Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 66.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Costa Rica is 66.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Costa Rica peaked at 69.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 40.0%, in 1990.
That places Costa Rica 137th 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.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 40.0% | — |
| 1991 | 41.6% | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 41.2% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 41.8% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 43.3% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 43.8% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 43.3% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 46.5% | +7.2% |
| 1998 | 48.9% | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 49.8% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 48.3% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 52.2% | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 52.0% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 52.2% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 50.6% | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 54.8% | +8.3% |
| 2006 | 55.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 55.9% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 56.9% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 58.4% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 58.9% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 61.7% | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 66.2% | +7.2% |
| 2013 | 66.9% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 66.2% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 65.8% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 62.3% | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 61.8% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 63.8% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 69.2% | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 66.6% | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 68.2% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 68.7% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 62.9% | -8.5% |
| 2024 | 65.8% | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 66.0% | +0.2% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 66.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 83.3%, 79% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 66.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.3%, 91% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.0% | 40.0% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.6% | 48.3% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.3% | 58.9% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.4% | 62.9% | 68.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Costa Rica?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Costa Rica was 66.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 69.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.0% in 1990.
- How does Costa Rica rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Costa Rica ranks 137th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. 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 Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.