Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 968.85 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Costa Rica, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Costa Rica stood at 968.85 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 30.1% on the previous year and down 84.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Costa Rica peaked at 18,812 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 968.85 people, in 2024.
That places Costa Rica 95th out of 175 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.
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18,812 people | — |
| 2001 | 17,820 people | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 16,817 people | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 15,813 people | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 14,822 people | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 13,853 people | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 12,903 people | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 11,977 people | -7.2% |
| 2008 | 11,079 people | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 10,212 people | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 9,366 people | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 8,547 people | -8.7% |
| 2012 | 7,770 people | -9.1% |
| 2013 | 7,030 people | -9.5% |
| 2014 | 6,326 people | -10.0% |
| 2015 | 5,659 people | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 5,025 people | -11.2% |
| 2017 | 4,422 people | -12.0% |
| 2018 | 3,849 people | -12.9% |
| 2019 | 3,306 people | -14.1% |
| 2020 | 2,787 people | -15.7% |
| 2021 | 2,293 people | -17.7% |
| 2022 | 1,826 people | -20.4% |
| 2023 | 1,385 people | -24.1% |
| 2024 | 968.85 people | -30.1% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 968.85 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 10,343 people, 9% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14,411 people | 10,212 people | 18,812 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,130 people | 3,306 people | 9,366 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,852 people | 968.85 people | 2,787 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Costa Rica?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Costa Rica was 968.85 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 18,812 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 968.85 people in 2024.
- How does Costa Rica rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Costa Rica ranks 95th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 84.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.