Practising nurses by country, 2024
Nurses with a qualification recognised under EU rules who provide services directly to patients, per 100,000 inhabitants. National coverage of nursing categories varies.
30 places ranked for 2024. Highest: Norway (1,524 per 100,000 people). Lowest: Romania (106 per 100,000 people). The median is 729 per 100,000 people.
Highest 10
- 1. Norway 1,524 per 100,000 people
- 2. Luxembourg 1,472 per 100,000 people
- 3. Ireland 1,419 per 100,000 people
- 4. Finland 1,290 per 100,000 peopled (definition differs (see metadata))
- 5. Germany 1,251 per 100,000 people
- 6. Switzerland 1,215 per 100,000 people
- 7. Netherlands 1,123 per 100,000 people
- 8. Sweden 1,114 per 100,000 people
- 9. Denmark 1,053 per 100,000 people
- 10. Iceland 1,032 per 100,000 peopled (definition differs (see metadata))
Lowest 10
- 30. Romania 106 per 100,000 people
- 29. Montenegro 122 per 100,000 people
- 28. Greece 248 per 100,000 peopled (definition differs (see metadata))
- 27. Croatia 265 per 100,000 people
- 26. Latvia 414 per 100,000 people
- 25. Bulgaria 441 per 100,000 people
- 24. Hungary 460 per 100,000 people
- 23. Cyprus 519 per 100,000 people
- 22. Slovenia 521 per 100,000 people
- 21. Spain 573 per 100,000 peoplee (estimated)
The chart loads when you scroll to it.
Source: Eurostat.
In short
- Among the 30 countries with a value for 2024, the highest is Norway (1,524 per 100,000 people) and the lowest Romania (106 per 100,000 people).
- Half of the countries are above 729 per 100,000 people and half below.
- From 2023 to 2024 the value rose in 22 countries and fell in 6.
Full ranking
| # | Country | Value | Period | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 1,524 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 2 | Luxembourg | 1,472 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 3 | Ireland | 1,419 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 4 | Finland | 1,290 per 100,000 peopled (definition differs (see metadata)) | 2024 | |
| 5 | Germany | 1,251 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 6 | Switzerland | 1,215 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 7 | Netherlands | 1,123 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 8 | Sweden | 1,114 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 9 | Denmark | 1,053 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 10 | Iceland | 1,032 per 100,000 peopled (definition differs (see metadata)) | 2024 | |
| 11 | Austria | 1,015 per 100,000 peoplee (estimated) | 2024 | |
| 12 | Czechia | 799 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 13 | Malta | 797 per 100,000 peoplee (estimated) | 2024 | |
| 14 | Lithuania | 770 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 15 | Liechtenstein | 737 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 16 | Portugal | 721 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 17 | Serbia | 711 per 100,000 peopled (definition differs (see metadata)) | 2024 | |
| 18 | Italy | 692 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 19 | Estonia | 683 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 20 | Poland | 601 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 21 | Spain | 573 per 100,000 peoplee (estimated) | 2024 | |
| 22 | Slovenia | 521 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 23 | Cyprus | 519 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 24 | Hungary | 460 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 25 | Bulgaria | 441 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 26 | Latvia | 414 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 27 | Croatia | 265 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 28 | Greece | 248 per 100,000 peopled (definition differs (see metadata)) | 2024 | |
| 29 | Montenegro | 122 per 100,000 people | 2024 | |
| 30 | Romania | 106 per 100,000 people | 2024 |
Places are ordered from the highest to the lowest value. Group medians on this site are the middle value of the members with data for the same year; they are not official aggregates.
How this ranking works
Every country is ranked on its value for 2024, the latest period that most countries have, so all values are for the same point in time. Countries without a value for 2024 are left out. Groups and aggregates such as the European Union are not ranked. Values are as published by Eurostat; the ranking is a plain ordering from the highest to the lowest value and says nothing about whether a high value is good or bad.
Earlier years: use the year selector above. Methodology · Coverage and freshness