Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Proportion of women in ministerial level positions was 28.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica, 2005–2025
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Women in Politics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica stood at 28.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.3% on the previous year and down 30.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica peaked at 52.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 25.0%, in 2005.
That places Costa Rica 56th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 25.0% | — |
| 2008 | 29.4% | +17.6% |
| 2010 | 35.0% | +19.0% |
| 2012 | 29.2% | -16.6% |
| 2014 | 25.0% | -14.4% |
| 2015 | 40.9% | +63.6% |
| 2016 | 30.4% | -25.7% |
| 2018 | 51.9% | +70.7% |
| 2019 | 50.0% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 52.0% | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 45.5% | -12.6% |
| 2023 | 40.9% | -10.0% |
| 2024 | 33.3% | -18.5% |
| 2025 | 28.6% | -14.3% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 28.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 28.6%, 1.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 28.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 26.7%, 1.1× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +70.7% | 30.4% | 51.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.2% | 25.0% | 29.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 37.5% | 25.0% | 51.9% | 7 |
| 2020s | 40.1% | 28.6% | 52.0% | 5 |
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 proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica?
- Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in Costa Rica was 28.6% in 2025, according to Inter-Parliamentary Union. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Women in Politics.
- What is the highest proportion of women in ministerial level positions recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 52.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest proportion of women in ministerial level positions recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.0% in 2005.
- How does Costa Rica rank for proportion of women in ministerial level positions?
- Costa Rica ranks 56th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of women in ministerial level positions rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Inter-Parliamentary Union. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Women in Politics, published as part of Proportion of women in ministerial level positions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Women in ministerial level positions is the proportion of women in ministerial or equivalent positions (including deputy prime ministers) in the government. Prime Ministers/Heads of Government are included when they hold ministerial portfolios. Vice-Presidents and heads of governmental or public agencies are excluded.