Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica

Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica

Indigenous territories in Costa Rica
Total population
114,000 2.4% of Costa Rica's population[1]
Regions with significant populations
Costa Rica
Languages
Indigenous languages, Spanish
Related ethnic groups
Other Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Indigenous people of Costa Rica, or Native Costa Ricans, are the people who lived in what is now Costa Rica prior to European and African contact and the descendants of those peoples. About 114,000 indigenous people live in the country, comprising 2.4% of the total population.^[1] Indigenous Costa Ricans strive to keep their cultural traditions and languages alive.

In 1977, the government passed the Indigenous Law, which created reserves. There are a total of 24 indigenous territories located throughout Costa Rica. After only gaining the right to vote in 1994, they are still fighting for their rights, particularly regarding the government taking over their land and ignoring the articles which protect them. While indigenous people have struggled for legal recognition of their rights, Costa Rica did sign the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007.^[1]

Indigenous Costa Ricans belong to eight major ethnic groups.^[1]