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Panama vs Costa Rica

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

Country A · Panama
Country B · Costa Rica

Climate

CO2 emissions

Panama: 12.7 Mt CO2/year · 2024Costa Rica: 8.76 Mt CO2/year · 2024
051019502000Costa Ricahigh 2023low 1943

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

Panama: 2.81 t CO2/person/year · 2024Costa Rica: 1.71 t CO2/person/year · 2024
012319502000Costa Ricahigh 2019low 1946

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

Panama: 0.24 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Costa Rica: 0.33 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-1019401960198020002020Costa Ricahigh 2015low 1943

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

Panama: 4.23 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Costa Rica: 5.54 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0241850190019502000Costa 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

Panama: 21.2 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Costa Rica: 15.0 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
02040601850190019502000Costa Ricahigh 1959low 1879

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

Panama: 1.29 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Costa Rica: 1.74 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0121850190019502000Costa Ricahigh 2021

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

Panama: 19.5 Mt CO2/year · 2023Costa Rica: 14.7 Mt CO2/year · 2023
010201990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 2021low 2011

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

Panama: 451.5 kg CO2/person/year · 2024Costa Rica: 183.5 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
0200400201420162018202020222024Costa 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

Panama: 22,863 kWh/person/year · 2023Costa Rica: 9,005 kWh/person/year · 2023
010k20k30k19801990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 2019low 1999

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

Panama: 7.37 % of electricity · 2024Costa Rica: 0.70 % of electricity · 2025
024620002005201020152020Costa 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

Panama: 7.15 % of electricity · 2024Costa Rica: 12.1 % of electricity · 2025
05101520002005201020152020Costa Rica

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

Coal electricity

Panama: 3.72 % of electricity · 2024Costa Rica: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
0520002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2019

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

Oil electricity

Panama: 7.45 % of electricity · 2024Costa Rica: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
0204020002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2001low 2021

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

Panama: 20.8 % of electricity · 2024Costa Rica: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
0102020002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2019

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

Panama: 21,537 ha/year · 2024Costa Rica: 8,285 ha/year · 2024
020k40k2005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2008low 2015

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

Panama: 62.2 % 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

Panama: 0.98 deaths/year · 2021Costa Rica: 3.17 deaths/year · 2021
05020002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2020low 2001

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

Panama: 0.72 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Costa Rica: 0.84 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.5200020102020Costa Ricalow 2018

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

Panama: 31.4 % 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

Panama: 78.0 kg/person/year · 2023Costa Rica: 64.1 kg/person/year · 2023
050198020002020Costa Ricahigh 2019

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

Panama: 56.7 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Costa Rica: 161.4 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0100200198020002020Costa Ricahigh 2021

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

Panama: 26.3 % 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

Panama: 66.2 % 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

Panama: 0.90 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Costa Rica: 5.88 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
0246201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2015

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

Panama: 31,040 m³/person/year · 2022Costa Rica: 22,236 m³/person/year · 2022
050k100k198020002020Costa 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

Annual precipitation

Panama: 3,522 mm/year · 2025Costa Rica: 3,314 mm/year · 2025
02k4k19401960198020002020Costa Ricahigh 1970low 1961

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

Panama: 9.00 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Costa Rica: -1.30 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
05019401960198020002020Costa Ricahigh 1970low 1961

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

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Panama: 14.7 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Costa Rica: 20.3 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0102020002005201020152020Costa Ricahigh 2015low 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

Panama: 10.8 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Costa Rica: 3.28 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
05001990200020102020Costa Ricahigh 1995

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