Nurses and midwives in Costa Rica

Costa Rica had 30.7 nurses and midwives per 10,000 people in 2022.

Nursing and midwifery personnel per 10,000 people Per 10,000 people Data: 1990 to 2022 Source: WHO

Costa Rica, 2022 30.7 Per 10,000 people

Change from 2021 −0.3per 10,000 people 2021: 31.0 per 10,000 people

Median of OECD (38 countries), 2022 94.9 per 10,000 people Middle value of 37 countries

Position in 2022 83rd of 140 See the full ranking

Nurses and midwives in Costa Rica over time

From

Costa Rica

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Per 10,000 people. Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.

Nursing and midwifery personnel per 10,000 people (per 10,000 people), 2000 to 2022
Period	Costa Rica
2022	30.7 per 10,000 people
2021	31.0 per 10,000 people
2020	30.6 per 10,000 people
2019	29.1 per 10,000 people
2018	28.5 per 10,000 people
2017	31.2 per 10,000 people
2016	25.9 per 10,000 people
2015	24.2 per 10,000 people
2014	24.1 per 10,000 people
2013	21.8 per 10,000 people
2012	20.4 per 10,000 people
2011	19.3 per 10,000 people
2010	18.7 per 10,000 people
2009	17.7 per 10,000 people
2008	16.7 per 10,000 people
2007	15.9 per 10,000 people
2006	15.3 per 10,000 people
2005	14.6 per 10,000 people
2004	14.4 per 10,000 people
2003	13.8 per 10,000 people
2002	13.0 per 10,000 people
2001	12.7 per 10,000 people
2000	11.8 per 10,000 people

A dash means no value was published for that period.

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In short

That is a change of −0.3 from 31.0 per 10,000 people in 2021.
Since 2012, when it was 20.4 per 10,000 people, the figure has changed by +10.3.
Among the 140 countries with data for 2022, Costa Rica has the 83rd highest value.

More for Costa Rica

All statistics for Costa Rica

Physicians 2.69 per 1,000 people 2022 · World Bank Life expectancy estimates and projections 80.8 years 2023 · UN Population Division Life expectancy at 65, estimates and projections 20.7 years 2023 · UN Population Division Healthy life expectancy 67.1 years 2023 · WHO UHC service coverage 84 2023 · WHO Alcohol consumption 3.51 litres 2024 · WHO

Source and dates

Original producer: WHO
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Dataset or series code: HWF_0006 · dataset details · view at source
Observation period: 1990 to 2022 for Costa Rica
Provider update: 23 January 2026
Retrieved: 9 November 2026
Published here: 9 November 2026
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (WHO datasets, with additional terms)
Attribution: Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory

How Costa Rica compares in 2022 Neighbouring positions among 140 countries with a value for 2022.

80 Panama 33.5 per 10,000 people
81 Botswana 32.9 per 10,000 people
82 Jordan 30.9 per 10,000 people
83 Costa Rica 30.7 per 10,000 people
84 Mexico 30.3 per 10,000 people
85 Zambia 29.4 per 10,000 people
86 Peru 27.0 per 10,000 people

See all countries

What this measures

Nurses and midwives working in the country per 10,000 people, as reported to WHO's National Health Workforce Accounts.

Countries count practising, professionally active or licensed staff differently; years also differ.

Full source details and dates

CSV for Costa Rica

The link always shows the latest published figures.