In 2021, Finland had the highest number of practicing nurses per capita, for every 1,000 population there were 19 practicing nurses. This is followed by Switzerland and Norway.
This statistic portrays the number of practicing nurses in selected countries as of 2021, per 1,000 population.
Number of practicing nurses worldwide as of 2021, by country
(per 1,000 population)
Associate professional nurses with a lower level of qualifications make up more than 50% of nurses in Slovenia, Croatia and Romania; between 33% and 50% in Greece, Iceland, Korea, Mexico and Switzerland; and between 15% and 30% in Australia, Canada, Finland, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
*Data include nurses working in the health sector as managers, educators, researchers and similar (e.g. for France, the number of practicing nurses is overestimated by about 12%).
**Data include all nurses licensed to practice.
***Data only refer to nurses employed in hospitals.
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OECD. (November 7, 2023). Number of practicing nurses worldwide as of 2021, by country (per 1,000 population) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/283124/selected-countries-nurses-per-1-000-inhabitants/
OECD. "Number of practicing nurses worldwide as of 2021, by country (per 1,000 population)." Chart. November 7, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/283124/selected-countries-nurses-per-1-000-inhabitants/
OECD. (2023). Number of practicing nurses worldwide as of 2021, by country (per 1,000 population). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/283124/selected-countries-nurses-per-1-000-inhabitants/
OECD. "Number of Practicing Nurses Worldwide as of 2021, by Country (per 1,000 Population)." Statista, Statista Inc., 7 Nov 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/283124/selected-countries-nurses-per-1-000-inhabitants/
OECD, Number of practicing nurses worldwide as of 2021, by country (per 1,000 population) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/283124/selected-countries-nurses-per-1-000-inhabitants/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Number of practicing nurses worldwide as of 2021, by country (per 1,000 population) [Graph], OECD, November 7, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/283124/selected-countries-nurses-per-1-000-inhabitants/
