Trinidad and Tobago: Physicians (per 1,000 people)

Key figures

Since 1960 it is up 894.5% from 0.42 in 1960 (3.84% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 31 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2021, Trinidad and Tobago's physicians (per 1,000 people) fell 0.14 on 2020 (from 4.3 to 4.16).

Across the 18 yearly changes before that (1981 to 2020), the average change was +0.08 and a typical year strayed about 0.2 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.72 in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.18 in 1996. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those 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, Trinidad and Tobago had the 4th 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 Trinidad and Tobago in the 2021 ranking

• Cuba — 1st of 17: 9.54
• Denmark — 2nd of 17: 4.5
• Sweden — 3rd of 17: 4.41
• Finland — 5th of 17: 3.61
• Uzbekistan — 6th of 17: 2.81
• Brunei Darussalam — 7th of 17: 1.89

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 31 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 Trinidad and Tobago

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 5.19% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 5.51% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 117,479 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 16.97% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 121,775 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 18.02% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 239,253 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 17.49% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Trinidad and Tobago's physicians (per 1,000 people)?

4.16 in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 894.5% from 0.42 in 1960 (3.84% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 4.3 in 2020 and the lowest 0.26 in 1965.

How does Trinidad and Tobago rank?

4th highest of 17 economies with data for 2021.

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

In 2021, Trinidad and Tobago's physicians (per 1,000 people) fell 0.14 on 2020 (from 4.3 to 4.16). Across the 18 yearly changes before that (1981 to 2020), the average change was +0.08 and a typical year strayed about 0.2 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

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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