Costa Rica

Indigenous Peoples in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has 24 Indigenous territories inhabited by eight different peoples. Although Costa Rica has adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ratified ILO Convention 169, rights to land and self-determination is still a struggle for the country’s Indigenous population. 

Although the 1977 Indigenous Law recognises the traditional Indigenous organisations, the concept of Integral Development Associations (ADIs) has been imposed on them and is completely alien to the indigenous peoples’ traditional power structures. The ADIs depend on the supervision, approval and willingness of the National Department for Community Development, a state body that does not have the capacity to understand cultural diversity, indigenous rights, differences between peoples and territories or an intercultural approach.

Indigenous Peoples in Costa Rica

Eight Indigenous Peoples live in Costa Rica: the Huetar, Maleku, Bribri, Cabécar, Brunka, Ngäbe, Bröran and Chorotega, constituting 2.4% of the total population. According to the 2010 National Census, a little over 100,000 people self-identify as Indigenous.

Twenty-four (24) Indigenous territories cover some 6.7% of the national territory (3,344 km2) although this is only the formal area stated in the decrees establishing the territories as a large proportion has been invaded by non-indigenous settlers.

In a country where nearly 20% of the general population lives below the poverty line, this percentage attains alarming heights in the case of the country’s Indigenous Peoples: Cabé- car 94.3%; Ngäbe 87.0%; Bröran 85.0%; Bribri 70.8%; Brunka 60.7%; Maleku 44.3%; Chorotega 35.5% and Huetar 34.2%.

Main challenges for Costa Rica’s Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous territorial rights are constantly violated in the country and more than half the area of some territories are occupied by non-indigenous settlers. In Costa Rica, the Indigenous lands have been titled without a prior process of regularisation, and the state hasn't taken any action to rectify the current situation.

The issue of Indigenous rights in Costa Rica and, in particular, the rights to land and self-determination, is facing fierce resistance from those who hold political and economic power. Although concrete progress was made in 2016 in terms of the government’s consultation of indigenous peoples and the precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) were fulfilled, the Indigenous rights agenda continues to suffer delays.

This relates particularly to Congress’s consideration of the Law on Indigenous Peoples’ Autonomous Development, which, two decades on, has still not been discussed. The lack of discussion of the law is mainly due to strong racist resistance and opposition from the private sector, which considers the right to self-determination and self-management of Indigenous territories to be a risk to extractive investments. Additionally, the national policy for a Society Free from Racism, Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia (2014-2025), which should have commenced in 2015, is still awaiting implementation.

Indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination continues to be denied by the state. The draft bill of a law on Indigenous Peoples’ autonomous development has still not been discussed in the Congress, despite being submitted more than two decades ago.

Potential progress for Costa Rica’s Indigenous Peoples

The process of an Indigenous consultation mechanism began in 2016 and has experienced significant progress during 2017. Workshops, regional assemblies and national meetings were held with the Indigenous territories to discuss the consultation procedure. At the end of 2017, together with a technical team from the Ministry of the Presidency, an Indigenous Drafting Commission reviewed the results of the process and produced a final draft for discussion in February 2018.

Since 2014, the University of Costa Ria has been carrying out an institutional plan to promote and ensure the admission of students from Indigenous communities from around the country. This plan also seeks that new Indigenous students remain in the university. In 2017, the university was involved in mentoring around 400 indigenous students in high school. Moreover, the institution saw 32 new indigenous students coming from all different territories in the country.

The Indigenous World 2026: Costa Rica

Written on . Posted in Costa Rica

The eight Indigenous Peoples who inhabit the country make up 2.4% of the population. Seven of them are of Chibchense origin: Huetar (in Quitirrisí and Zapatón), Maleku (in Guatuso), Bribri (in Salitre, Cabagra, Talamanca Bribri and Këköldi), Cabécar (in Alto Chirripó, Tayni, Talamanca Cabécar, Telire and China Kichá, Bajo Chirripó, Nairi Awari and Ujarrás), Brunca (in Boruca and Curré), Ngöbe (in Abrojos Montezuma, Coto Brus and Conte Burica, Alto de San Antonio and Osa) and Brörán (in Térraba). The eighth, of Mesoamerican origin, is the Chorotega in Matambú. According to the 2010 National Census, just over 100,000 people identified as Indigenous in the country.[i]

Although 7% of the national territory (3,344 km²) is occupied by 24 Indigenous territories, a large part has been invaded by non-indigenous occupants: 52.3% of the Bribri area in Këköldi, 53.1% in Boruca (Brunca territory), 56.4% in Térraba (Brörán people), 58.7% in Guatuso (Maleku people) and up to 88.4% in Zapatón (Huetar territory).[ii]

In Costa Rica, 20% of the general population lives below the poverty line but, in the case of Indigenous Peoples, the figures are alarming: Cabécar, 94.3%; Ngöbe, 87%; Brörán, 85.0%; Bribri, 70.8%; Brunka, 60.7%; Maleku, 44.3%; Chorotega, 35.5%; and Huetar, 34.2%.[iii]

Costa Rica ratified ILO Convention 169 in 1993 and incorporated recognition of its multicultural character into the Political Constitution of the Republic. Even so, in 2021, the then Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples indicated that, “Although article 1 of the Constitution, amended in 2015, stipulates that Costa Rica is a multi-ethnic and multicultural State, it does not recognize the existence of the indigenous peoples”.[iv]

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The Indigenous World 2024: Costa Rica

Written on . Posted in Costa Rica

The eight Indigenous Peoples that inhabit the country make up 2.4% of the population. Seven of them are of Chibchense origin (the Huetar in Quitirrisí and Zapatón; Maleku in Guatuso; Bribri in Salitre, Cabagra, Talamanca Bribri and Këköldi; Cabécar in Alto Chirripó, Tayni, Talamanca Cabécar, Telire and China Kichá, Bajo Chirripó, Nairi Awari and Ujarrás; Brunca in Boruca and Curré; Ngöbe in Abrojos Montezuma, Coto Brus and Conte Burica, Alto de San Antonio and Osa; and Brörán in Térraba) and one of Mesoamerican origin (the Chorotega in Matambú). According to the 2010 National Census, just over 100,000 people are recognized as Indigenous.

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The Indigenous World 2022: Costa Rica

Written on . Posted in Costa Rica

Eight Indigenous Peoples live in Costa Rica: the Huetar, Maleku, Bribri, Cabécar, Brunka, Ngäbe, Bröran, and Chorotega, where they constitute 2.4% of the population. According to the 2010 National Census, a little over 100,000 people recognise themselves as Indigenous.

Although almost 7% of the national territory (3,344 km²) is formally covered by 24 Indigenous territories, this area actually only appears in the decrees establishing them and a large proportion has been invaded by non-indigenous occupants. In a country where nearly 20% of the population lives below the poverty line, this percentage reaches alarming figures in the case of Indigenous Peoples: Cabécar 94.3%; Ngäbe 87%; Bröran 85.0%; Bribri 70.8%; Brunka 60.7%; Maleku 44.3%; Chorotega 35.5% and Huetar 34.2%.

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The Indigenous World 2025: Costa Rica

Written on . Posted in Costa Rica

The eight Indigenous Peoples that inhabit Costa Rica account for 2.4% of the country’s population. Seven of them are of Chibchense origin: Huetar (in Quitirrisí and Zapatón), Maleku (in Guatuso), Bribri (in Salitre, Cabagra, Talamanca Bribri and Këköldi), Cabécar (in Alto Chirripó, Tayni, Talamanca Cabécar, Telire and China Kichá, Bajo Chirripó, Nairi Awari and Ujarrás), Brunca (in Boruca and Curré), Ngöbe (in Abrojos Montezuma, Coto Brus and Conte Burica, Alto de San Antonio and Osa) and Brörán (in Térraba). The Chorotega in Matambú make up the eighth people and are of Mesoamerican origin. According to the 2010 National Census, just over 100,000 people are recognized as Indigenous in the country.[1]

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The Indigenous World 2023: Costa Rica

Written on . Posted in Costa Rica

Eight Indigenous Peoples live in Costa Rica: the Huetar, Maleku, Bribri, Cabécar, Brunka, Ngäbe, Bröran, and Chorotega, accounting for 2.4% of the population. According to the 2010 National Census, a little over 100,000 people identify as Indigenous.

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The Indigenous World 2021: Costa Rica

Written on . Posted in Costa Rica

Eight Indigenous Peoples live in Costa Rica: the Huetar, Maleku, Bribri, Cabécar, Brunka, Ngäbe, Bröran and Chorotega, constituting 2.4% of the total population. According to the 2010 National Census, a little over 100,000 people self-identify as Indigenous.

Twenty-four (24) Indigenous territories cover some 6.7% of the national territory (3,344 km2) although this is only the formal area stated in the decrees establishing the territories as a large proportion has been invaded by non-indigenous settlers.

In a country where nearly 20% of the general population lives below the poverty line, this percentage attains alarming heights in the case of the country’s Indigenous Peoples: Cabécar 94.3%; Ngäbe 87.0%; Bröran 85.0%; Bribri 70.8%; Brunka 60.7%; Maleku 44.3%; Chorotega 35.5% and Huetar 34.2%.

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