Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Rural population without basic handwashing facilities was 144,152 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Costa Rica, 2005–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Costa Rica is 144,152 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.7% on the previous year and down 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Costa Rica peaked at 251,073 people in 2005 and was at its lowest, 144,152 people, in 2024.
Costa Rica ranks 86th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 251,073 people | — |
| 2006 | 245,246 people | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 239,274 people | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 233,274 people | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 227,261 people | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 220,468 people | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 213,606 people | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 207,007 people | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 200,593 people | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 194,404 people | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 188,483 people | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 182,751 people | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 177,199 people | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 171,866 people | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 166,713 people | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 161,602 people | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 156,902 people | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 152,343 people | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 148,112 people | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 144,152 people | -2.7% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 144,152 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 122,181 people, 1.2× the median. (5 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 144,152 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 329,183 people, 44% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 239,226 people | 227,261 people | 251,073 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 192,309 people | 166,713 people | 220,468 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 152,622 people | 144,152 people | 161,602 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 83 El Salvador 182,550 people compare
- 84 Saudi Arabia 172,927 people compare
- 85 Gabon 150,886 people compare
- 87 Vanuatu 139,859 people compare
- 88 Trinidad and Tobago 122,181 people compare
- 89 Kyrgyzstan 120,315 people compare
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 rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Costa Rica?
- Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Costa Rica was 144,152 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest rural population without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 251,073 people in 2005.
- What is the lowest rural population without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 144,152 people in 2024.
- How does Costa Rica rank for rural population without basic handwashing facilities?
- Costa Rica ranks 86th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population without basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rural population without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People without access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.