Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity was 15.4 percent in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Costa Rica, 2015–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in percent.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 15.4 percent for share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023.
That represents a change of down 4.9% on the previous year and up 26.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Costa Rica peaked at 16.2 percent in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.2 percent, in 2015.
Costa Rica ranks 75th of 126 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | percent | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 12.2 percent | — |
| 2016 | 12.9 percent | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 13.7 percent | +6.2% |
| 2018 | 14.5 percent | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 15.3 percent | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 15.9 percent | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 16.2 percent | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 16.2 percent | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 15.4 percent | -4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 13.72 percent | 12.2 percent | 15.3 percent | 5 |
| 2020s | 15.93 percent | 15.4 percent | 16.2 percent | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More population data for Costa Rica
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6681 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,703 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5224 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7399 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.0% (2100)
- Population density 73.96 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 123,827 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Costa Rica?
- Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Costa Rica was 15.4 percent in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 16.2 percent in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.2 percent in 2015.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity?
- Costa Rica ranks 75th out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Food insecurity is defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). Moderate food insecurity is associated with the inability to regularly eat healthy, nutritious diets. Severe food insecurity is more related to insufficient quantity of food (energy).