Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 66.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 66.0% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in 2025.
The figure 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 rates in Costa Rica peaked at 69.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 40.0%, in 1990.
That places Costa Rica 136th out of 186 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 rates in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | 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 rates in Costa Rica?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Costa Rica was 66.0% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates 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 rates 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 rates?
- Costa Rica ranks 136th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates 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 International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).