Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita was 0.794 per 1,000 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, 1965–2022
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.794 per 1,000 people for medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in 2022. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in South Africa peaked at 0.794 per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.488 per 1,000 people, in 1965.
South Africa ranks 124th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.488 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1975 | 0.539 per 1,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1978 | 0.551 per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 0.613 per 1,000 people | +11.3% |
| 1992 | 0.624 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 0.593 per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 0.711 per 1,000 people | +19.9% |
| 2007 | 0.679 per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 0.679 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.69 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 0.705 per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 0.709 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 0.715 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 0.729 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 0.74 per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 0.763 per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 0.753 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.775 per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 0.742 per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 0.779 per 1,000 people | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 0.781 per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 0.794 per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.488 per 1,000 people | 0.488 per 1,000 people | 0.488 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1970s | 0.545 per 1,000 people | 0.539 per 1,000 people | 0.551 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.613 per 1,000 people | 0.613 per 1,000 people | 0.613 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.6085 per 1,000 people | 0.593 per 1,000 people | 0.624 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.6897 per 1,000 people | 0.679 per 1,000 people | 0.711 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 2010s | 0.741 per 1,000 people | 0.705 per 1,000 people | 0.779 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7875 per 1,000 people | 0.781 per 1,000 people | 0.794 per 1,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 121 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.974 per 1,000 people compare
- 122 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.938 per 1,000 people compare
- 123 Fiji 0.813 per 1,000 people compare
- 125 Philippines 0.792 per 1,000 people compare
- 126 Myanmar 0.757 per 1,000 people compare
- 127 Timor-Leste 0.752 per 1,000 people compare
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 5.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 11.78 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 77,700 current LCU per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 3.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.5921 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 3,907 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 7.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8472 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in South Africa?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in South Africa was 0.794 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.794 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.488 per 1,000 people in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita?
- South Africa ranks 124th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Medical doctors include generalist physicians and specialist medical practitioners. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.