Share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services was 11.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services in Costa Rica, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 11.5% for share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services in Costa Rica peaked at 21.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 11.5%, in 2025.
Costa Rica ranks 103rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 21.3% | — |
| 1992 | 20.1% | -5.9% |
| 1993 | 18.8% | -6.4% |
| 1994 | 17.6% | -6.2% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 17.5% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 17.1% | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 16.7% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 16.3% | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 16.9% | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 16.6% | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 16.1% | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 16.1% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 14.9% | -7.8% |
| 2007 | 14.1% | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 13.2% | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 12.9% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 14.6% | +12.8% |
| 2011 | 14.2% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 13.6% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 13.1% | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 14.7% | +12.0% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | +7.3% |
| 2016 | 15.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 15.4% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 15.8% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 15.3% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 16.5% | +8.1% |
| 2021 | 15.2% | -8.1% |
| 2022 | 13.4% | -11.8% |
| 2023 | 13.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 11.8% | -12.2% |
| 2025 | 11.5% | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.1% | 16.3% | 21.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 12.9% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.8% | 13.1% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.6% | 11.5% | 16.5% | 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 share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services in Costa Rica?
- Share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services in Costa Rica was 11.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 21.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.5% in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services?
- Costa Rica ranks 103rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of employment in agriculture, industry, and services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total employment working in the agriculture sector.