India Physicians
Physicians per 1,000 people SH.MED.PHYS.ZS
India's physicians was 0.72 in 2020, ranked 97th globally. This represents a 18.7% decrease from 2019. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2020.
Overview
India's physicians stood at 0.72 in 2020, a decline of +0.17 from 2019. India ranked 97th globally.
India had 0.72 physicians per 1000 people in 2020, ranking 97th globally. This is significantly lower than its all-time peak of 1.23 in 1991. In contrast, peer countries such as Cabo Verde also had 0.72 physicians per 1000 people in the same year, while Bahrain had a slightly higher ratio of 0.74. India's physician density has fluctuated over the years, with its lowest point being 0.20 in 1975. The country's current physician density is still below its peak in the early 1990s, and also lags behind some of its peers. As India continues to urbanize and its healthcare system evolves, an increase in the number of physicians per 1000 people could be driven by investments in medical education and healthcare infrastructure, potentially altering the trajectory of this indicator in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Physicians | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.72 | −0.17 | #97 |
| 2019 | 0.89 | +0.05 | #90 |
| 2018 | 0.84 | +0.07 | #97 |
| 2017 | 0.77 | +0.02 | #101 |
| 2016 | 0.75 | +0.03 | #94 |
| 2015 | 0.72 | +0.01 | #90 |
| 2014 | 0.72 | −0.52 | #97 |
| 1991 | 1.23 | +0.82 | #56 |
| 1988 | 0.41 | +0.01 | #39 |
| 1984 | 0.40 | +0.13 | #53 |
| 1981 | 0.27 | −0.10 | #62 |
| 1980 | 0.37 | +0.17 | #51 |
| 1975 | 0.20 | −0.00 | #51 |
| 1970 | 0.21 | +0.00 | #83 |
| 1965 | 0.21 | −0.01 | #52 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
India matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2010. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw physicians improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
India's physicians was 0.72 in 2020. Ranked 97th globally. This represents a 18.7% decrease from the previous year.
India's physicians peaked at 1.23 in 1991.
The lowest physicians in India was 0.20 in 1975.
India ranks 97th globally in physicians as of 2020.
The World Bank indicator code is SH.MED.PHYS.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The physicians of India in 2020 was 0.72. This ranks 97th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_india_physicians,
title = {India Physicians},
url = {https://historysaid.com/india/physicians/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}