Costa Rica vs Spain: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum over time
- Costa Rica
- Spain
How they compare
Spain currently reports 248,715 against 178,212 in Costa Rica, a difference of 70,503.
That makes Spain's figure about 1.4 times Costa Rica's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 17 shared years of data; in 2009 it was Spain ahead.
Costa Rica ranks 9th and Spain ranks 6th of 179 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Costa Rica averaged higher in 1 and Spain in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Costa Rica | Spain | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 575 | 3,280 | 2,705 | Spain |
| 2010s | 13,786 | 29,795 | 16,009 | Spain |
| 2020s | 178,618 | 176,461 | 2,158 | Costa Rica |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, Costa Rica or Spain?
- Spain, at 248,715 against 178,212 in Costa Rica as of 2025.
- What is the difference in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum between Costa Rica and Spain?
- 70,503, with Spain ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and Spain?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2025.
- How do Costa Rica and Spain rank globally for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?
- Costa Rica ranks 9th and Spain ranks 6th of 179 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.