Direct Democracy Index in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Direct Democracy Index was 0.083 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Costa Rica, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for direct democracy index in Costa Rica is 0.083, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.7% on the previous year and down 57.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Costa Rica peaked at 0.243 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
Costa Rica ranks 62nd of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1108 | 0 | 0.243 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2018 | 0.151 | 0.243 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1113 | 0.083 | 0.14 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More social development data for Costa Rica
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 36,395 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 367 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.809 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.862 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.915 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.922 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.862 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 3 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is direct democracy index in Costa Rica?
- Direct democracy index in Costa Rica was 0.083 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 0.243 in 2007.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does Costa Rica rank for direct democracy index?
- Costa Rica ranks 62nd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Direct Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measures the extent of how easy it is for citizens to vote on specific issues themselves in popular initiatives, referendums, and plebiscites.