How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and South Africa?

126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Justified Political Positions Score. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Costa Rica vs South Africa: Justified Political Positions Score

Costa Rica

2.91

in 2025

South Africa

2.47

in 2025

Costa Rica rank

6th

South Africa rank

8th

Justified Political Positions Score over time

Costa Rica
South Africa

How they compare

Costa Rica currently reports 2.91 against 2.47 in South Africa, a difference of 0.44.

That makes Costa Rica's figure about 1.2 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was South Africa ahead.

Costa Rica ranks 6th and South Africa ranks 8th of 175 countries.

Across the 13 decades both report, Costa Rica averaged higher in 8 and South Africa in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Costa Rica	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
1900s	-0.071	0.515	0.586	South Africa
1910s	-0.2	0.658	0.858	South Africa
1920s	0.319	0.658	0.339	South Africa
1930s	0.319	0.658	0.339	South Africa
1940s	0.4811	0.6284	0.1473	South Africa
1950s	1.72	0.51	1.21	Costa Rica
1960s	1.72	0.51	1.21	Costa Rica
1970s	1.72	0.51	1.21	Costa Rica
1980s	2.13	0.5675	1.56	Costa Rica
1990s	2.13	1.51	0.6154	Costa Rica
2000s	2.6	1.78	0.8167	Costa Rica
2010s	2.91	1.71	1.2	Costa Rica
2020s	2.91	2.47	0.436	Costa Rica

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher justified political positions score, Costa Rica or South Africa?: Costa Rica, at 2.91 against 2.47 in South Africa as of 2025.
What is the difference in justified political positions score between Costa Rica and South Africa?: 0.44, with Costa Rica ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and South Africa?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Costa Rica and South Africa rank globally for justified political positions score?: Costa Rica ranks 6th and South Africa ranks 8th of 175 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Justified Political Positions Score. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Costa Rica vs South Africa: Justified Political Positions Score. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/justified-political-positions-score/costa-rica/south-africa/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/justified-political-positions-score/costa-rica/south-africa/">Costa Rica vs South Africa: Justified Political Positions Score</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Justified Political Positions Score
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 175 places, 20,802 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which political elites provide complex, nuanced, and complete justifications for their views when considering important policy changes.