Labor force, female in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Labor force, female was 987,345 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 987,345 for labor force, female in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Costa Rica peaked at 1.06 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 330,972, in 1990.
Costa Rica ranks 117th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 330,972 | — |
| 1991 | 345,876 | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 349,179 | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 370,813 | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 396,242 | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 420,302 | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 415,980 | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 468,343 | +12.6% |
| 1998 | 513,840 | +9.7% |
| 1999 | 536,631 | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 534,678 | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 591,213 | +10.6% |
| 2002 | 600,865 | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 620,903 | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 611,324 | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 686,339 | +12.3% |
| 2006 | 696,144 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 727,795 | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 745,709 | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 767,578 | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 770,167 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 826,543 | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 930,865 | +12.6% |
| 2013 | 943,272 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 960,667 | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 951,913 | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 888,514 | -6.7% |
| 2017 | 898,796 | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 965,195 | +7.4% |
| 2019 | 1.06 million | +9.7% |
| 2020 | 988,804 | -6.6% |
| 2021 | 1.03 million | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 1.04 million | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 925,609 | -11.3% |
| 2024 | 976,322 | +5.5% |
| 2025 | 987,345 | +1.1% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 987,345 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 million, 68% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 987,345 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.32 million, 75% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 414,818 | 330,972 | 536,631 | 10 |
| 2000s | 658,255 | 534,678 | 767,578 | 10 |
| 2010s | 919,490 | 770,167 | 1.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 992,480 | 925,609 | 1.04 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More gender data for Costa Rica
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 838.24 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -2.49 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,413 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,413 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.8911 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 24,787 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 25,901 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 25,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 26,214 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 25,387 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Costa Rica?
- Labor force, female in Costa Rica was 987,345 in 2025, according to World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 1.06 million in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 330,972 in 1990.
- How does Costa Rica rank for labor force, female?
- Costa Rica ranks 117th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division, published as part of Labor force, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force comprises women ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.