Countries in South America 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
Argentina ranks #1 with 5.11 physicians per 1,000 people (2023). Uruguay is second with 4.67 physicians per 1,000 people, 9.2% behind. The top five are Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Colombia. The median across all 12 is 2.34 physicians per 1,000 people; Bolivia is last at 1.28 physicians per 1,000 people. Argentina's figure has risen 82% since 1998 (2.99 physicians per 1,000 people to 5.44 physicians per 1,000 people in 2022).
- #1
- Argentina · 5.11 physicians per 1,000 people
- Median
- 2.34 physicians per 1,000 people
- Coverage
- 12 countries in South America
- Data year
- 2022
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Physicians per 1,000 (physicians per 1,000 people) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 5.11 | 2023 |
| 2 | Uruguay | 4.67 | 2022 |
| 3 | Paraguay | 3.89 | 2022 |
| 4 | Chile | 3.33 | 2023 |
| 5 | Colombia | 2.54 | 2023 |
| 6 | Brazil | 2.36 | 2023 |
| 7 | Ecuador | 2.31 | 2020 |
| 8 | Peru | 1.69 | 2023 |
| 9 | Venezuela, RB | 1.66 | 2017 |
| 10 | Guyana | 1.39 | 2020 |
| 11 | Suriname | 1.36 | 2023 |
| 12 | Bolivia | 1.28 | 2021 |
About the top 10
#1 Argentina
Argentina ranks #1 on this list with 5.11 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 45.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$683.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,898 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Córdoba.
Also ranks #1 in inflation rate · #2 in access to clean cooking fuels · #2 in deposit interest rate.
#2 Uruguay
Uruguay ranks #2 on this list with 4.67 physicians per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.38 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$85.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,216 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Montevideo.
Also ranks #1 in atms per 100,000 adults · #3 in agricultural land share · #5 in suicide mortality rate.
#3 Paraguay
Paraguay ranks #3 on this list with 3.89 physicians per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Asunción
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$49.28 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in official exchange rate · #11 in income share of richest 10% · #14 in gini index.
#4 Chile
Chile ranks #4 on this list with 3.33 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
#5 Colombia
Colombia ranks #5 on this list with 2.54 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 53.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$457.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 78.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali.
Also ranks #1 in income share of richest 10% · #1 in gini index · #4 in women in ministerial positions share.
#6 Brazil
Brazil ranks #6 on this list with 2.36 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Brasília
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 212.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,713 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.
Also ranks #1 in new businesses registered · #2 in forest area · #3 in external debt stocks.
#7 Ecuador
Ecuador ranks #7 on this list with 2.31 physicians per 1,000 people (2020).
- Capital
- Quito
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.29 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$130.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,125 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito.
Also ranks #5 in homicide rate · #9 in gini index · #9 in women in ministerial positions share.
#8 Peru
Peru ranks #8 on this list with 1.69 physicians per 1,000 people (2023).
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#9 Venezuela, RB
Venezuela, RB ranks #9 on this list with 1.66 physicians per 1,000 people (2017).
- Capital
- Caracas
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 28.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$99.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,495 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia.
Also ranks #1 in time to start a business (days) · #3 in protected terrestrial area share · #11 in refugee population by origin.
#10 Guyana
Guyana ranks #10 on this list with 1.39 physicians per 1,000 people (2020).
- Capital
- Georgetown
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 835,990 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$27.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$32,414 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 26.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in gdp growth rate · #1 in industry value added share of gdp · #1 in livestock production index.
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.