Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 53.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 53.5% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Costa Rica peaked at 58.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 34.9%, in 1992.
That places Costa Rica 128th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 35.1% | — |
| 1991 | 35.5% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 34.9% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 35.9% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 37.3% | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 38.2% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 36.7% | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 39.9% | +8.8% |
| 1998 | 42.3% | +6.2% |
| 1999 | 43.0% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 41.8% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 45.0% | +7.6% |
| 2002 | 44.7% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 45.1% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 43.4% | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 47.7% | +9.8% |
| 2006 | 47.2% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 48.5% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 48.6% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 49.2% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 48.7% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 50.8% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 56.2% | +10.5% |
| 2013 | 56.1% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 56.4% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 55.2% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 51.2% | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 51.4% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 54.5% | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 58.8% | +7.9% |
| 2020 | 54.9% | -6.7% |
| 2021 | 57.0% | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 57.5% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 50.9% | -11.5% |
| 2024 | 53.1% | +4.4% |
| 2025 | 53.5% | +0.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 53.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 71.9%, 74% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 53.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 59.2%, 90% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 37.9% | 34.9% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.1% | 41.8% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.9% | 48.7% | 58.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.5% | 50.9% | 57.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 125 United Arab Emirates 54.3% compare
- 126 Mali 54.3% compare
- 127 French Polynesia 54.2% compare
- 129 El Salvador 53.3% compare
- 130 Sierra Leone 53.1% compare
- 131 Philippines 52.8% compare
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9977 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,205 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 569.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,908 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,776 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Costa Rica?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Costa Rica was 53.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 58.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.9% in 1992.
- How does Costa Rica rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Costa Rica ranks 128th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.