Costa Rica: Investment in energy with private participation (current US$)

Key figures

Since 1992 it is up 693.1% from US$5.8 million in 1992 (9.01% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 10 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2016, Costa Rica's investment in energy with private participation (current US$) fell 67.8% on 2015 (from US$143 million to US$46 million).

Across the 9 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2015), the average change was +21.2% and a typical year strayed about 110.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 287.3% in 1995 and the biggest yearly fall was 94.2% in 1999. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

The Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) Database records contractual arrangements for public infrastructure projects in low- and middle-income countries (as classified by the World Bank) that have reached financial closure, in which private parties assume operating risk. Investment in energy projects with private participation refers to commitments to infrastructure projects in energy (electricity and natural gas: generation, transmission and distribution) that have reached financial closure and directly or indirectly serve the public. The types of projects included are management and lease contracts, brownfield projects, greenfield projects (in which a private entity or a public-private joint venture builds and operates a new facility), and divestitures. Investments are classified as one of two types: (1) Investments in physical assets: resources the project company commits to invest in expanding and modernizing facilities and (2) payments to the government: to acquire state-owned enterprises or rights to provide services in a specific area or to use radio spectrum. Data is presented based on investment year. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Limitations: The data on investment in infrastructure projects with private participation refer to all investment (public and private) in projects in which a private company assumes operating risk during the operating period or development and operating risk during the contract period. Investment refers to commitments not disbursements. Foreign state-owned companies are considered private entities for the purposes of this measure. Investment commitments are the sum of investments in physical assets and payments to the government.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 15 values

Investment in energy with private participation (current US$) in nearby economies

• Argentina — US$33 million (2024)
• Brazil — US$5.75 billion (2024)
• Colombia — US$202 million (2024)
• Dominican Republic — US$446.1 million (2024)
• El Salvador — US$25.3 million (2022)
• Guatemala — US$64 million (2024)
• Honduras — US$370 million (2023)
• Jamaica — US$100 million (2024)
• Mexico

More private sector & trade data for Costa Rica

• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 52.39% (2025)
• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$27.48 billion (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$26.43 billion (2025)
• Merchandise imports from high-income economies (% of total merchandise imports) — 61.44% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports) — 20.08% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Latin America & the Caribbean (% of total merchandise imports) — 18.45% (2023)
• Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual (% of total merchandise imports) — 0.03% (2023)

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Questions people ask

What is Costa Rica's investment in energy with private participation (current US$)?

US$46 million in 2016, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1992?

It is up 693.1% from US$5.8 million in 1992 (9.01% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$415.6 million in 2013 and the lowest US$3.4 million in 1999.

Is the latest change in investment in energy with private participation (current US$) unusual for Costa Rica?

In 2016, Costa Rica's investment in energy with private participation (current US$) fell 67.8% on 2015 (from US$143 million to US$46 million). Across the 9 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2015), the average change was +21.2% and a typical year strayed about 110.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IE.PPI.ENGY.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Private Participation in Infrastructure Project Database, World Bank (WB), uri: https://ppi.worldbank.org/en/ppidata Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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