Water Use Efficiency in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Water Use Efficiency was 19.02 in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
19.02
Change on year
up 5.6%
World rank
88th
of 183 countries
All-time high
22.39
in 2017
All-time low
15.7
in 2015
Years of data
12
2012–2023
Water Use Efficiency in Costa Rica, 2012–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2023, water use efficiency in Costa Rica stood at 19.02.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.6% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water use efficiency in Costa Rica peaked at 22.39 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 15.7, in 2015.
Costa Rica ranks 88th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Water Use Efficiency in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 19.25 | — |
| 2013 | 18.78 | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 17.59 | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 15.7 | -10.7% |
| 2016 | 17.74 | +13.0% |
| 2017 | 22.39 | +26.2% |
| 2018 | 18.46 | -17.6% |
| 2019 | 18.42 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 17.69 | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 17.2 | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 18.01 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 19.02 | +5.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 19.02 is below the median for high income countries, which is 71.58, 27% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 19.02 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 13.57, 1.4× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 18.54 | 15.7 | 22.39 | 8 |
| 2020s | 17.98 | 17.2 | 19.02 | 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 water use efficiency in Costa Rica?
- Water use efficiency in Costa Rica was 19.02 in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest water use efficiency recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 22.39 in 2017.
- What is the lowest water use efficiency recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.7 in 2015.
- How does Costa Rica rank for water use efficiency?
- Costa Rica ranks 88th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water use efficiency rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Water Use Efficiency (United States dollars per cubic meter). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).