Number of people employed in agriculture in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Number of people employed in agriculture was 259,730 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Number of people employed in agriculture in Costa Rica, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 259,730 people for number of people employed in agriculture in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 23.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Costa Rica peaked at 347,903 people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 217,408 people, in 1994.
Costa Rica ranks 111th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 234,437 people | — |
| 1992 | 227,471 people | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 222,934 people | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 217,408 people | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 227,544 people | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 220,463 people | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 232,902 people | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 241,509 people | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 241,176 people | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 256,847 people | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 261,347 people | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 269,657 people | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 265,107 people | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 261,267 people | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 284,156 people | +8.8% |
| 2006 | 267,498 people | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 266,069 people | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 251,059 people | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 242,301 people | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 274,807 people | +13.4% |
| 2011 | 272,250 people | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 282,723 people | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 277,149 people | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 317,291 people | +14.5% |
| 2015 | 338,998 people | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 326,755 people | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 326,065 people | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 347,903 people | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 345,942 people | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 334,445 people | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 321,366 people | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 297,730 people | -7.4% |
| 2023 | 287,728 people | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 263,256 people | -8.5% |
| 2025 | 259,730 people | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 229,538 people | 217,408 people | 241,509 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 262,531 people | 242,301 people | 284,156 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 310,988 people | 272,250 people | 347,903 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 294,042 people | 259,730 people | 334,445 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More agriculture & rural data for Costa Rica
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0337 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 672.15 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2027 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 3.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 3.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Costa Rica?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Costa Rica was 259,730 people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 347,903 people in 2018.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 217,408 people in 1994.
- How does Costa Rica rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Costa Rica ranks 111th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.