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Centralization of Political Power Index in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Centralization of Political Power Index was 0.033 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.033
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
166th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.654
in 1918
All-time low
0.024
in 1990
Years of data
188
1838–2025

Centralization of Political Power Index in Costa Rica, 1838–2025

00.20.40.6183819312025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for centralization of political power index in Costa Rica is 0.033, measured in 2025.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, centralization of political power index in Costa Rica peaked at 0.654 in 1918 and was at its lowest, 0.024, in 1990.

That places Costa Rica 166th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Centralization of Political Power Index in Costa Rica, year by year

Year Value Change
1838 0.493 —
1839 0.493 +0.0%
1840 0.493 +0.0%
1841 0.493 +0.0%
1842 0.493 +0.0%
1843 0.493 +0.0%
1844 0.474 -3.9%
1845 0.474 +0.0%
1846 0.474 +0.0%
1847 0.474 +0.0%
1848 0.474 +0.0%
1849 0.451 -4.9%
1850 0.451 +0.0%
1851 0.451 +0.0%
1852 0.451 +0.0%
1853 0.451 +0.0%
1854 0.451 +0.0%
1855 0.451 +0.0%
1856 0.451 +0.0%
1857 0.451 +0.0%
1858 0.451 +0.0%
1859 0.451 +0.0%
1860 0.484 +7.3%
1861 0.484 +0.0%
1862 0.484 +0.0%
1863 0.484 +0.0%
1864 0.484 +0.0%
1865 0.484 +0.0%
1866 0.484 +0.0%
1867 0.484 +0.0%
1868 0.484 +0.0%
1869 0.484 +0.0%
1870 0.484 +0.0%
1871 0.484 +0.0%
1872 0.484 +0.0%
1873 0.484 +0.0%
1874 0.484 +0.0%
1875 0.484 +0.0%
1876 0.484 +0.0%
1877 0.51 +5.4%
1878 0.51 +0.0%
1879 0.51 +0.0%
1880 0.51 +0.0%
1881 0.51 +0.0%
1882 0.452 -11.4%
1883 0.452 +0.0%
1884 0.452 +0.0%
1885 0.452 +0.0%
1886 0.452 +0.0%
1887 0.452 +0.0%
1888 0.452 +0.0%
1889 0.452 +0.0%
1890 0.452 +0.0%
1891 0.452 +0.0%
1892 0.475 +5.1%
1893 0.475 +0.0%
1894 0.475 +0.0%
1895 0.475 +0.0%
1896 0.475 +0.0%
1897 0.475 +0.0%
1898 0.475 +0.0%
1899 0.475 +0.0%
1900 0.475 +0.0%
1901 0.475 +0.0%
1902 0.453 -4.6%
1903 0.453 +0.0%
1904 0.453 +0.0%
1905 0.453 +0.0%
1906 0.453 +0.0%
1907 0.453 +0.0%
1908 0.439 -3.1%
1909 0.439 +0.0%
1910 0.439 +0.0%
1911 0.439 +0.0%
1912 0.439 +0.0%
1913 0.435 -0.9%
1914 0.435 +0.0%
1915 0.435 +0.0%
1916 0.435 +0.0%
1917 0.516 +18.6%
1918 0.654 +26.7%
1919 0.654 +0.0%
1920 0.421 -35.6%
1921 0.421 +0.0%
1922 0.421 +0.0%
1923 0.421 +0.0%
1924 0.421 +0.0%
1925 0.421 +0.0%
1926 0.421 +0.0%
1927 0.421 +0.0%
1928 0.421 +0.0%
1929 0.421 +0.0%
1930 0.423 +0.5%
1931 0.423 +0.0%
1932 0.423 +0.0%
1933 0.423 +0.0%
1934 0.423 +0.0%
1935 0.423 +0.0%
1936 0.423 +0.0%
1937 0.423 +0.0%
1938 0.423 +0.0%
1939 0.423 +0.0%
1940 0.413 -2.4%
1941 0.413 +0.0%
1942 0.413 +0.0%
1943 0.413 +0.0%
1944 0.413 +0.0%
1945 0.413 +0.0%
1946 0.411 -0.5%
1947 0.411 +0.0%
1948 0.388 -5.6%
1949 0.214 -44.8%
1950 0.055 -74.3%
1951 0.055 +0.0%
1952 0.055 +0.0%
1953 0.055 +0.0%
1954 0.053 -3.6%
1955 0.053 +0.0%
1956 0.053 +0.0%
1957 0.053 +0.0%
1958 0.053 +0.0%
1959 0.053 +0.0%
1960 0.053 +0.0%
1961 0.053 +0.0%
1962 0.053 +0.0%
1963 0.053 +0.0%
1964 0.053 +0.0%
1965 0.053 +0.0%
1966 0.053 +0.0%
1967 0.053 +0.0%
1968 0.053 +0.0%
1969 0.053 +0.0%
1970 0.053 +0.0%
1971 0.053 +0.0%
1972 0.053 +0.0%
1973 0.053 +0.0%
1974 0.053 +0.0%
1975 0.053 +0.0%
1976 0.053 +0.0%
1977 0.053 +0.0%
1978 0.053 +0.0%
1979 0.05 -5.7%
1980 0.047 -6.0%
1981 0.047 +0.0%
1982 0.046 -2.1%
1983 0.046 +0.0%
1984 0.046 +0.0%
1985 0.046 +0.0%
1986 0.046 +0.0%
1987 0.033 -28.3%
1988 0.033 +0.0%
1989 0.029 -12.1%
1990 0.024 -17.2%
1991 0.024 +0.0%
1992 0.024 +0.0%
1993 0.024 +0.0%
1994 0.025 +4.2%
1995 0.025 +0.0%
1996 0.025 +0.0%
1997 0.033 +32.0%
1998 0.033 +0.0%
1999 0.033 +0.0%
2000 0.033 +0.0%
2001 0.033 +0.0%
2002 0.033 +0.0%
2003 0.033 +0.0%
2004 0.033 +0.0%
2005 0.033 +0.0%
2006 0.034 +3.0%
2007 0.034 +0.0%
2008 0.034 +0.0%
2009 0.033 -2.9%
2010 0.033 +0.0%
2011 0.033 +0.0%
2012 0.033 +0.0%
2013 0.033 +0.0%
2014 0.033 +0.0%
2015 0.033 +0.0%
2016 0.031 -6.1%
2017 0.031 +0.0%
2018 0.031 +0.0%
2019 0.031 +0.0%
2020 0.031 +0.0%
2021 0.031 +0.0%
2022 0.033 +6.5%
2023 0.033 +0.0%
2024 0.033 +0.0%
2025 0.033 +0.0%

Costa Rica compared with similar countries

  • Costa Rica's 0.033 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.09, 37% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • Costa Rica's 0.033 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.236, 14% of the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1830s 0.493 0.493 0.493 2
1840s 0.4793 0.451 0.493 10
1850s 0.451 0.451 0.451 10
1860s 0.484 0.484 0.484 10
1870s 0.4918 0.484 0.51 10
1880s 0.4636 0.452 0.51 10
1890s 0.4704 0.452 0.475 10
1900s 0.4546 0.439 0.475 10
1910s 0.4881 0.435 0.654 10
1920s 0.421 0.421 0.421 10
1930s 0.423 0.423 0.423 10
1940s 0.3902 0.214 0.413 10
1950s 0.0538 0.053 0.055 10
1960s 0.053 0.053 0.053 10
1970s 0.0527 0.05 0.053 10
1980s 0.0419 0.029 0.047 10
1990s 0.027 0.024 0.033 10
2000s 0.0333 0.033 0.034 10
2010s 0.0322 0.031 0.033 10
2020s 0.0323 0.031 0.033 6

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 163 Czechia 0.036 compare
  2. 163 Netherlands 0.036 compare
  3. 165 Brazil 0.034 compare
  4. 167 Chile 0.031 compare
  5. 168 Germany 0.03 compare
  6. 169 Norway 0.027 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is centralization of political power index in Costa Rica?
Centralization of political power index in Costa Rica was 0.033 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest centralization of political power index recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 0.654 in 1918.
What is the lowest centralization of political power index recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 0.024 in 1990.
How does Costa Rica rank for centralization of political power index?
Costa Rica ranks 166th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is centralization of political power index rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
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 Centralization of Political Power Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Centralization of Political Power Index in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/political-centralization-index/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Centralization of Political Power Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 29,802 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent to which the executive is unconstrained by the legislature, judiciary, electoral management body, and other oversight.