Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people was 136.03 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in Costa Rica, 1960–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 136.03 per 100 people for mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in Costa Rica peaked at 179.93 per 100 people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places Costa Rica 46th out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1989 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1990 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1991 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1992 | 0.0905 per 100 people | — |
| 1993 | 0.1331 per 100 people | +47.0% |
| 1994 | 0.2002 per 100 people | +50.4% |
| 1995 | 0.5248 per 100 people | +162.1% |
| 1996 | 1.27 per 100 people | +142.5% |
| 1997 | 1.72 per 100 people | +35.3% |
| 1998 | 2.85 per 100 people | +65.3% |
| 1999 | 3.54 per 100 people | +24.4% |
| 2000 | 5.37 per 100 people | +51.7% |
| 2001 | 8.16 per 100 people | +51.8% |
| 2002 | 12.33 per 100 people | +51.2% |
| 2003 | 18.8 per 100 people | +52.5% |
| 2004 | 21.98 per 100 people | +16.9% |
| 2005 | 25.84 per 100 people | +17.6% |
| 2006 | 33.41 per 100 people | +29.3% |
| 2007 | 34.43 per 100 people | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 42.49 per 100 people | +23.4% |
| 2009 | 43.34 per 100 people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 68.67 per 100 people | +58.4% |
| 2011 | 90.09 per 100 people | +31.2% |
| 2012 | 115.31 per 100 people | +28.0% |
| 2013 | 150.8 per 100 people | +30.8% |
| 2014 | 147.27 per 100 people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 156.4 per 100 people | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 171.17 per 100 people | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 179.93 per 100 people | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 171.36 per 100 people | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 144.51 per 100 people | -15.7% |
| 2020 | 142.48 per 100 people | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 140.79 per 100 people | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 136.52 per 100 people | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 133.53 per 100 people | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 136.03 per 100 people | +1.9% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 136.03 per 100 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 125.74 per 100 people, 1.1× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 136.03 per 100 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 112.54 per 100 people, 1.2× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.03 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 3.54 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.62 per 100 people | 5.37 per 100 people | 43.34 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 139.55 per 100 people | 68.67 per 100 people | 179.93 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 137.87 per 100 people | 133.53 per 100 people | 142.48 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More science & technology data for Costa Rica
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 136.03 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.36 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 6.98 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 133.51 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 660.82 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in Costa Rica?
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in Costa Rica was 136.03 per 100 people in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 179.93 per 100 people in 2017.
- What is the lowest mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does Costa Rica rank for mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- Costa Rica ranks 46th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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