Countries Ranked by Nurses and midwives per 1,000 in 1990
Nurses and midwives per 1,000 for each country in 1990, ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
In 1990, Sweden ranks #1 with 13.3 per 1,000 people. Iceland is second with 13.3 per 1,000 people, 0.38% behind. The top five are Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Australia and Uzbekistan. The median across all 46 is 6.33 per 1,000 people; Colombia is last at 0.333 per 1,000 people.
- #1
- Sweden · 13.3 per 1,000 people
- Median
- 6.33 per 1,000 people
- Coverage
- 46 countries
- Data year
- 1990
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Nurses and midwives per 1,000 (per 1,000 people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweden | 13.3 |
| 2 | Iceland | 13.3 |
| 3 | Denmark | 12.1 |
| 4 | Australia | 11.6 |
| 5 | Uzbekistan | 11.4 |
| 6 | Azerbaijan | 11.2 |
| 7 | Canada | 11.1 |
| 8 | Lithuania | 11 |
| 9 | Moldova | 10.9 |
| 10 | United States | 10.4 |
| 11 | Finland | 10.3 |
| 12 | Kyrgyz Republic | 10.1 |
| 13 | Kazakhstan | 9.6 |
| 14 | New Zealand | 9.2 |
| 15 | Estonia | 8.8 |
| 16 | Turkmenistan | 8.22 |
| 17 | Czechia | 7.8 |
| 18 | Armenia | 7.51 |
| 19 | Belarus | 7.5 |
| 20 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 7.01 |
| 21 | Bulgaria | 6.95 |
| 22 | Russian Federation | 6.67 |
| 23 | Japan | 6.37 |
| 24 | Latvia | 6.28 |
| 25 | Poland | 6.09 |
| 26 | Tajikistan | 5.86 |
| 27 | Hungary | 5.44 |
| 28 | Slovenia | 5.39 |
| 29 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5.06 |
| 30 | Croatia | 5 |
| 31 | Albania | 4.51 |
| 32 | Austria | 4.05 |
| 33 | Cyprus | 3.14 |
| 34 | Spain | 2.83 |
| 35 | United Arab Emirates | 2.73 |
| 36 | Oman | 2.35 |
| 37 | Mexico | 1.78 |
| 38 | Ecuador | 1.56 |
| 39 | Zimbabwe | 1.5 |
| 40 | Malaysia | 1.48 |
| 41 | Panama | 1 |
| 42 | Brazil | 0.949 |
| 43 | Costa Rica | 0.871 |
| 44 | China | 0.845 |
| 45 | Sri Lanka | 0.781 |
| 46 | Colombia | 0.333 |
About the top 10
#1 Sweden
Sweden ranks #1 on this list with 13.3 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$669 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$63,133 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö.
Also ranks #3 in researchers in r&d per million · #4 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #6 in male life expectancy.
#2 Iceland
Iceland ranks #2 on this list with 13.3 per 1,000 people.
- 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.
#3 Denmark
Denmark ranks #3 on this list with 12.1 per 1,000 people.
- 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.
#4 Australia
Australia ranks #4 on this list with 11.6 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.
#5 Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan ranks #5 on this list with 11.4 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Tashkent
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 37.05 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$147.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,968 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 51% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tashkent.
Also ranks #2 in literacy rate · #4 in deposit interest rate · #5 in bank branches per 100,000 adults.
#6 Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan ranks #6 on this list with 11.2 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Baku
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 10.25 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$75.94 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,411 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 58.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Baku.
Also ranks #9 in literacy rate · #9 in electricity access rate · #9 in access to electricity (rural).
#7 Canada
Canada ranks #7 on this list with 11.1 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Ottawa
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 41.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.32 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$55,698 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 82.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary.
Also ranks #2 in surface area · #3 in forest area · #4 in land area.
#8 Lithuania
Lithuania ranks #8 on this list with 11 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Vilnius
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 2.89 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$95.21 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$32,959 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 69.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in alcohol consumption per capita · #7 in bank accounts share (adults) · #8 in suicide mortality rate.
#9 Moldova
Moldova ranks #9 on this list with 10.9 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Chișinău
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$20.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,622 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 43.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in real effective exchange rate index · #2 in female population share · #5 in arable land share.
#10 United States
United States ranks #10 on this list with 10.4 per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 341.78 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$30.77 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$90,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 80.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: New York metropolitan area, New York City, Chicago.
Also ranks #1 in gdp (current us$) · #1 in health expenditure per capita · #1 in imports of goods and services.
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 for each country in 1990, 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.