Sri Lanka Physicians
Physicians per 1,000 people SH.MED.PHYS.ZS
Sri Lanka's physicians was 1.24 in 2025, ranked 82nd globally. This represents a 9.4% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Sri Lanka's physicians stood at 1.24 in 2025, a rise of +0.11 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.24 by 2025. Sri Lanka ranked 82nd globally.
Sri Lanka's physician density has shown substantial improvement over the past six decades, rising from 0.22 physicians per 1,000 people in 1960 to 1.24 in 2025, the highest level recorded for the country and placing it 82nd globally. This growth reflects long-term investments in health education and public health infrastructure, despite a notable decline to an all-time low of 0.13 in 1982. The 2025 figure indicates a more than fivefold increase since the early 1960s, aligning Sri Lanka closely with regional peers such as Nepal, which reports 1.10 physicians per 1,000, while remaining below Iraq’s 1.29. Though progress has been steady, the pace of increase may face constraints due to emigration of medical professionals and uneven distribution between urban and rural areas. Future improvements in physician density will likely depend on targeted retention policies, expanded medical training capacity, and incentives to address geographic imbalances in workforce distribution.
Data & projection
| Year | Physicians | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 1.27 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.24 | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.24 | +0.11 | #82 |
| 2023 | 1.14 | −0.01 | #34 |
| 2021 | 1.14 | −0.02 | #82 |
| 2020 | 1.17 | +0.07 | #86 |
| 2019 | 1.10 | +0.14 | #84 |
| 2018 | 0.96 | +0.07 | #94 |
| 2017 | 0.89 | +0.03 | #97 |
| 2016 | 0.86 | +0.03 | #89 |
| 2015 | 0.83 | +0.02 | #84 |
| 2014 | 0.81 | +0.04 | #93 |
| 2013 | 0.77 | +0.03 | #83 |
| 2012 | 0.74 | +0.02 | #88 |
| 2011 | 0.72 | +0.02 | #85 |
| 2010 | 0.70 | +0.04 | #92 |
| 2009 | 0.66 | +0.06 | #92 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Sri Lanka matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw physicians improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Sri Lanka's physicians was 1.24 in 2025. Ranked 82nd globally. This represents a 9.4% increase from the previous year.
Sri Lanka's physicians peaked at 1.24 in 2025.
The lowest physicians in Sri Lanka was 0.13 in 1981.
Sri Lanka ranks 82nd globally in physicians as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SH.MED.PHYS.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Sri Lanka's physicians is projected to reach 1.24 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The physicians of Sri Lanka in 2025 was 1.24. This ranks 82nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_sri-lanka_physicians,
title = {Sri Lanka Physicians},
url = {https://historysaid.com/sri-lanka/physicians/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}