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Population density: Bangladesh vs Costa Rica compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bangladesh has a population density of 3,544 people per square mile compared to 262.6 people in Costa Rica. Bangladesh has 9,152 sq ft of land per person vs 107,389 sq ft in Costa Rica. Bangladesh and Costa Rica rank 7th and 93rd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bangladesh has 2.14% of the world's population and 0.09% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.06% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Costa Rica, making the population density in Bangladesh 1,250% higher than in Costa Rica.

Population density by year

Bangladesh
Costa Rica

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bangladesh Costa Rica
2026 3,544 262.6
2025 3,501 261.4
2024 3,458 260.2
2023 3,417 259
2022 3,368 257.8
2021 3,336 256.7
2020 3,309 255.4
2019 3,281 253.6
2018 3,254 251.5
2017 3,227 249.2
2016 3,200 246.9
2015 3,171 244.4
2014 3,143 241.8
2013 3,115 239.2
2012 3,085 236.6
2011 3,056 233.8
2010 3,028 231.1
2009 3,002 228.2
2008 2,974 225.2
2007 2,945 222.2
2006 2,913 219.2
2005 2,879 216.1
2004 2,843 213
2003 2,805 209.9
2002 2,764 206.7
2001 2,722 203.4
2000 2,677 199.7
1999 2,629 195.9
1998 2,579 191.9
1997 2,531 187.8
1996 2,484 183.6
1995 2,439 179.3
1994 2,394 175.1
1993 2,350 170.8
1992 2,307 166.6
1991 2,264 162.4
1990 2,221 158.3
1989 2,177 154.4
1988 2,133 150.6
1987 2,088 146.7
1986 2,042 142.9
1985 1,995 139.1
1984 1,946 135.3
1983 1,897 131.6
1982 1,847 128.1
1981 1,797 124.6
1980 1,751 121.3
1979 1,710 118
1978 1,669 114.9
1977 1,629 111.8
1976 1,589 108.9
1975 1,549 106.2
1974 1,509 103.5
1973 1,467 100.9
1972 1,425 98.3
1971 1,398 95.8
1970 1,374 93.3
1969 1,339 90.8
1968 1,301 88.2
1967 1,264 85.7
1966 1,227 83.1
1965 1,192 80.5
1964 1,158 77.8
1963 1,124 75.2
1962 1,092 72.5
1961 1,061 69.9

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/costa-rica | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bangladesh increased by 21.6%, compared to a 19.8% growth in Costa Rica.

In 2006, Bangladesh ranked 6th by population density and is 7th now. Costa Rica was 88th in 2006 and ranks 93rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bangladesh
Costa Rica
1x
Year Urban population
Bangladesh Costa Rica
2024 32.7% 79.3%
2023 32.2% 78.9%
2022 31.7% 78.4%
2021 31.4% 78%
2020 31.1% 77.5%
2019 30.8% 77%
2018 30.5% 76.6%
2017 30.2% 76.1%
2016 29.9% 75.5%
2015 29.5% 75%
2014 29.2% 74.5%
2013 28.8% 73.9%
2012 28.5% 73.4%
2011 28.1% 72.8%
2010 27.7% 71.5%
2009 27.3% 70.1%
2008 26.9% 68.8%
2007 26.4% 67.5%
2006 25.9% 66.2%
2005 25.5% 64.9%
2004 25% 63.7%
2003 24.6% 62.5%
2002 24.1% 61.3%
2001 23.7% 60.1%
2000 23.3% 59%
1999 23% 58%
1998 22.6% 56.9%
1997 22.3% 55.8%
1996 22% 54.7%
1995 21.7% 53.6%
1994 21.3% 52.5%
1993 21% 51.5%
1992 20.6% 50.5%
1991 20.3% 49.5%
1990 19.9% 48.6%
1989 19.4% 47.7%
1988 19% 46.9%
1987 18.6% 46.1%
1986 18.1% 45.5%
1985 17.6% 44.9%
1984 17.1% 44.4%
1983 16.6% 43.9%
1982 16% 43.5%
1981 15.4% 43.2%
1980 14.7% 42.9%
1979 13.8% 42.6%
1978 12.7% 42.3%
1977 11.6% 42%
1976 10.6% 41.7%
1975 9.63% 41.4%
1974 8.96% 41.1%
1973 8.49% 40.7%
1972 8.09% 40.2%
1971 7.72% 39.5%
1970 7.38% 38.8%
1969 7.07% 38%
1968 6.79% 37.3%
1967 6.53% 36.5%
1966 6.29% 35.8%
1965 6.07% 35.2%
1964 5.85% 34.8%
1963 5.66% 34.5%
1962 5.47% 34.3%
1961 5.28% 34.2%
1960 5.11% 34.1%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/costa-rica | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 25% to 32.7% in Bangladesh and from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica.

Densely populated cities

Bangladesh
City Population
Dhaka 16.8M
Chittagong 2.58M
Narayanganj 968K
Khulna 929K
Sylhet 480K
Rajshahi 448K
Bogra 401K
Barisal 328K
Rangpur 294K
Brahmanbaria 268K
Costa Rica
City Population
San Jose 335K
Limon 71.5K
Liberia 65.9K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/costa-rica | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2011–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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