Countries with the lowest number of people per doctor (highest physician shortage) often include nations in Sub-Saharan Africa like Ethiopia, Somalia, Gambia, and Guinea, with very low physician densities (e.g., 0 to 0.1 per 1,000 people in older data). While specific rankings shift with data updates, these regions consistently face severe doctor shortages, meaning many people share very few doctors, unlike high-income countries with many physicians per person, notes Statista and the NIH.
The country with the most doctors per capita is Cuba, with 8.4 doctors per 1,000 people. Cuba, which has a population of about 11 million, is known for producing well-trained doctors and often sends many of their doctors abroad to other countries.
Strong Disparities Between States
On top of the list, Massachusetts and Maryland have twice as many physicians per capita compared to Mississippi and Idaho, the two states with the lowest physician-to-population ratios. On average, the United States has 2.87 physicians per 1000 residents.
Australia Physicians: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 2.491 Ratio from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2021, with 43 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.981 Ratio in 2021 and a record low of 1.100 Ratio in 1961.
When discussing the Australian population by race, the majority of the population is considered to be white. A white person is defined as a person who has European ancestry. In Australia, about 90.2 percent of the nation's population is white.
Most of our international workforce is trained in the United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand, South Africa, and Southeast and South Asian countries. As of 2021, over 50% of international doctors were trained in the UK, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.
Which countries have the worst healthcare systems in 2025?
Top 10 Countries Hiring Doctors in 2025 (And Why Canada Tops the List)
The best doctors in the world are often found in countries with top-ranked healthcare systems and medical education. These include the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
The latest value from 2021 is 3.53 doctors per 1,000 people, an increase from 3.43 doctors per 1,000 people in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 3.93 doctors per 1,000 people, based on data from 12 countries. Historically, the average for New Zealand from 2000 to 2021 is 2.7 doctors per 1,000 people.
In 2022, practice satisfaction among primary care physicians varied significantly from one country to another. According to this survey conducted in 2022, physicians in Switzerland were mostly satisfied with their medical practice.
According to the latest 2025 CEOWORLD Health Care Index, Taiwan once again ranks as the country with the best healthcare in the world, maintaining its top position with an overall score of 78.72. South Korea (77.7) and Australia (74.11) remain in second and third place, respectively.
While data was collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of primary care specialties suggests this list is as relevant as ever.
South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Papua New Guinea, Burundi, Central African Republic, and Niger have the lowest doctor-to-population ratios. These countries face severe healthcare access challenges due to a critical shortage of medical professionals.
This aligns with the European Union's average of 3.9 doctors per 1000 people. Cuba is the country with the most doctors-to-population ratio, exceeding the WHO's ideal physician-to-population ratio of 2.5 doctors per 1000 people.
US has most reports of medical errors.
Top Countries With the Best Doctors and Healthcare Systems
After three years of infringement notices to sporting organisations and non-for-profit groups who used the aboriginal flag in designs, the Federal Government have paid $20.5 million dollars for the copyright.