China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 262.6 people in Costa Rica. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 107,389 sq ft in Costa Rica. China and Costa Rica rank 67th and 93rd by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. China has 17.3% of the world's population and 6.3% 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 China 47.4% higher than in Costa Rica.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
Costa Rica
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 262.6 |
| 2025 | 388 | 261.4 |
| 2024 | 389 | 260.2 |
| 2023 | 389 | 259 |
| 2022 | 390 | 257.8 |
| 2021 | 390 | 256.7 |
| 2020 | 389 | 255.4 |
| 2019 | 388 | 253.6 |
| 2018 | 387 | 251.5 |
| 2017 | 385 | 249.2 |
| 2016 | 383 | 246.9 |
| 2015 | 381 | 244.4 |
| 2014 | 378 | 241.8 |
| 2013 | 376 | 239.2 |
| 2012 | 374 | 236.6 |
| 2011 | 371 | 233.8 |
| 2010 | 369 | 231.1 |
| 2009 | 367 | 228.2 |
| 2008 | 365 | 225.2 |
| 2007 | 364 | 222.2 |
| 2006 | 362 | 219.2 |
| 2005 | 360 | 216.1 |
| 2004 | 358 | 213 |
| 2003 | 355 | 209.9 |
| 2002 | 353 | 206.7 |
| 2001 | 351 | 203.4 |
| 2000 | 348 | 199.7 |
| 1999 | 346 | 195.9 |
| 1998 | 343 | 191.9 |
| 1997 | 339 | 187.8 |
| 1996 | 336 | 183.6 |
| 1995 | 332 | 179.3 |
| 1994 | 329 | 175.1 |
| 1993 | 325 | 170.8 |
| 1992 | 321 | 166.6 |
| 1991 | 317 | 162.4 |
| 1990 | 313 | 158.3 |
| 1989 | 309 | 154.4 |
| 1988 | 304 | 150.6 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 146.7 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 142.9 |
| 1985 | 290 | 139.1 |
| 1984 | 286 | 135.3 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 131.6 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 128.1 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 124.6 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 121.3 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 118 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 114.9 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 111.8 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 108.9 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 106.2 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 103.5 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 100.9 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 98.3 |
| 1971 | 232 | 95.8 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 93.3 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 90.8 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 88.2 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 85.7 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 83.1 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 80.5 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 77.8 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 75.2 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 72.5 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 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/china/costa-rica | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 19.8% growth in Costa Rica.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Costa Rica was 88th in 2006 and ranks 93rd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 262.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 93/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
5181862
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 19,714 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 107,137 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 20.7% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 79.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Costa Rica
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 79.3% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 78.9% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 78.4% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 78% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 77.5% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 77% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 76.6% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 76.1% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 75.5% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 75% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 74.5% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 73.9% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 73.4% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 72.8% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 71.5% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 70.1% |
| 2008 | 47% | 68.8% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 67.5% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 66.2% |
| 2005 | 43% | 64.9% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 63.7% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 62.5% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 61.3% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 60.1% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 59% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 58% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 56.9% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 55.8% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 54.7% |
| 1995 | 29% | 53.6% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 52.5% |
| 1993 | 28% | 51.5% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 50.5% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 49.5% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 48.6% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 47.7% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 46.9% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 46.1% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 45.5% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 44.9% |
| 1984 | 23% | 44.4% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 43.9% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 43.5% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 43.2% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 42.9% |
| 1979 | 19% | 42.6% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 42.3% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 42% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 41.7% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 41.4% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 41.1% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 40.7% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 40.2% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 39.5% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 38.8% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 38% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 37.3% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 36.5% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 35.8% |
| 1965 | 18% | 35.2% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 34.8% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 34.5% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 34.3% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 34.2% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 34.1% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/costa-rica | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica.
Densely populated cities
|
China
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Chongqing | 32.1M |
| Shanghai | 24.9M |
| Beijing | 21.9M |
| Chengdu | 20.9M |
| Guangzhou | 18.7M |
| Shenzhen | 17.5M |
| Tianjin | 13.9M |
| Xi'an | 13M |
| Suzhou | 12.7M |
| Zhengzhou | 12.6M |
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 335K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/china/costa-rica | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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