Refugees by country of asylum in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Refugees by country of asylum was 31,632 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Costa Rica, 1972–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 31,632 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024.
That represents a change of up 35.1% on the previous year and up 52.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Costa Rica peaked at 278,800 people in 1988 and was at its lowest, 200 people, in 1974.
That places Costa Rica 72nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 700 people | — |
| 1974 | 200 people | -71.4% |
| 1977 | 3,500 people | +1650.0% |
| 1978 | 133,000 people | +3700.0% |
| 1979 | 18,610 people | -86.0% |
| 1980 | 10,060 people | -45.9% |
| 1981 | 15,000 people | +49.1% |
| 1982 | 16,360 people | +9.1% |
| 1983 | 16,910 people | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 16,910 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 24,000 people | +41.9% |
| 1986 | 31,200 people | +30.0% |
| 1987 | 31,600 people | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 278,800 people | +782.3% |
| 1989 | 278,800 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 276,210 people | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 117,492 people | -57.5% |
| 1992 | 114,392 people | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 24,834 people | -78.3% |
| 1994 | 24,630 people | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 24,226 people | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 23,176 people | -4.3% |
| 1997 | 23,114 people | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 22,986 people | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 22,903 people | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 5,519 people | -75.9% |
| 2001 | 8,104 people | +46.8% |
| 2002 | 12,433 people | +53.4% |
| 2003 | 13,508 people | +8.6% |
| 2004 | 10,413 people | -22.9% |
| 2005 | 11,253 people | +8.1% |
| 2006 | 11,515 people | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 17,176 people | +49.2% |
| 2008 | 18,119 people | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 19,101 people | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 19,486 people | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 20,044 people | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 20,435 people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 20,554 people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 20,726 people | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 3,603 people | -82.6% |
| 2016 | 4,162 people | +15.5% |
| 2017 | 4,479 people | +7.6% |
| 2018 | 4,531 people | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 6,204 people | +36.9% |
| 2020 | 9,593 people | +54.6% |
| 2021 | 10,224 people | +6.6% |
| 2022 | 14,088 people | +37.8% |
| 2023 | 23,422 people | +66.3% |
| 2024 | 31,632 people | +35.1% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 31,632 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 3.1× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 31,632 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 166 people, 190.6× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +3700.0% | 3,500 people | 133,000 people |
| 1977 | +1650.0% | 200 people | 3,500 people |
| 1988 | +782.3% | 31,600 people | 278,800 people |
| 1979 | -86.0% | 133,000 people | 18,610 people |
| 2015 | -82.6% | 20,726 people | 3,603 people |
| 1993 | -78.3% | 114,392 people | 24,834 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 31,202 people | 200 people | 133,000 people | 5 |
| 1980s | 71,964 people | 10,060 people | 278,800 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 67,396 people | 22,903 people | 276,210 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12,714 people | 5,519 people | 19,101 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,422 people | 3,603 people | 20,726 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 17,792 people | 9,593 people | 31,632 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More reference data data for Costa Rica
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2987 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.406 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0167 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3161 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 5.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0907 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Costa Rica?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Costa Rica was 31,632 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 278,800 people in 1988.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 200 people in 1974.
- How does Costa Rica rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Costa Rica ranks 72nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.