Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.32 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.32 births per woman
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
187th
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.71 births per woman
in 1960
All-time low
1.32 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Costa Rica, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Costa Rica is 1.32 births per woman, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Costa Rica peaked at 6.71 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.32 births per woman, in 2024.
That places Costa Rica 187th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.71 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 6.65 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 6.54 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 6.39 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 6.19 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1965 | 5.96 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1966 | 5.7 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1967 | 5.42 births per woman | -4.9% |
| 1968 | 5.03 births per woman | -7.2% |
| 1969 | 4.83 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1970 | 4.58 births per woman | -5.2% |
| 1971 | 4.36 births per woman | -4.9% |
| 1972 | 4.16 births per woman | -4.7% |
| 1973 | 3.99 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 1974 | 3.89 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 3.8 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 3.75 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 3.7 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 3.66 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 3.65 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 3.58 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 3.56 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 3.54 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 3.52 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 3.52 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 3.51 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 3.45 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 3.38 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 3.31 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 3.24 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 3.17 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 3.08 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1992 | 3 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 2.93 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 2.86 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 2.78 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 2.68 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 2.59 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 2.53 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 2.48 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 2.41 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 2.31 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 2.16 births per woman | -6.5% |
| 2003 | 2.08 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 2.03 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 2.04 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.94 births per woman | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 1.95 births per woman | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 1.98 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 1.95 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 1.83 births per woman | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 1.88 births per woman | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 1.85 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 1.78 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 1.8 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.8 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 1.75 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 1.71 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 1.71 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 1.6 births per woman | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 1.45 births per woman | -9.5% |
| 2021 | 1.35 births per woman | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 1.33 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.33 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 1.32 births per woman | -0.9% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 1.32 births per woman is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 births per woman, 91% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 1.32 births per woman is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.62 births per woman, 81% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.94 births per woman | 4.83 births per woman | 6.71 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.96 births per woman | 3.65 births per woman | 4.58 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.46 births per woman | 3.24 births per woman | 3.58 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.81 births per woman | 2.48 births per woman | 3.17 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.09 births per woman | 1.94 births per woman | 2.41 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.77 births per woman | 1.6 births per woman | 1.88 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.36 births per woman | 1.32 births per woman | 1.45 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More population data for Costa Rica
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6681 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2884 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 123,827 people (2100)
- Population density 73.96 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7399 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5224 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Costa Rica?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Costa Rica was 1.32 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 6.71 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.32 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Costa Rica rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- Costa Rica ranks 187th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.