Share of women in parliament in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share of women in parliament was 49.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of women in parliament in Costa Rica, 1997–2025
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) monthly ranking of women in national parliaments, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of women in parliament in Costa Rica stood at 49.1%. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is up 47.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women in parliament in Costa Rica peaked at 49.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 15.8%, in 1997.
Costa Rica ranks 8th of 193 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Share of women in parliament in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 15.8% | — |
| 1998 | 19.3% | +22.2% |
| 1999 | 19.3% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 19.3% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 19.3% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 35.1% | +81.8% |
| 2003 | 35.1% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 35.1% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 35.1% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 38.6% | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 36.8% | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 36.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 36.8% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 38.6% | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 33.3% | -13.6% |
| 2015 | 33.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 33.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 35.1% | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 45.6% | +30.0% |
| 2019 | 45.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 45.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 45.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 47.4% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 47.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 49.1% | +3.7% |
| 2025 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.1% | 15.8% | 19.3% | 3 |
| 2000s | 32.8% | 19.3% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.1% | 33.3% | 45.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.4% | 45.6% | 49.1% | 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 share of women in parliament in Costa Rica?
- Share of women in parliament in Costa Rica was 49.1% in 2025, according to Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) monthly ranking of women in national parliaments, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women in parliament recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 49.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women in parliament recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.8% in 1997.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share of women in parliament?
- Costa Rica ranks 8th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of women in parliament rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.4%. 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 (IPU) monthly ranking of women in national parliaments, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women in parliament. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of seats in lower or single chamber of the legislature held by women.