Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) was 42.7% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
42.7%
Change on year
up 6.6%
World rank
18th
of 27 countries
All-time high
43.6%
in 2015
All-time low
37.2%
in 2011
Years of data
9
2010–2018

Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica, 2010–2018

0102030402010201420182010: 40.22011: 37.22012: 41.52013: 43.62014: 42.92015: 43.62016: 39.72017: 402018: 42.7

Source: UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/.

Analysis

The most recent figure for informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica is 42.7%, measured in 2018.

The figure is up 6.6% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica peaked at 43.6% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 37.2%, in 2011.

Costa Rica ranks 18th of 27 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica, year by year

Annual values for Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) - Non-agriculture - Female in Costa Rica, 2010 to 2018.
Year Value Change
2010 40.2%
2011 37.2% -7.4%
2012 41.5% +11.5%
2013 43.6% +5.2%
2014 42.9% -1.8%
2015 43.6% +1.8%
2016 39.7% -9.0%
2017 40.0% +0.8%
2018 42.7% +6.6%

Costa Rica compared with similar countries

  • Costa Rica's 42.7% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 62.7%, 68% of the median. (14 countries reporting)

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 15 Viet Nam 50.2% compare
  2. 16 Argentina 46.5% compare
  3. 17 Panama 45.7% compare
  4. 19 Egypt 41.0% compare
  5. 20 Palestine, State of 40.4% compare
  6. 21 South Africa 37.1% compare

See the full ranking of 27 places →

More reference data data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica?
Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica was 42.7% in 2018, according to UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/.
What is the highest informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 43.6% in 2015.
What is the lowest informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 37.2% in 2011.
How does Costa Rica rank for informal employment by sector and gender (% of total)?
Costa Rica ranks 18th out of 27 countries with data for 2018.
Is informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/, published as part of Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) - Non-agriculture - Female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/informal-employment-by-sector-and-gender-percent-of-total-non-agriculture-female/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) - Non-agriculture - Female
Source
UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
27 places, 272 data points, 2000–2019
Last refreshed

This indicator presents the share of non-agriculture (female) employment which is classified as informal employment in the total economy. Data is taken from the United Nations Sustainable Goals, representing Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in total employment, by sector and sex.