Homicides by firearm in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Homicides by firearm was 727 homicides in 2023. ▲ Rising
Homicides by firearm in Costa Rica, 2006–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides by firearm in Costa Rica is 727 homicides, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
The figure is up 54.0% on the previous year and up 161.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in Costa Rica peaked at 727 homicides in 2023 and was at its lowest, 217 homicides, in 2006.
Costa Rica ranks 15th of 82 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Homicides by firearm in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 217 homicides | — |
| 2007 | 226 homicides | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 347 homicides | +53.5% |
| 2009 | 338 homicides | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 349 homicides | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 300 homicides | -14.0% |
| 2012 | 261 homicides | -13.0% |
| 2013 | 278 homicides | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 327 homicides | +17.6% |
| 2015 | 385 homicides | +17.7% |
| 2016 | 384 homicides | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 435 homicides | +13.3% |
| 2018 | 401 homicides | -7.8% |
| 2019 | 380 homicides | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 405 homicides | +6.6% |
| 2021 | 428 homicides | +5.7% |
| 2022 | 472 homicides | +10.3% |
| 2023 | 727 homicides | +54.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 727 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 17 homicides, 42.8× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 727 homicides is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 253 homicides, 2.9× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 282 homicides | 217 homicides | 347 homicides | 4 |
| 2010s | 350 homicides | 261 homicides | 435 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 508 homicides | 405 homicides | 727 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More social development data for Costa Rica
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 36,395 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 367 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 367 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0071 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides by firearm in Costa Rica?
- Homicides by firearm in Costa Rica was 727 homicides in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides by firearm recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 727 homicides in 2023.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 217 homicides in 2006.
- How does Costa Rica rank for homicides by firearm?
- Costa Rica ranks 15th out of 82 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 161.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides by firearm. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.