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Mexico vs Costa Rica

32 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Mexico; the dashed grey line is Costa Rica.

Country A · Mexico
Country B · Costa Rica

Climate

CO2 emissions

Mexico: 461.0 Mt CO2/year · 2024Costa Rica: 8.76 Mt CO2/year · 2024
0200400190019502000Costa Ricahigh 2012low 1869

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Mexico: 3.52 t CO2/person/year · 2024Costa Rica: 1.71 t CO2/person/year · 2024
0246190019502000Costa Ricahigh 1921low 1869

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Mexico: 0.82 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Costa Rica: 0.33 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-10119401960198020002020Costa Ricahigh 2024low 1941

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Mexico: 151.8 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Costa Rica: 5.54 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501001501850190019502000Costa Rica

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Mexico: 635.7 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Costa Rica: 15.0 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
02004006001850190019502000Costa Ricahigh 2012low 1851

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Mexico: 39.5 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Costa Rica: 1.74 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
020401850190019502000Costa Ricahigh 2017

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Consumption-based CO2

Mexico: 565.0 Mt CO2/year · 2023Costa Rica: 14.7 Mt CO2/year · 2023
02004006001990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 2013

CO2 counted where goods are used rather than where they are made. Compare with production emissions to see who imports their footprint. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

Mexico: 103.1 kg CO2/person/year · 2024Costa Rica: 183.5 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
050100150201420162018202020222024Costa Rica

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Energy use per person

Mexico: 17,654 kWh/person/year · 2024Costa Rica: 9,005 kWh/person/year · 2023
010k20k197019801990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 2008

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Mexico: 7.38 % of electricity · 2025Costa Rica: 0.70 % of electricity · 2025
02461990200020102020Costa Rica

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

Mexico: 5.99 % of electricity · 2025Costa Rica: 12.1 % of electricity · 2025
0510151990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 2021

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Mexico: 3.05 % of electricity · 2025Costa Rica: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
05101990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 2003low 2021

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Electric car sales

Mexico: 7.00 % of new cars · 2025Costa Rica: 17.0 % of new cars · 2025
051015201520202025Costa Rica

The share of newly sold cars that are electric. Norway crossed 90% in the early 2020s; most of the world is following. International Energy Agency via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Mexico: 9.41 % of electricity · 2025Costa Rica: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
02040601990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 1987low 2020

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

Mexico: 61.6 % of electricity · 2025Costa Rica: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
02040601990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 2020low 1988

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Mexico: 330,263 ha/year · 2024Costa Rica: 8,285 ha/year · 2024
0100k200k300k2005201020152020Costa Ricalow 2003

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Mexico: 34.1 % of land · 2025Costa Rica: 58.6 % of land · 2025
02040601990200020102020Costa Rica

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Mexico: 70.5 deaths/year · 2021Costa Rica: 3.17 deaths/year · 2021
020040020002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2017low 2012

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Mexico: 0.68 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Costa Rica: 0.84 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.5200020102020Costa Ricalow 2023

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Mexico: 15.3 % of land area · 2024Costa Rica: 26.5 % of land area · 2024
0102030201420162018202020222024Costa Rica

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Mexico: 78.2 kg/person/year · 2023Costa Rica: 64.1 kg/person/year · 2023
050198020002020Costa Ricalow 1971

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Mexico: 55.9 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Costa Rica: 161.4 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0100200198020002020Costa Ricahigh 1986

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Marine protected areas

Mexico: 22.6 % of territorial waters · 2024Costa Rica: 28.4 % of territorial waters · 2024
0102030201420162018202020222024Costa Rica

How much of a country's coastal waters are protected for nature. The global goal is 30% by 2030. UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Urban population

Mexico: 80.0 % living in cities · 2025Costa Rica: 79.7 % living in cities · 2025
0501960198020002020Costa Rica

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Mexico: 45.0 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Costa Rica: 5.88 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
0204020002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2021

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Mexico: 3,180 m³/person/year · 2022Costa Rica: 22,236 m³/person/year · 2022
050k198020002020Costa Rica

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

Mexico: 43.0 % of population · 2024Costa Rica: 80.5 % of population · 2024
05020002005201020152020Costa Rica

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Mexico: 809.1 mm/year · 2025Costa Rica: 3,314 mm/year · 2025
02k4k19401960198020002020Costa Ricahigh 1984low 1962

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Mexico: 1.70 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Costa Rica: -1.30 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
05019401960198020002020Costa Ricahigh 1984low 1962

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Safely managed sanitation

Mexico: 62.7 % of population · 2024Costa Rica: 26.3 % of population · 2024
020406020002005201020152020Costa Rica

The share of people whose toilet waste is safely treated rather than left to contaminate water and soil. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Mexico: 18.3 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Costa Rica: 20.3 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0102020002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2000low 1999

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data

Ozone-depleting substances

Mexico: 130.3 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Costa Rica: 3.28 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
010k20k30k1990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 1989

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data