Costa Rica has a population density of 260.2 people per square mile compared to 517 people in Italy. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 55,122 sq ft in Italy. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Costa Rica and Italy are ranked 91st and 56th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.72% of the population and 0.2% of the land area for Italy, hence the population density in Costa Rica is 49.6% lower than in Italy.
Population density comparison
Costa Rica
|
Italy
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 260.2 ppl/mi² | 517 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 91/197 | 56/197 |
| Population |
5170484
|
58790597
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 114,178 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 53,964 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.8% | 27.7% |
| Urban population | 83.2% | 72.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 6.95% |
Costa Rica vs Italy:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Costa Rica increased by 22.1%, compared to a 2% growth in Italy.
In 2004, Costa Rica ranked 88th for population density and is in 91st place now. Italy was 41st in 2004 and ranks 56th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Italy
|
|
| 2024 | 260.2 | 517 |
| 2023 | 259 | 517 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 517 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 518 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 521 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 523 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 527 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 526 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 527 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 528 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 528 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 528 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 527 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 526 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 524 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 522 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 519 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 515 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 511 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 509 |
| 2004 | 213 | 506 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 503 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 500 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 499 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 499 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 501 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 501 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 501 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 501 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 501 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 501 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 500 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 500 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 500 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 499 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 499 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 499 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 498 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 498 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 498 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 498 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 498 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 498 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 498 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 497 |
| 1979 | 118 | 496 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 495 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 493 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 491 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 488 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 485 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 482 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 479 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 476 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 474 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 471 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 469 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 466 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 462 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 459 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 455 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 451 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 448 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 445 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Italy
|
|
| 2024 | 83.2% | 72.3% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | 72% |
| 2022 | 82% | 71.7% |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 71.3% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 71% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | 70.7% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 70.4% |
| 2017 | 78.6% | 70.1% |
| 2016 | 77.7% | 69.9% |
| 2015 | 76.9% | 69.6% |
| 2014 | 75.9% | 69.3% |
| 2013 | 75% | 69% |
| 2012 | 73.9% | 68.7% |
| 2011 | 72.9% | 68.4% |
| 2010 | 71.7% | 68.3% |
| 2009 | 70.6% | 68.2% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | 68.1% |
| 2007 | 68.2% | 68% |
| 2006 | 66.9% | 67.9% |
| 2005 | 65.7% | 67.7% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | 67.6% |
| 2003 | 63.1% | 67.5% |
| 2002 | 61.8% | 67.4% |
| 2001 | 60.4% | 67.3% |
| 2000 | 59.1% | 67.2% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | 67.2% |
| 1998 | 57.3% | 67.1% |
| 1997 | 56.4% | 67% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | 67% |
| 1995 | 54.6% | 66.9% |
| 1994 | 53.7% | 66.9% |
| 1993 | 52.7% | 66.8% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 66.7% |
| 1991 | 50.9% | 66.7% |
| 1990 | 50% | 66.7% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | 66.7% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 66.8% |
| 1987 | 47.3% | 66.8% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 66.8% |
| 1985 | 45.4% | 66.8% |
| 1984 | 44.5% | 66.8% |
| 1983 | 44.2% | 66.9% |
| 1982 | 43.8% | 66.9% |
| 1981 | 43.5% | 66.8% |
| 1980 | 43.1% | 66.6% |
| 1979 | 42.7% | 66.4% |
| 1978 | 42.4% | 66.2% |
| 1977 | 42% | 66% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 65.8% |
| 1975 | 41.3% | 65.6% |
| 1974 | 41% | 65.4% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 65.2% |
| 1972 | 40.1% | 65% |
| 1971 | 39.4% | 64.8% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 64.3% |
| 1969 | 38.2% | 63.8% |
| 1968 | 37.6% | 63.3% |
| 1967 | 37% | 62.8% |
| 1966 | 36.4% | 62.3% |
| 1965 | 35.8% | 61.8% |
| 1964 | 35.2% | 61.3% |
| 1963 | 34.6% | 60.9% |
| 1962 | 34.4% | 60.4% |
| 1961 | 34.3% | 59.9% |
| 1960 | 34.3% | 59.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 64.4% to 83.2% in Costa Rica and from 67.6% to 72.3% in Italy.
Densely populated cities
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