Clientelism Index in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Clientelism Index was 0.129 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Clientelism Index in Costa Rica, 1838–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 0.129 for clientelism index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, clientelism index in Costa Rica peaked at 0.802 in 1919 and was at its lowest, 0.105, in 2015.
That places Costa Rica 149th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 188 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 0.735 | 0.735 | 0.735 | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.7419 | 0.735 | 0.75 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.7525 | 0.75 | 0.753 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.696 | 0.695 | 0.705 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.6754 | 0.668 | 0.679 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.6701 | 0.664 | 0.697 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.7738 | 0.76 | 0.802 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.7838 | 0.773 | 0.795 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.7306 | 0.72 | 0.798 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.6502 | 0.43 | 0.722 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.3252 | 0.266 | 0.413 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.221 | 0.206 | 0.266 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2734 | 0.265 | 0.277 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3274 | 0.306 | 0.348 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.259 | 0.214 | 0.275 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1823 | 0.15 | 0.214 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1242 | 0.105 | 0.143 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1313 | 0.117 | 0.16 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More reference data data for Costa Rica
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.2864 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8623 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.1052 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.3865 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.3144 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 143 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is clientelism index in Costa Rica?
- Clientelism index in Costa Rica was 0.129 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest clientelism index recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 0.802 in 1919.
- What is the lowest clientelism index recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.105 in 2015.
- How does Costa Rica rank for clientelism index?
- Costa Rica ranks 149th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is clientelism index rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Clientelism Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 188 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Composite index measuring the extent to which politics hinge on clientelistic exchanges of targeted goods, jobs, or cash for electoral support; higher values denote more pervasive clientelism.