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)
Characteristic
Practicing nurses per 1,000 inhabitants
Finland
18.9
Switzerland
18.4
Norway
18.3
Iceland*
15
Australia
12.8
Ireland
12.7
Japan
12.1
Germany
12
United States*
12
Luxembourg
11.7
Netherlands
11.4
Belgium
11.1
New Zealand
10.9
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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 May 11, 2025, 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 May 11, 2025. 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: May 11, 2025. 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 May 11, 2025)
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/
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