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Intentional homicides in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Intentional homicides was 17.75 per 100,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
17.75 per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 37.5%
World rank
23rd
of 172 countries
All-time high
17.75 per 100,000 people
in 2023
All-time low
4.12 per 100,000 people
in 1991
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Intentional homicides in Costa Rica, 1990–2023

51015201990200620231990: 4.5 per 100,000 people1991: 4.1 per 100,000 people1992: 4.9 per 100,000 people1993: 4.8 per 100,000 people1994: 5.3 per 100,000 people1995: 5.2 per 100,000 people1996: 5.2 per 100,000 people1997: 5.7 per 100,000 people1998: 5.9 per 100,000 people1999: 6.3 per 100,000 people2000: 6.3 per 100,000 people2001: 6.4 per 100,000 people2002: 6.3 per 100,000 people2003: 7.2 per 100,000 people2004: 6.7 per 100,000 people2005: 7.9 per 100,000 people2006: 8.1 per 100,000 people2007: 8.4 per 100,000 people2008: 11.5 per 100,000 people2009: 11.7 per 100,000 people2010: 11.6 per 100,000 people2011: 10.3 per 100,000 people2012: 8.7 per 100,000 people2013: 8.7 per 100,000 people2014: 10 per 100,000 people2015: 11.6 per 100,000 people2016: 11.9 per 100,000 people2017: 12.3 per 100,000 people2018: 11.8 per 100,000 people2019: 11.3 per 100,000 people2020: 11.3 per 100,000 people2021: 11.6 per 100,000 people2022: 12.9 per 100,000 people2023: 17.7 per 100,000 people

Source: UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Measured in per 100,000 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for intentional homicides in Costa Rica is 17.75 per 100,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.

The figure is up 37.5% on the previous year and up 103.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, intentional homicides in Costa Rica peaked at 17.75 per 100,000 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4.12 per 100,000 people, in 1991.

Costa Rica ranks 23rd of 172 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Intentional homicides in Costa Rica, year by year

Year per 100,000 people Change
1990 4.45 per 100,000 people —
1991 4.12 per 100,000 people -7.4%
1992 4.87 per 100,000 people +18.2%
1993 4.75 per 100,000 people -2.5%
1994 5.27 per 100,000 people +11.0%
1995 5.2 per 100,000 people -1.3%
1996 5.22 per 100,000 people +0.3%
1997 5.67 per 100,000 people +8.6%
1998 5.92 per 100,000 people +4.4%
1999 6.34 per 100,000 people +7.1%
2000 6.32 per 100,000 people -0.3%
2001 6.41 per 100,000 people +1.4%
2002 6.33 per 100,000 people -1.3%
2003 7.25 per 100,000 people +14.5%
2004 6.67 per 100,000 people -8.0%
2005 7.86 per 100,000 people +17.9%
2006 8.12 per 100,000 people +3.3%
2007 8.42 per 100,000 people +3.7%
2008 11.53 per 100,000 people +36.9%
2009 11.67 per 100,000 people +1.2%
2010 11.57 per 100,000 people -0.9%
2011 10.28 per 100,000 people -11.1%
2012 8.73 per 100,000 people -15.1%
2013 8.71 per 100,000 people -0.1%
2014 10.01 per 100,000 people +14.8%
2015 11.56 per 100,000 people +15.5%
2016 11.88 per 100,000 people +2.7%
2017 12.27 per 100,000 people +3.3%
2018 11.8 per 100,000 people -3.9%
2019 11.26 per 100,000 people -4.6%
2020 11.32 per 100,000 people +0.5%
2021 11.62 per 100,000 people +2.6%
2022 12.91 per 100,000 people +11.1%
2023 17.75 per 100,000 people +37.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5.18 per 100,000 people 4.12 per 100,000 people 6.34 per 100,000 people 10
2000s 8.06 per 100,000 people 6.32 per 100,000 people 11.67 per 100,000 people 10
2010s 10.81 per 100,000 people 8.71 per 100,000 people 12.27 per 100,000 people 10
2020s 13.4 per 100,000 people 11.32 per 100,000 people 17.75 per 100,000 people 4

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 20 Guatemala 23.37 per 100,000 people compare
  2. 21 Brazil 19.28 per 100,000 people compare
  3. 22 Guyana 19.12 per 100,000 people compare
  4. 24 Curacao 16.92 per 100,000 people compare
  5. 25 Puerto Rico 14.59 per 100,000 people compare
  6. 26 Grenada 13.67 per 100,000 people compare

See the full ranking of 190 places →

More public sector data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is intentional homicides in Costa Rica?
Intentional homicides in Costa Rica was 17.75 per 100,000 people in 2023, according to UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
What is the highest intentional homicides recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 17.75 per 100,000 people in 2023.
What is the lowest intentional homicides recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 4.12 per 100,000 people in 1991.
How does Costa Rica rank for intentional homicides?
Costa Rica ranks 23rd out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
Is intentional homicides rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is up 103.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), published as part of Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Intentional homicides in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/intentional-homicides-per-100-000-people/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people)
Unit
per 100,000 people
Source
UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
190 places, 4,286 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

An intentional homicide is defined as an unlawful death inflicted upon a person with the intent to cause death or serious injury.