Permanent cropland (% of land area) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Permanent cropland (% of land area) was 7.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Permanent cropland in Costa Rica, 1961–2024
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
In 2024, permanent cropland in Costa Rica stood at 7.5%. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 19.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, permanent cropland in Costa Rica peaked at 7.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1961.
Costa Rica ranks 38th of 201 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Permanent cropland (% of land area) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.8% | — |
| 1962 | 3.9% | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 3.9% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 3.9% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 4.0% | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 4.1% | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 4.2% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 4.2% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4.1% | -2.4% |
| 1974 | 4.1% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4.1% | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 4.2% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 4.2% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 4.2% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 4.4% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 4.5% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 4.5% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 4.6% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4.6% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 6.2% | +35.7% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 6.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 6.3% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | +4.8% |
| 2020 | 7.4% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 7.5% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 7.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 7.5% | +0.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 7.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.8%, 9.7× the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 7.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.3%, 3.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.9% | 3.8% | 4.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.9% | 4.6% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 35 Greece 8.2% compare
- 36 Italy 8.1% compare
- 37 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.7% compare
- 39 El Salvador 7.3% compare
- 40 Bangladesh 7.1% compare
- 41 French Polynesia 7.0% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Costa Rica
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.5759 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0996 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.1685 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.3415 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is permanent cropland in Costa Rica?
- Permanent cropland in Costa Rica was 7.5% in 2024, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest permanent cropland recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 7.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest permanent cropland recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1961.
- How does Costa Rica rank for permanent cropland?
- Costa Rica ranks 38th out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is permanent cropland rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Permanent cropland (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Permanent cropland is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber.