Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 799 people in El Salvador. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 35,733 sq ft in El Salvador. Costa Rica and El Salvador rank 93rd and 33rd by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Costa Rica has 0.06% of the world's population and 0.03% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.08% of the population and 0.01% of the land area for El Salvador, making the population density in Costa Rica 67.1% lower than in El Salvador.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Costa Rica
|
El Salvador
|
|
| 2026 | 262.6 | 799 |
| 2025 | 261.4 | 796 |
| 2024 | 260.2 | 792 |
| 2023 | 259 | 789 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 785 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 782 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 779 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 778 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 777 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 777 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 775 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 773 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 770 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 767 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 764 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 761 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 759 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 756 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 754 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 751 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 750 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 751 |
| 2004 | 213 | 751 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 750 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 748 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 746 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 743 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 739 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 735 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 731 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 726 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 720 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 714 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 707 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 698 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 687 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 675 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 662 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 649 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 637 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 624 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 612 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 600 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 588 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 578 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 571 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 568 |
| 1979 | 118 | 560 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 549 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 538 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 526 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 512 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 501 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 489 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 478 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 467 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 456 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 444 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 432 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 421 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 409 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 397 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 387 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 376 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 366 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 357 |
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/costa-rica/el-salvador | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 6.51% growth in El Salvador.
In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. El Salvador was 29th in 2006 and ranks 33rd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Costa Rica
|
El Salvador
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 262.6 ppl/mi² | 799 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 93/197 | 33/197 |
| Population |
5181862
|
6399793
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 8,000 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 35,188 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.7% | 24.9% |
| Urban population | 79.3% | 75.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
El Salvador
|
|
| 2024 | 79.3% | 75.1% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | 74.6% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 78% | 73.7% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | 73.1% |
| 2019 | 77% | 72.4% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | 71.8% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | 71.1% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 70.4% |
| 2015 | 75% | 69.7% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | 68.9% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | 68.1% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 67.2% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | 66.3% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | 65.4% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 64.5% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | 63.6% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | 62.8% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | 61.9% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | 61% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | 60.1% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | 59.2% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | 58.3% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | 57.5% |
| 2000 | 59% | 56.6% |
| 1999 | 58% | 55.7% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | 54.8% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | 54% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | 53.2% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | 52.4% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | 51.7% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | 50.9% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | 50.3% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | 49.6% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | 49% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | 48.3% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 47.7% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | 47% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | 46.4% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | 45.7% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | 45.1% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | 44.5% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | 43.9% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 43.4% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | 42.8% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | 42.3% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | 41.8% |
| 1977 | 42% | 41.4% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 41% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | 40.6% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | 40.2% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 40% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | 39.7% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 39.5% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 39.4% |
| 1969 | 38% | 39.3% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | 39.2% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | 39.1% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | 39% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | 38.9% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | 38.8% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | 38.7% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | 38.6% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | 38.5% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | 38.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/el-salvador | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 335K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
|
El Salvador
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Salvador | 331K |
| Santa Ana | 251K |
| San Miguel | 233K |
| Soyapango | 230K |
| Mejicanos | 137K |
| Apopa | 129K |
| Ahuachapan | 127K |
| Santa Tecla | 126K |
| Sonsonate | 72.2K |
| Usulutan | 66.1K |
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/costa-rica/el-salvador | 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 (2022–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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