Costa Rica vs North Korea: Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas
Costa Rica
80.4%
in 2024
North Korea
77.0%
in 2023
Costa Rica rank
44th
North Korea rank
47th
Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas over time
- Costa Rica
- North Korea
How they compare
Costa Rica currently reports 80.4% against 77.0% in North Korea, a difference of 3.4%.
Across all 24 years both countries report, Costa Rica has been ahead every year.
Costa Rica ranks 44th and North Korea ranks 47th of 105 countries.
Costa Rica has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Costa Rica | North Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.0% | 78.5% | 1.5% | Costa Rica |
| 2010s | 80.3% | 77.5% | 2.8% | Costa Rica |
| 2020s | 80.4% | 77.0% | 3.4% | Costa Rica |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas, Costa Rica or North Korea?
- Costa Rica, at 80.4% against 77.0% in North Korea as of 2024.
- What is the difference in using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas between Costa Rica and North Korea?
- 3.4%, with Costa Rica ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and North Korea?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
- How do Costa Rica and North Korea rank globally for using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas?
- Costa Rica ranks 44th and North Korea ranks 47th of 105 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Proportion of people using an improved drinking water source that is located on premises, available when needed and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination.