sweden's physicians (per 1,000 people)?
- 4.41 in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1960?
- It is up 340.8% from 1 in 1960 (2.46% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 4.41 in 2021 and the lowest 1 in 1960.
- How does Sweden rank?
- 3rd highest of 17 economies with data for 2021.
- Is the latest change in physicians (per 1,000 people) unusual for Sweden?
- In 2021, Sweden's physicians (per 1,000 people) rose 0.09 on 2020 (from 4.32 to 4.41). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was +0.04 and a typical year strayed about 0.17 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.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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