South Africa—Physicians (total)
Category: HealthSource: World Bank World Development Indicators ↗Global Rank: #44 of 192Series years: 2004–2024
Latest Value
49,051
2024
YoY Change
-4.9%
2023 → 2024
Global Rank
#44
of 192 countries
Maximum
51,579
2023
Minimum
34,324
2007
CAGR
+1.7%
19 years
Last
49,051
Previous
51,579
Highest
51,579
Lowest
34,324
Unit
medical doctors
Source
World Bank World Development Indicators
South Africa's physicians (total) was 49,051 in 2024, ranking #44 out of 192 countries. This represents a -4.9% change from 2023. Over the past 19 years, the highest recorded value was 51,579 (2023) and the lowest was 34,324 (2007). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
South Africa — Physicians (total): 49,051 medical doctors for reference year 2024. Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Observatory). Reference year does not establish final observed status; publisher vintage is not verified here. The previous reference-year reading was 51,579 medical doctors in 2023.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 49,051 | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 51,579 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 49,533 | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 48,021 | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 43,901 | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 46,393 | +6.6% |
| 2018 | 43,503 | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 44,653 | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 43,141 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 43,277 | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 41,132 | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 39,847 | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 38,444 | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 37,583 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 36,912 | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 35,707 | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 34,687 | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 34,324 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 34,829 |
Top Countries — Physicians (total)
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 4.0M | 2023 |
| 2 | India | 1.4M | 2024 |
| 3 | United States | 906,427 | 2022 |
| 4 | Russian Federation | 744,100 | 2022 |
| 5 | Brazil | 529,672 | 2024 |
| 6 | Germany | 388,343 | 2023 |
| 7 | Mexico | 357,004 | 2023 |
| 8 | Japan | 331,092 | 2022 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 322,715 | 2024 |
| 10 | Italy | 315,720 | 2023 |
About This Indicator
Definition
Number of medical doctors; no conversion from the incorrectly mapped density. WHO GHO series HWF_0002. These are workforce counts, not counts per 10,000 people. Country definitions, sector coverage, reporting years and completeness can differ; consult WHO's National Health Workforce Accounts documentation when comparing countries.
Unit
medical doctors
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Observatory)Available series: 2004–2024View original source →