Municipal waste generated in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Municipal waste generated was 1.71 million in 2023. ▼ Falling
Municipal waste generated in Costa Rica, 2010–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for municipal waste generated in Costa Rica is 1.71 million, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.9% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal waste generated in Costa Rica peaked at 1.88 million in 2015 and was at its lowest, 1.22 million, in 2016.
Costa Rica ranks 55th of 80 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Municipal waste generated in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.51 million | — |
| 2011 | 1.66 million | +10.2% |
| 2012 | 1.70 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 1.75 million | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 1.79 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 1.88 million | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 1.22 million | -35.1% |
| 2017 | 1.27 million | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 1.46 million | +15.4% |
| 2019 | 1.34 million | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 1.46 million | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 1.62 million | +10.9% |
| 2022 | 1.62 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 1.71 million | +5.9% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 1.71 million is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.12 million, 42% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 1.71 million is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3.59 million, 48% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Municipal waste generated in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | -35.1% | 1.88 million | 1.22 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.56 million | 1.22 million | 1.88 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.60 million | 1.46 million | 1.71 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More environment data for Costa Rica
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.9 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.71 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.257 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.61 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.3048 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal waste generated in Costa Rica?
- Municipal waste generated in Costa Rica was 1.71 million in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest municipal waste generated recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 1.88 million in 2015.
- What is the lowest municipal waste generated recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.22 million in 2016.
- How does Costa Rica rank for municipal waste generated?
- Costa Rica ranks 55th out of 80 countries with data for 2023.
- Is municipal waste generated rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Municipal waste generated (Tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).