Costa Rica has a population density of 260.2 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Costa Rica ranked 91st out of 197.
Costa Rica has 0.06% of the world's population and 0.03% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Costa Rica compared to the World's average
Costa Rica
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 260.2 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 91/197 | N/A |
| Population |
5170484
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.8% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 83.2% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Costa Rica population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Costa Rica has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 22.1%. The population density rank was 88th 21 years ago and is 91st today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 260.2 | 91 |
| 2023 | 259 | 92 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 92 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 92 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 91 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 91 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 91 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 91 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 90 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 90 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 91 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 90 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 89 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 88 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 87 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 87 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 88 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 87 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 88 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 87 |
| 2004 | 213 | 88 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 89 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 89 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 90 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 91 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 88 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 89 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 89 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 89 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 89 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 90 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 90 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 88 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 79 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 78 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 79 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 79 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 79 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 79 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 79 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 79 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 80 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 80 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 80 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 80 |
| 1979 | 118 | 80 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 80 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 80 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 80 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 81 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 80 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 81 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 81 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 82 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 82 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 82 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 82 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 82 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 81 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 80 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 80 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 81 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 82 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 82 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Costa Rica from 1960 to 2024: 34.3% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 59.1% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 83.2%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 83.2% | 39 |
| 2023 | 82.6% | 39 |
| 2022 | 82% | 40 |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 42 |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 45 |
| 2019 | 80.1% | 47 |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 47 |
| 2017 | 78.6% | 48 |
| 2016 | 77.7% | 48 |
| 2015 | 76.9% | 53 |
| 2014 | 75.9% | 54 |
| 2013 | 75% | 54 |
| 2012 | 73.9% | 56 |
| 2011 | 72.9% | 59 |
| 2010 | 71.7% | 60 |
| 2009 | 70.6% | 60 |
| 2008 | 69.4% | 62 |
| 2007 | 68.2% | 65 |
| 2006 | 66.9% | 69 |
| 2005 | 65.7% | 73 |
| 2004 | 64.4% | 74 |
| 2003 | 63.1% | 77 |
| 2002 | 61.8% | 78 |
| 2001 | 60.4% | 80 |
| 2000 | 59.1% | 83 |
| 1999 | 58.2% | 86 |
| 1998 | 57.3% | 86 |
| 1997 | 56.4% | 88 |
| 1996 | 55.5% | 88 |
| 1995 | 54.6% | 89 |
| 1994 | 53.7% | 93 |
| 1993 | 52.7% | 94 |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 94 |
| 1991 | 50.9% | 95 |
| 1990 | 50% | 97 |
| 1989 | 49.1% | 98 |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 101 |
| 1987 | 47.3% | 102 |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 101 |
| 1985 | 45.4% | 102 |
| 1984 | 44.5% | 103 |
| 1983 | 44.2% | 103 |
| 1982 | 43.8% | 102 |
| 1981 | 43.5% | 102 |
| 1980 | 43.1% | 102 |
| 1979 | 42.7% | 101 |
| 1978 | 42.4% | 102 |
| 1977 | 42% | 101 |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 100 |
| 1975 | 41.3% | 100 |
| 1974 | 41% | 99 |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 97 |
| 1972 | 40.1% | 97 |
| 1971 | 39.4% | 99 |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 98 |
| 1969 | 38.2% | 99 |
| 1968 | 37.6% | 96 |
| 1967 | 37% | 97 |
| 1966 | 36.4% | 96 |
| 1965 | 35.8% | 97 |
| 1964 | 35.2% | 97 |
| 1963 | 34.6% | 98 |
| 1962 | 34.4% | 96 |
| 1961 | 34.3% | 93 |
| 1960 | 34.3% | 86 |
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 342K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Costa Rica topic pages:
Population density comparisons
