Birth rates and death rates in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Birth rates and death rates was 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.46 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 10.6%
World rank
199th
of 236 countries
All-time high
12.12 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
3.68 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1990
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rates and death rates in Costa Rica, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people for birth rates and death rates in 2023.
That represents a change of down 10.6% on the previous year and up 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rates and death rates in Costa Rica peaked at 12.12 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people, in 1990.
Costa Rica ranks 199th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Birth rates and death rates in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.12 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 11.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1952 | 11.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1953 | 11.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 1954 | 10.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1955 | 10.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1956 | 9.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1957 | 9.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1958 | 9.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1959 | 8.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1960 | 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1961 | 8.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1962 | 8.18 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 8.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1964 | 7.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1965 | 7.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1966 | 7.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1967 | 7.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 1968 | 6.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 6.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1970 | 6.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1971 | 5.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1972 | 5.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 1973 | 5.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1974 | 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1975 | 4.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1976 | 4.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1977 | 4.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 4.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 4.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1980 | 4.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 4.11 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 4.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 3.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 3.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 3.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 3.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 3.81 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 3.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 3.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 3.7 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 3.78 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 3.84 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 3.86 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 3.93 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 3.93 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 3.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 3.93 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 3.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 3.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 3.86 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 3.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 3.89 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 3.99 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 4.08 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 4.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 4.26 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 4.29 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 4.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 4.33 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 4.45 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 4.52 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 4.82 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 4.96 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 5.06 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 5.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +8.8% |
| 2021 | 6.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +17.8% |
| 2022 | 6.11 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people, 65% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 7.46 deaths per 1,000 people, 73% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.56 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.51 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.17 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.33 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.27 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.91 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.7 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.2 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.82 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.84 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.13 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.61 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.26 deaths per 1,000 people | 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.57 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More health data for Costa Rica
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.78 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4617 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 35 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -3.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0248 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -3.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0259 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rates and death rates in Costa Rica?
- Birth rates and death rates in Costa Rica was 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rates and death rates recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 12.12 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest birth rates and death rates recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people in 1990.
- How does Costa Rica rank for birth rates and death rates?
- Costa Rica ranks 199th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rates and death rates rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rates and death rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.