Countries in Europe Ranked by Nurses and midwives per 1,000 (2022)
Nurses and midwives per 1,000: each country's latest value (2017–2022), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Switzerland ranks #1 with 18.8 per 1,000 people. Norway is second with 16.5 per 1,000 people, 13.6% behind. The top five are Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Ireland and Finland. The median across all 42 is 8 per 1,000 people; Cyprus is last at 3.89 per 1,000 people. Switzerland's figure has risen 58% since 2000 (11.9 per 1,000 people to 18.8 per 1,000 people in 2022).
- #1
- Switzerland · 18.8 per 1,000 people
- Median
- 8 per 1,000 people
- Coverage
- 42 countries in Europe
- Data year
- 2022
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Nurses and midwives per 1,000 (per 1,000 people) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 18.8 | 2022 |
| 2 | Norway | 16.5 | 2023 |
| 3 | Iceland | 15.9 | 2023 |
| 4 | Ireland | 14.8 | 2023 |
| 5 | Finland | 14 | 2021 |
| 6 | Luxembourg | 13.7 | 2023 |
| 7 | Belgium | 12.9 | 2021 |
| 8 | Germany | 12.3 | 2022 |
| 9 | Denmark | 12.2 | 2021 |
| 10 | Netherlands | 11.7 | 2022 |
| 11 | Sweden | 11.7 | 2021 |
| 12 | Austria | 11.3 | 2022 |
| 13 | Belarus | 10.8 | 2023 |
| 14 | Slovenia | 10.6 | 2022 |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 9.55 | 2023 |
| 16 | Czechia | 9.53 | 2022 |
| 17 | San Marino | 9.44 | 2023 |
| 18 | France | 9.42 | 2021 |
| 19 | Romania | 8.25 | 2022 |
| 20 | Malta | 8.24 | 2023 |
| 21 | Portugal | 8.01 | 2023 |
| 22 | Croatia | 8 | 2022 |
| 23 | Lithuania | 7.84 | 2022 |
| 24 | Russian Federation | 7.04 | 2022 |
| 25 | Italy | 6.76 | 2022 |
| 26 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.73 | 2022 |
| 27 | Serbia | 6.69 | 2022 |
| 28 | Estonia | 6.66 | 2023 |
| 29 | Spain | 6.41 | 2022 |
| 30 | Poland | 6.33 | 2022 |
| 31 | Moldova | 6.32 | 2023 |
| 32 | Montenegro | 6.08 | 2023 |
| 33 | Ukraine | 6.08 | 2023 |
| 34 | Slovak Republic | 6.01 | 2022 |
| 35 | Albania | 5.82 | 2020 |
| 36 | Hungary | 5.67 | 2022 |
| 37 | North Macedonia | 5.52 | 2022 |
| 38 | Andorra | 4.72 | 2023 |
| 39 | Latvia | 4.37 | 2022 |
| 40 | Bulgaria | 4.2 | 2023 |
| 41 | Greece | 4.11 | 2022 |
| 42 | Cyprus | 3.89 | 2022 |
About the top 10
#1 Switzerland
Switzerland ranks #1 on this list with 18.8 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Bern
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 9.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.04 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$114,770 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Zurich, Geneva, Canton of Basel-Stadt.
Also ranks #1 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in gni per capita · #2 in health expenditure per capita.
#2 Norway
Norway ranks #2 on this list with 16.5 per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Oslo
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.61 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$530.76 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$94,594 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 83.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim.
Also ranks #2 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in voice and accountability score · #3 in gni per capita.
#3 Iceland
Iceland ranks #3 on this list with 15.9 per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Reykjavík
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 392,400 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$38.58 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,323 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in energy use per capita · #1 in bank accounts share (adults) · #1 in water resources per capita.
#4 Ireland
Ireland ranks #4 on this list with 14.8 per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Dublin
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.48 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$721.7 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$131,590 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 64.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in gdp per capita ppp · #3 in air passengers carried · #3 in manufacturing value added share of gdp.
#5 Finland
Finland ranks #5 on this list with 14 per 1,000 people (2021).
- Capital
- Helsinki
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$317.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$56,149 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 74.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in rule of law score · #2 in bank accounts share (adults) · #2 in control of corruption score.
#6 Luxembourg
Luxembourg ranks #6 on this list with 13.7 per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Luxembourg
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 686,970 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$101.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$147,250 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in gdp per capita ppp · #2 in trade share of gdp · #3 in gdp per capita.
#7 Belgium
Belgium ranks #7 on this list with 12.9 per 1,000 people (2021).
- Capital
- Brussels
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 11.94 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$725.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$60,750 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in school enrolment (secondary) · #4 in access to clean cooking fuels · #6 in gender parity index (school enrolment).
#8 Germany
Germany ranks #8 on this list with 12.3 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Berlin
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 83.49 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$5.05 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$60,496 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 80.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 82.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich.
Also ranks #2 in tourism receipts · #3 in gdp (current us$) · #3 in exports of goods and services.
#9 Denmark
Denmark ranks #9 on this list with 12.2 per 1,000 people (2021).
- Capital
- Copenhagen
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$462.53 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$76,970 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense.
Also ranks #1 in control of corruption score · #2 in arable land share · #2 in rule of law score.
#10 Netherlands
Netherlands ranks #10 on this list with 11.7 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Amsterdam
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 18.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.33 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$73,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in fdi outflows · #5 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in secure internet servers per million.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Nurses and midwives per 1,000: each country's latest value (2017–2022), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.MED.NUMW.P3. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people): Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO); Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Country data.
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.