Costa Rica has a population density of 260.2 people per square mile compared to 881 people in Japan. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Costa Rica and Japan are ranked 91st and 28th, 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 1.52% of the population and 0.24% of the land area for Japan, hence the population density in Costa Rica is 70.5% lower than in Japan.
Population density comparison
Costa Rica
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 260.2 ppl/mi² | 881 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 91/197 | 28/197 |
| Population |
5170484
|
123324642
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 140,761 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 31,653 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.8% | 7.87% |
| Urban population | 83.2% | 92.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28% |
Costa Rica vs Japan:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Costa Rica increased by 22.1%, compared to a 2.98% decline in Japan.
In 2004, Costa Rica ranked 88th for population density and is in 91st place now. Japan was 19th in 2004 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Japan
|
|
| 2024 | 260.2 | 881 |
| 2023 | 259 | 885 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 889 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 893 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 897 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 900 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 901 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 902 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 903 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 903 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 904 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 906 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 907 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 908 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 910 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 910 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 910 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 910 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 908 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 908 |
| 2004 | 213 | 908 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 908 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 906 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 903 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 901 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 900 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 898 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 896 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 894 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 891 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 889 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 887 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 884 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 881 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 877 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 874 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 871 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 867 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 863 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 858 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 853 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 844 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 838 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 832 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 826 |
| 1979 | 118 | 819 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 812 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 805 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 797 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 788 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 778 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 768 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 757 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 747 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 730 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 722 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 713 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 705 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 698 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 692 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 684 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 677 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 671 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 664 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Japan
|
|
| 2024 | 83.2% | 92.1% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | 92% |
| 2022 | 82% | 92% |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 91.9% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 91.8% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | 91.7% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 91.6% |
| 2017 | 78.6% | 91.5% |
| 2016 | 77.7% | 91.5% |
| 2015 | 76.9% | 91.4% |
| 2014 | 75.9% | 91.3% |
| 2013 | 75% | 91.2% |
| 2012 | 73.9% | 91.1% |
| 2011 | 72.9% | 91.1% |
| 2010 | 71.7% | 90.8% |
| 2009 | 70.6% | 90% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | 89.1% |
| 2007 | 68.2% | 88.1% |
| 2006 | 66.9% | 87.1% |
| 2005 | 65.7% | 86% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | 84.6% |
| 2003 | 63.1% | 83.2% |
| 2002 | 61.8% | 81.6% |
| 2001 | 60.4% | 80% |
| 2000 | 59.1% | 78.6% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | 78.5% |
| 1998 | 57.3% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 56.4% | 78.3% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | 78.1% |
| 1995 | 54.6% | 78% |
| 1994 | 53.7% | 77.9% |
| 1993 | 52.7% | 77.7% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 77.6% |
| 1991 | 50.9% | 77.5% |
| 1990 | 50% | 77.3% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | 77.2% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 77.1% |
| 1987 | 47.3% | 77% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 76.8% |
| 1985 | 45.4% | 76.7% |
| 1984 | 44.5% | 76.6% |
| 1983 | 44.2% | 76.5% |
| 1982 | 43.8% | 76.4% |
| 1981 | 43.5% | 76.3% |
| 1980 | 43.1% | 76.2% |
| 1979 | 42.7% | 76.1% |
| 1978 | 42.4% | 76.1% |
| 1977 | 42% | 76% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 75.9% |
| 1975 | 41.3% | 75.7% |
| 1974 | 41% | 75% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 74.2% |
| 1972 | 40.1% | 73.5% |
| 1971 | 39.4% | 72.7% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 71.9% |
| 1969 | 38.2% | 71.1% |
| 1968 | 37.6% | 70.3% |
| 1967 | 37% | 69.5% |
| 1966 | 36.4% | 68.7% |
| 1965 | 35.8% | 67.9% |
| 1964 | 35.2% | 67% |
| 1963 | 34.6% | 66.1% |
| 1962 | 34.4% | 65.1% |
| 1961 | 34.3% | 64.2% |
| 1960 | 34.3% | 63.3% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 64.4% to 83.2% in Costa Rica and from 84.6% to 92.1% in Japan.
Densely populated cities
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