Countries in Oceania Ranked by Physicians per 1,000 (2022)
Physicians per 1,000: each country's latest value (2017–2022), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Australia ranks #1 with 4.09 physicians per 1,000 people. New Zealand is second with 3.61 physicians per 1,000 people, 13.2% behind. The top five are Australia, New Zealand, Palau, Tuvalu and Tonga. The median across all 10 is 0.994 physicians per 1,000 people; Papua New Guinea is last at 0.061 physicians per 1,000 people. Australia's figure has risen 71% since 1998 (2.39 physicians per 1,000 people to 4.09 physicians per 1,000 people in 2022).
- #1
- Australia · 4.09 physicians per 1,000 people
- Median
- 0.994 physicians per 1,000 people
- Coverage
- 10 countries in Oceania
- Data year
- 2022
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Physicians per 1,000 (physicians per 1,000 people) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 4.09 | 2022 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 3.61 | 2022 |
| 3 | Palau | 1.81 | 2023 |
| 4 | Tuvalu | 1.35 | 2020 |
| 5 | Tonga | 1.01 | 2021 |
| 6 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 0.974 | 2020 |
| 7 | Samoa | 0.561 | 2021 |
| 8 | Solomon Islands | 0.238 | 2023 |
| 9 | Vanuatu | 0.164 | 2019 |
| 10 | Papua New Guinea | 0.061 | 2023 |
About the top 10
#1 Australia
Australia ranks #1 on this list with 4.09 physicians per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Canberra
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 27.61 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.8 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$65,130 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane.
Also ranks #2 in regulatory quality score · #3 in access to clean cooking fuels · #4 in new businesses registered.
#2 New Zealand
New Zealand ranks #2 on this list with 3.61 physicians per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Wellington
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$264.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$49,591 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 84% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Auckland.
Also ranks #3 in voice and accountability score · #4 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in control of corruption score.
#3 Palau
Palau ranks #3 on this list with 1.81 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Ngerulmud
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 17,663 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$345 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,532 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in co2 emissions per capita · #2 in protected marine area share · #4 in forest area share.
#4 Tuvalu
Tuvalu ranks #4 on this list with 1.35 physicians per 1,000 people (2020).
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9,492 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.35 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,041 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in agricultural land share · #1 in health expenditure share of gdp · #1 in literacy rate.
#5 Tonga
Tonga ranks #5 on this list with 1.01 physicians per 1,000 people (2021).
- Capital
- Nukuʻalofa
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 103,740 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$679.22 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,547 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #7 in rural population share · #10 in completion rate (primary) · #11 in income share of poorest 10%.
#6 Micronesia, Fed. Sts.
Micronesia, Fed. Sts. ranks #6 on this list with 0.974 physicians per 1,000 people (2020).
- Capital
- Palikir
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 113,680 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$501.8 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,414 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 22.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in forest area share · #3 in education expenditure share of gdp · #7 in health expenditure share of gdp.
#7 Samoa
Samoa ranks #7 on this list with 0.561 physicians per 1,000 people (2021).
- Capital
- Apia
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 219,310 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.29 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,873 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in rural population share · #4 in diabetes prevalence · #16 in age dependency ratio.
#8 Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands ranks #8 on this list with 0.238 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Honiara
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 838,650 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.75 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,086 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in forest rents share of gdp · #2 in female labour force participation · #3 in labour force participation rate.
#9 Vanuatu
Vanuatu ranks #9 on this list with 0.164 physicians per 1,000 people (2019).
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 335,170 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,039 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 22.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in completion rate (primary) · #9 in rural population share.
#10 Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea ranks #10 on this list with 0.061 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Port Moresby
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 10.76 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$32.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,020 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 15.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in rural population share · #5 in water resources per capita · #6 in smoking prevalence.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Physicians per 1,000: each country's latest value (2017–2022), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.MED.PHYS.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Physicians (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.