Top Countries by Nurses per 1,000 People, 2026 Snapshot
Nurse and Midwife Workforce Density by Country
This page compares countries and economies by nurses and midwives per 1,000 people. Monaco has the highest value in the table, but its World Bank year is 2014, so the result should be read as a historical source value rather than a current-year staffing claim.
Among the most recent 2023 entries, Norway leads with 16.51 nurses and midwives per 1,000 people. The table uses World Bank indicator SH.MED.NUMW.P3 and keeps each country’s reported year visible, because health-workforce data are not updated on the same schedule everywhere.
Reported years in the table: 2014–2023. Coverage: 100 countries and economies. Direction: higher density ranks higher. Unit: nurses and midwives per 1,000 people.
20.83 nurses and midwives per 1,000 people. The source year is 2014, so this entry needs extra caution.
16.51 per 1,000 people in 2023, ahead of Iceland and Ireland among recent high-density entries.
Guyana closes the Top 100 with 3.93 per 1,000 people in 2023.
Most entries use 2022 or 2023 values, while a smaller group has older health-workforce observations.
Overview: what this workforce metric shows
Nurse and midwife density is a health-workforce capacity indicator. A value of 10.00 means 10 nurses and midwives for every 1,000 residents in the country year shown in the table.
The measure is useful for comparing the scale of nursing and midwifery personnel relative to population. It is especially relevant for hospital staffing, maternity services, primary care, community care and long-term care.
It is not a direct healthcare-quality score. The number does not show ward-level staffing, rural shortages, nurse workload, wage levels, patient outcomes or whether every country gives nurses and midwives the same responsibilities.
Top 10 countries and economies by nurse and midwife density
The highest entries are led by Monaco, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Ireland. Monaco remains the top value in this World Bank table, but its year is older than the rest of the leading group.
Top 10 by nurses and midwives per 1,000 people
| Rank | Entity | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco | 20.83 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2014. |
| 2 | Switzerland | 18.76 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 3 | Norway | 16.51 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 4 | Iceland | 15.86 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 5 | Ireland | 14.78 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 6 | Finland | 14.01 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2021. |
| 7 | Luxembourg | 13.72 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 8 | Australia | 13.45 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2022. |
| 9 | United States | 13.38 | North America; World Bank 2022. |
| 10 | Japan | 12.98 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2022. |
Values are shown to two decimals. Sorting details are explained in the methodology section.
Chart: where nurse and midwife density is highest
The chart uses the same values as the main table. The gap between Monaco and most other entries is partly a small-economy effect and partly an older source year. Recent high-density values are concentrated in Europe and other advanced health systems.
Methodology
The metric is World Bank indicator SH.MED.NUMW.P3: nurses and midwives per 1,000 people. The underlying source is Global Health Workforce Statistics, World Health Organization, with OECD and country data where applicable.
Metric and unit
The source unit is per 1,000 people. The table uses the country value shown by the World Bank for each economy’s reported year.
How the rank is calculated
Countries and economies are sorted from highest to lowest numeric value. Values are displayed to two decimals after sorting.
Headcount versus staffing capacity
This is a headcount-style density indicator, not a full-time-equivalent staffing measure. It does not adjust for part-time work or working hours.
Who is included
The definition includes professional, auxiliary and enrolled nurses and midwives, plus associated personnel when they are reported under the source methodology.
Countries do not report health-workforce statistics on the same timetable. For that reason, the table keeps the source year beside every entry instead of treating all countries as if they were measured in one calendar year.
Comparability limits matter. Training categories, licensing rules, midwife scope of practice, administrative records and survey methods can differ by country. Older high-ranking entries should be read as source-year values, not as proof of current staffing levels.
The indicator does not measure care quality, rural access, ward-level staffing, nurse workload, nurse pay, patient safety, hospital capacity or full-time-equivalent staffing.
Main ranking: Top 100 by nurses and midwives per 1,000 people
Use the controls to search by country or economy, filter by region, change sort order or switch between the Top 10, Top 20 and all 100 entries.
Top 100 countries and economies by nurses and midwives per 1,000 people
| Rank | Entity | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco | 20.83 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2014. |
| 2 | Switzerland | 18.76 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 3 | Norway | 16.51 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 4 | Iceland | 15.86 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 5 | Ireland | 14.78 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 6 | Finland | 14.01 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2021. |
| 7 | Luxembourg | 13.72 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 8 | Australia | 13.45 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2022. |
| 9 | United States | 13.38 | North America; World Bank 2022. |
| 10 | Japan | 12.98 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2022. |
| 11 | Belgium | 12.89 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2021. |
| 12 | New Zealand | 12.30 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2023. |
| 13 | Germany | 12.25 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 14 | Denmark | 12.19 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2021. |
| 15 | Netherlands | 11.67 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 16 | Sweden | 11.67 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2021. |
| 17 | Guam | 11.56 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2018. |
| 18 | Austria | 11.28 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 19 | Canada | 11.26 | North America; World Bank 2023. |
| 20 | Uzbekistan | 11.08 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2020. |
| 21 | Belarus | 10.82 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 22 | Slovenia | 10.56 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 23 | Antigua and Barbuda | 9.65 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2019. |
| 24 | United Kingdom | 9.55 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 25 | Czechia | 9.53 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 26 | San Marino | 9.44 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 27 | France | 9.42 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2021. |
| 28 | Paraguay | 9.41 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2022. |
| 29 | British Virgin Islands | 9.11 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2018. |
| 30 | Korea, Rep. | 9.09 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2022. |
| 31 | Qatar | 8.49 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2023. |
| 32 | Romania | 8.25 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 33 | Malta | 8.24 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2023. |
| 34 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 8.18 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2018. |
| 35 | Portugal | 8.01 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 36 | Croatia | 8.00 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 37 | Lithuania | 7.84 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 38 | Cuba | 7.60 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2020. |
| 39 | Uruguay | 7.39 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2022. |
| 40 | Cayman Islands | 7.33 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2018. |
| 41 | Seychelles | 7.32 | Sub-Saharan Africa; World Bank 2023. |
| 42 | Nauru | 7.30 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2018. |
| 43 | Russian Federation | 7.04 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 44 | Dominica | 6.76 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2018. |
| 45 | Italy | 6.75 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 46 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.73 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 47 | Serbia | 6.69 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 48 | Estonia | 6.66 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 49 | Brunei | 6.62 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2021. |
| 50 | Palau | 6.61 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2023. |
| 51 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 6.58 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 52 | Saudi Arabia | 6.56 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2023. |
| 53 | Singapore | 6.56 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2022. |
| 54 | Kazakhstan | 6.49 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 55 | Tajikistan | 6.45 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 56 | Spain | 6.41 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 57 | South Africa | 6.39 | Sub-Saharan Africa; World Bank 2022. |
| 58 | Libya | 6.38 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2017. |
| 59 | Poland | 6.33 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 60 | Moldova | 6.32 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 61 | United Arab Emirates | 6.19 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2022. |
| 62 | Montenegro | 6.08 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 63 | Ukraine | 6.08 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 64 | Slovak Republic | 6.01 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 65 | Georgia | 5.97 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 66 | Israel | 5.90 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2023. |
| 67 | Albania | 5.82 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2020. |
| 68 | Hungary | 5.67 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 69 | Azerbaijan | 5.58 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 70 | North Macedonia | 5.51 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 71 | Brazil | 5.50 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 72 | Chile | 5.45 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 73 | Namibia | 5.39 | Sub-Saharan Africa; World Bank 2022. |
| 74 | St. Lucia | 5.34 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 75 | Maldives | 5.02 | South Asia; World Bank 2020. |
| 76 | Philippines | 4.79 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2021. |
| 77 | Argentina | 4.75 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 78 | Armenia | 4.75 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 79 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 4.74 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 80 | Andorra | 4.72 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 81 | Oman | 4.66 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2022. |
| 82 | Grenada | 4.58 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 83 | Kuwait | 4.54 | Middle East & North Africa; World Bank 2020. |
| 84 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 4.38 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2017. |
| 85 | Latvia | 4.37 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 86 | Marshall Islands | 4.30 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2018. |
| 87 | Eswatini | 4.26 | Sub-Saharan Africa; World Bank 2023. |
| 88 | Bahamas, The | 4.22 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 89 | Mongolia | 4.22 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2018. |
| 90 | Bulgaria | 4.20 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 91 | Tonga | 4.20 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2021. |
| 92 | Ghana | 4.11 | Sub-Saharan Africa; World Bank 2023. |
| 93 | Greece | 4.11 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2022. |
| 94 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4.11 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
| 95 | Nepal | 4.09 | South Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 96 | Kyrgyz Republic | 4.08 | Europe & Central Asia; World Bank 2023. |
| 97 | Malaysia | 4.05 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2023. |
| 98 | Mauritius | 4.05 | Sub-Saharan Africa; World Bank 2022. |
| 99 | Tuvalu | 3.94 | East Asia & Pacific; World Bank 2020. |
| 100 | Guyana | 3.93 | Latin America & Caribbean; World Bank 2023. |
Each entry shows its own World Bank year. The value column is nurses and midwives per 1,000 people.
Why countries differ
Care model and long-term care
Countries with broad long-term-care systems, community nursing and formal nurse-led roles often show higher density because nurses are counted across more parts of the health system.
Reporting and training categories
Some systems report auxiliary or enrolled categories more fully than others. This can change the headline ratio even when bedside capacity is not directly comparable.
Population size effects
Small economies can move sharply in per-capita comparisons because modest staff-count changes can have a large effect on a per-1,000 ratio.
Migration and workforce retention
Training pipelines, nurse migration, wage levels and retention conditions affect whether countries can maintain enough nursing and midwifery personnel over time.
Insights from the nurse and midwife density table
Key insight
The top of the table combines very high European health-workforce density with a small-economy outlier: Monaco ranks first, but its value is from 2014.
Notable pattern
Europe & Central Asia accounts for much of the upper table, reflecting dense health systems, formal nursing roles and broad long-term-care networks.
Recent-data leaders
Among 2023 values, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg and Canada are the strongest high-density entries in the Top 20.
Outlier
Guam appears in the Top 20 with 11.56 per 1,000 people, but its 2018 year and small population make it less comparable with large national systems.
How to read a high nurse and midwife ratio
A high nurse and midwife density usually points to greater staffing capacity across hospitals, maternity services, community care, long-term care and primary care. It can also reflect broader nursing roles and stronger health-workforce reporting.
The year beside each entry matters. A 2023 value is more current than a 2014 value, even if the older number ranks higher. This is why Monaco should not be interpreted as a current-year staffing claim.
The main interpretation risk is treating the table as a direct quality score. Countries with similar ratios can differ in training standards, working hours, rural distribution, public-private mix and how midwives are counted.
FAQ
Which country or economy has the most nurses and midwives per 1,000 people?
Monaco has the highest value in the table at 20.83 per 1,000 people. Its source year is 2014, so it should be read with more caution than newer entries.
Which country leads among 2023 values?
Norway leads among 2023 entries, with 16.51 nurses and midwives per 1,000 people.
Are these actual 2026 staffing numbers?
No. The page is a 2026 comparison built from World Bank country values. Each country keeps the year shown in the source table.
Why are some country years older than others?
Health-workforce data are not reported at the same time in every country. Showing the year beside each entry helps readers judge how current the number is.
Does the indicator count only registered nurses?
No. It can include professional, auxiliary and enrolled nurses and midwives, plus associated personnel when those categories are reported under the source definition.
Does a high ratio mean the healthcare system is better?
Not automatically. Staffing density is one input. Quality also depends on training, financing, rural access, hospital capacity, primary care and patient outcomes.
Why can small economies rank high?
Per-capita ratios move more easily in small populations. A limited change in staff count can create a large movement in nurses and midwives per 1,000 people.
What does this metric leave out?
It does not show full-time-equivalent staffing, ward-level nurse ratios, workload, wages, patient safety, rural shortages or whether nurses have the same scope of practice across countries.
Sources
World Bank Data — Nurses and midwives per 1,000 people
Primary source for country values, years, unit, source name and license for indicator SH.MED.NUMW.P3.
World Bank DataBank metadata glossary
Used for definition, methodology, limitations and comparability notes for SH.MED.NUMW.P3.
https://databank.worldbank.org/metadataglossary/world-development-indicators/series/SH.MED.NUMW.P3
Our World in Data — processed World Bank indicator page
Used to cross-check the indicator definition, source description, date range and limitations discussion.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/nurses-and-midwives-per-1000-people
World Bank Data Help Desk — Indicators API
Reference for how World Bank indicator data can be queried by country, indicator and year.
