Photo: Henry Zbyszynski from Capitola California, USA · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 12 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Costa Rica: Mobility & Trade
How connected is a country to the rest of the world?
Costa Rica is placed 84th of 177 countries on mobility & trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Liner Shipping Connectivity Index 88.85 (2025); Container Import Dwell Time 6.1 (2024).
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Mobility & Trade
84th
of 177 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Costa Rica on mobility & trade — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
88.85
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)
Higher is better
Ranked 58th of 177 by UNCTAD
Costa Rica: 88.85. Across the 168 countries in this edition, values run from 4.13 (Turks and Caicos Islands) to 1,313 (China); the world median is 60.84.
- World median
- 60.84
- Best in Central America
- 213.84 Panama
- Land neighbours
- Nicaragua 31.52 · Panama 213.84
6.1
Median days a full import container waits in port
Lower is better
Costa Rica: 6.1. Across the 156 countries in this edition, values run from 1 (Gibraltar) to 21.6 (Haiti); the world median is 4.4.
- World median
- 4.4
- Best in Central America
- 4.9 Panama
- Land neighbours
- Nicaragua 5.5 · Panama 4.9
2.9
LPI score (1–5)
Higher is better
Ranked 66th of 139 by World Bank Group
Costa Rica: 2.9. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 1.9 (Afghanistan) to 4.3 (Singapore); the world median is 2.9.
- World median
- 2.9
- Best in Central America
- 3.1 Panama
- Land neighbours
- Nicaragua 2.5 · Panama 3.1
Key 4 of 4
ICT Goods Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
1.01
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports)
Higher is better
Costa Rica: 1.01. Across the 120 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 61.45 (Hong Kong); the world median is 0.975.
- World median
- 0.975
- Best in Central America
- 12.45 Mexico
- Land neighbours
- Nicaragua 0.05 · Panama 0.69
02Over time
Which way Costa Rica is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) · higher is better
Costa RicaWorld median
Costa Rica rose from 85.2 in 2006 to 85.92 in 2026; the world median went from 52.25 to 56.21.
Every year’s figures
Year Costa Rica World median 2026 85.92 56.21 2025 88.85 60.84 2024 97.12 55.22 2023 96.98 54.78 2022 89.43 51.49 2021 87.34 52.64 2020 93.33 47.86 2019 91.53 51.05 2018 83.66 52.03 2017 89.50 49.87 2016 90.13 48.09 2015 91.21 49.13 2014 100.78 48.08 2013 95.66 51.32 2012 95.31 47.44 2011 90.38 50.26 2010 98.60 50.51 2009 89.85 53.04 2008 88.83 51.68 2007 84.27 55.78 2006 85.20 52.25 Logistics Performance Index
LPI score (1–5) · higher is better
Costa RicaWorld median
Costa Rica rose from 2.555 in 2007 to 2.9 in 2023; the world median went from 2.529 to 2.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Costa Rica World median 2023 2.90 2.900 2018 2.79 2.706 2016 2.65 2.734 2014 2.70 2.753 2012 2.75 2.773 2010 2.91 2.746 2007 2.55 2.529 ICT Goods Exports
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) · higher is better
Costa RicaWorld median
Costa Rica fell from 30.27 in 2000 to 1.01 in 2024; the world median went from 0.43 to 0.975.
Every year’s figures
Year Costa Rica World median 2024 1.01 0.975000 2023 0.96 0.690000 2022 0.78 0.565000 2021 0.83 0.550000 2020 0.71 0.680000 2019 0.81 0.625000 2018 0.89 0.480000 2017 0.79 0.630000 2016 0.65 0.865000 2015 1.69 0.790000 2014 16.42 0.760000 2013 21.86 0.645000 2012 19.40 0.630000 2011 19.38 0.535000 2010 19.80 0.560000 2009 17.59 0.780000 2008 22.40 0.595000 2007 27.08 0.660000 2006 27.80 0.445000 2005 23.62 0.570000 2004 21.05 0.535000 2003 25.61 0.530000 2002 19.73 0.510000 2001 18.81 0.490000 2000 30.27 0.430000
03In context
Costa Rica beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 177 countries on mobility & trade, never a place within the region.
Costa Rica and the countries it borders
Standing among all 177; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexLSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) | Container Import Dwell TimeMedian days a full import container waits in port | Logistics Performance IndexLPI score (1–5) | ICT Goods ExportsICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Panama | 64th | 213.84 | 4.9 | 3.1 | 0.69 |
| Costa Rica | 84th | 88.85 | 6.1 | 2.9 | 1.01 |
 Nicaragua | 147th | 31.52 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 0.05 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Central America
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 177.
Placed either side on mobility & trade
The countries immediately above and below Costa Rica in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Costa Rica is ahead of the world, and behind
27 more statistics filed under mobility & trade, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median7
Statistics on which Costa Rica does better than the middle country measured.
Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2025 · world median 0.2060.0210.206▲ Improved since 2015
Costa Rica: 0.021 · world median 0.206 · Digital STRI (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.021 to 0.649; lower is better.
Position 125th of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.4257.1625.42▲ Improved since 2014
Costa Rica: 57.16 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 24th of 170 · derived.
Freedom of Foreign MovementV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.22.2331.2▲ Improved since 2015
Costa Rica: 2.233 · world median 1.2 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +2.9); higher = freer movement. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.642 to 2.727; higher is better.
Position 26th of 176 · derived.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.47413.887.474▼ Worsened since 2014
Costa Rica: 13.88 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 31st of 118 · derived.
Cost of Sending RemittancesWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 3.2252.263.225▲ Improved since 2016
Costa Rica: 2.26 · world median 3.225 · Average cost of sending $200 home (% of the amount). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -49.69 to 19.63; lower is better.
Position 65th of 93 · derived, 1st = worst.
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2024 · world median 0.0790.0420.079▲ Improved since 2018
Costa Rica: 0.042 · world median 0.079 · FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.567; lower is better.
Position 67th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Average Time to Clear Exports Through CustomsWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.4564.1944.456No earlier reading
Costa Rica: 4.194 · world median 4.456 · Average time to clear exports through customs (days). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 27.46; lower is better.
Position 95th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end20
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,836178,2121,836Moved since 2015
Costa Rica: 178,212 · world median 1,836 · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 3,718,945.
Cereal Import Dependency RatioFAO · 2022 · world median 42.892.542.8Moved since 2012
Costa Rica: 92.5 · world median 42.8 · Share of the cereal supply that is imported (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from -1,894 to 100.
International Migrants as a Share of PopulationUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 6.08912.256.089Moved since 2015
Costa Rica: 12.25 · world median 6.089 · International migrants (% of population). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 100.
Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 9.60217.929.602No real change since 2015
Costa Rica: 17.92 · world median 9.602 · Services exports (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.085 to 166.21.
International MigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 223,323628,404223,323No real change since 2015
Costa Rica: 628,404 · world median 223,323 · International migrants living in the country, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 246 to 52,375,047.
Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 12,26936,39512,269Moved since 2015
Costa Rica: 36,395 · world median 12,269 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,655,191.
Net Migration RateUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median -0.1330.195-0.133No real change since 2013
Costa Rica: 0.195 · world median -0.133 · Net migrants per 1,000 population. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -61.68 to 39.62.
Creative Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 6.1719.8546.171Moved since 2014
Costa Rica: 9.854 · world median 6.171 · Creative services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.002 to 63.91.
Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 36.3438.8536.34Moved since 2015
Costa Rica: 38.85 · world median 36.34 · Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.103 to 199.76.
Position 66th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Terms of Trade IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 103.23103.53103.23No real change since 2015
Costa Rica: 103.53 · world median 103.23 · Terms of trade index (2015 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 38.2 to 1,448.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,7881,717,4391,827,788Moved since 2014
Costa Rica: 1,717,439 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 54th of 103 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Export Concentration IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 0.3060.2820.306Moved since 2015
Costa Rica: 0.282 · world median 0.306 · Export concentration index (0–1, normalised Herfindahl–Hirschman). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.059 to 0.933.
Trade (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 79.6871.4979.68Moved since 2015
Costa Rica: 71.49 · world median 79.68 · Exports plus imports (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.382 to 396.65.
Position 78th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Foreign Value Added Share of Gross ExportsOECD · 2022 · world median 27.4120.9227.41Moved since 2012
Costa Rica: 20.92 · world median 27.41 · Foreign value added (% of gross exports). OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 4.491 to 66.08.
Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 41.7232.6441.72Moved since 2015
Costa Rica: 32.64 · world median 41.72 · Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.279 to 196.89.
Position 90th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Merchant Fleet by Country of OwnershipUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 275.7353.06275.73Moved since 2016
Costa Rica: 53.06 · world median 275.73 · Merchant fleet owned (thousand dead-weight tons). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 397,071.
Creative Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1.2350.3131.235Moved since 2014
Costa Rica: 0.313 · world median 1.235 · Creative goods exports (% of merchandise exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.23.
EmigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 444,45150,982444,451No real change since 2015
Costa Rica: 50,982 · world median 444,451 · Migrants from the country living abroad, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 313 to 18,533,845.
Commodity Export DependenceUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 67.1734.6967.17Moved since 2014
Costa Rica: 34.69 · world median 67.17 · Commodity exports (% of merchandise exports, three-year average). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4.605 to 99.77.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.661.33.66Moved since 2012
Costa Rica: 1.3 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
No current reading for Costa Rica
Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2018) and Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2019). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Mobility & Trade among Costa Rica’s 16 topics
Mobility & Trade is Costa Rica’s 13th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Security2nd of 1773/4 keys
- Gender & Equality5th of 1834/4 keys
- Energy12th of 1653/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties31st of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions32nd of 1944/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge53rd of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing60th of 2004/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 57th of 1764/4 keys
- Digital & Technology67th of 1984/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital70th of 1963/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture80th of 1844/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability84th of 1864/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade84th of 1774/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 92nd of 1824/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 104th of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality110th of 1593/3 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on mobility & trade
The three countries placed highest of 177, and the leaders Costa Rica can most readily be measured against.
1
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
1st of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2
MacauEastern Asia
2nd of 177 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
Hong KongEastern Asia
3rd of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
United States7th4/4 keysHighest in Central America
Mexico=55th4/4 keysThis page
Costa Rica84th4/4 keys
Positions out of 177 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Costa Rica and mobility & trade
On mobility & trade
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On mobility & trade
The World’s Safest Airlines for 2025
The eleven safest airlines of 2025, each beside the country it is based in, and the nine things the grading looks at. Three airlines share third place, and the publisher gives an order but no score.
On mobility & trade
The world’s most powerful passports for 2025
Sixteen passports, their mobility scores, and the visa-free, visa-on-arrival and visa-required split behind each. Fourteen share third place while differing in how they reach it.
08Questions
Costa Rica on mobility & trade: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Costa Rica rank on mobility & trade?
Costa Rica is placed 84th of 177 countries on Mobility & Trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Liner Shipping Connectivity Index, Container Import Dwell Time, Logistics Performance Index and ICT Goods Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Liner Shipping Connectivity Index figure for Costa Rica?
88.85 in 2025 (lSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)), according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The world median in the same edition was 60.84.
What is the latest Container Import Dwell Time figure for Costa Rica?
6.1 in 2024 (median days a full import container waits in port), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 4.4.
How does Costa Rica compare with Nicaragua on mobility & trade?
Nicaragua is placed 147th of 177, and Costa Rica 84th. Liner Shipping Connectivity Index: Nicaragua 31.52, Costa Rica 88.85; Container Import Dwell Time: Nicaragua 5.5, Costa Rica 6.1; Logistics Performance Index: Nicaragua 2.5, Costa Rica 2.9; ICT Goods Exports: Nicaragua 0.05, Costa Rica 1.01.
How have Costa Rica’s mobility & trade figures changed?
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index rose from 85.2 in 2006 to 85.92 in 2026; Logistics Performance Index rose from 2.555 in 2007 to 2.9 in 2023; ICT Goods Exports fell from 30.27 in 2000 to 1.01 in 2024.
Which mobility & trade statistics are missing for Costa Rica?
No current reading is published for Costa Rica on Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary and Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Passport strength and freedom of movement for people are not measured with a key, because the data behind passport rankings is not licensed for reuse here. Trade as a share of the economy, remittance costs and student mobility are published here as context.
How the Mobility & Trade standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The mobility & trade method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Index — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Container Import Dwell Time — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Logistics Performance Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- ICT Goods Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 27 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Costa Rica’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Costa Rica (banner) — Henry Zbyszynski from Capitola California, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- Macau — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hong Kong — Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Costa Rica: Mobility & Trade — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/costa-rica/mobility