Percentage of children as a proportion of total population in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Percentage of children as a proportion of total population was 22.55 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
22.55
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
23rd
of 36 countries
All-time high
52.94
in 1964
All-time low
22.55
in 2025
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Percentage of children as a proportion of total population in Costa Rica, 1950–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 22.55 for percentage of children as a proportion of total population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of children as a proportion of total population in Costa Rica peaked at 52.94 in 1964 and was at its lowest, 22.55, in 2025.
Costa Rica ranks 23rd of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 76 years of available data.
Percentage of children as a proportion of total population in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 50.38 | — |
| 1951 | 50.57 | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 50.78 | +0.4% |
| 1953 | 50.98 | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 51.18 | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 51.36 | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 51.54 | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 51.75 | +0.4% |
| 1958 | 51.99 | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 52.23 | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 52.46 | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 52.67 | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 52.83 | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 52.93 | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 52.94 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 52.87 | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 52.71 | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 52.45 | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 52.12 | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 51.71 | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 51.24 | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 50.7 | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 50.11 | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 49.47 | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 48.8 | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 48.11 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 47.41 | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 46.69 | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 45.99 | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 45.31 | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 44.68 | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 44.09 | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 43.56 | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 43.1 | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 42.73 | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 42.43 | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 42.22 | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 42.04 | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 41.87 | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 41.71 | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 41.52 | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 41.29 | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 41.03 | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 40.7 | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 40.34 | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 39.92 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 39.45 | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 38.91 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 38.35 | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 37.77 | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 37.18 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 36.55 | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 35.87 | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 35.12 | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 34.34 | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 33.59 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 32.85 | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 32.13 | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 31.47 | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 30.86 | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 30.25 | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 29.64 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 29.08 | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 28.52 | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 27.98 | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 27.48 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 27 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 26.5 | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 26.02 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 25.54 | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 25.05 | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 24.56 | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 24.08 | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 23.56 | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 23.05 | -2.2% |
| 2025 | 22.55 | -2.2% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 22.55 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 25.66, 88% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 22.55 is above the median for high income countries, which is 21.77, 1.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 51.27 | 50.38 | 52.23 | 10 |
| 1960s | 52.57 | 51.71 | 52.94 | 10 |
| 1970s | 48.38 | 45.31 | 51.24 | 10 |
| 1980s | 42.84 | 41.71 | 44.68 | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.93 | 37.77 | 41.52 | 10 |
| 2000s | 34 | 30.86 | 37.18 | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.8 | 25.54 | 30.25 | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.81 | 22.55 | 25.05 | 6 |
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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,632 deaths per 1,000 people (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of children as a proportion of total population in Costa Rica?
- Percentage of children as a proportion of total population in Costa Rica was 22.55 in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest percentage of children as a proportion of total population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 52.94 in 1964.
- What is the lowest percentage of children as a proportion of total population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.55 in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for percentage of children as a proportion of total population?
- Costa Rica ranks 23rd out of 36 countries with data for 2025.
- Is percentage of children as a proportion of total population rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Percentage of children as a proportion of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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