Iran, Islamic Republic of Hospital Beds

Iran’s stock of hospital beds has risen steadily since the earliest World Bank record in 1960, when the country reported just 0.93 beds per 1,000 people, a trough that persisted for decades. By 2018 the system reached its all‑time peak of 1.93 beds per 1,000, a level only marginally above the 2019 figure of 1.85 beds per 1,000, which places Iran 91st globally. This recent value is comparable to peers such as Malaysia (1.90) and the United Arab Emirates (1.83), suggesting that Iran’s health‑care infrastructure has converged with other middle‑income economies in the region. The 27‑year coverage span shows a gradual but consistent expansion of capacity, reflecting policy efforts to improve access while contending with fiscal constraints. Continued investment in health‑care facilities, coupled with reforms to enhance efficiency, will be required to sustain the modest upward trajectory and avoid a reversal toward earlier low‑level benchmarks.