Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) was 9.08 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
9.08 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
126th
of 213 countries
All-time high
11.21 per 1,000 live births
in 2000
All-time low
7.7 per 1,000 live births
in 2017
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Infant mortality rate in Costa Rica, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, infant mortality rate in Costa Rica stood at 9.08 per 1,000 live births.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Costa Rica peaked at 11.21 per 1,000 live births in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.7 per 1,000 live births, in 2017.
That places Costa Rica 126th out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11.21 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 2001 | 10.79 per 1,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 10.42 per 1,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 10.13 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 9.91 per 1,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 9.75 per 1,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 9.63 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 9.53 per 1,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 9.41 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 9.25 per 1,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 9.04 per 1,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 8.78 per 1,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 8.5 per 1,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 8.22 per 1,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 7.98 per 1,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 7.8 per 1,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 7.7 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 7.7 per 1,000 live births | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 7.77 per 1,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 7.91 per 1,000 live births | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 8.11 per 1,000 live births | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 8.34 per 1,000 live births | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 8.59 per 1,000 live births | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 8.85 per 1,000 live births | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 9.08 per 1,000 live births | +2.7% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 9.08 per 1,000 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.7 per 1,000 live births, 2.5× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 9.08 per 1,000 live births is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 11.39 per 1,000 live births, 80% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10 per 1,000 live births | 9.25 per 1,000 live births | 11.21 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.14 per 1,000 live births | 7.7 per 1,000 live births | 9.04 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.59 per 1,000 live births | 8.11 per 1,000 live births | 9.08 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 123 Tunisia 9.75 per 1,000 live births compare
- 124 Nicaragua 9.44 per 1,000 live births compare
- 125 Sao Tome and Principe 9.17 per 1,000 live births compare
- 127 Barbados 9.05 per 1,000 live births compare
- 128 El Salvador 8.84 per 1,000 live births compare
- 129 Brunei Darussalam 8.59 per 1,000 live births compare
- 129 Brunei 8.59 per 1,000 live births compare
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 35 (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 infant mortality rate in Costa Rica?
- Infant mortality rate in Costa Rica was 9.08 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 11.21 per 1,000 live births in 2000.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.7 per 1,000 live births in 2017.
- How does Costa Rica rank for infant mortality rate?
- Costa Rica ranks 126th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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