Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 4,704 people in Malta. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 5,979 sq ft in Malta. Costa Rica and Malta rank 93rd and 5th 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 0.007% of the population and 0.0002% of the land area for Malta, making the population density in Costa Rica 94.4% lower than in Malta.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Costa Rica
|
Malta
|
|
| 2026 | 262.6 | 4,704 |
| 2025 | 261.4 | 4,659 |
| 2024 | 260.2 | 4,604 |
| 2023 | 259 | 4,474 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 4,299 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 4,194 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 4,172 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 4,079 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 3,917 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 3,781 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 3,679 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 3,595 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 3,508 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 3,438 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 3,400 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 3,369 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 3,355 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 3,338 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 3,313 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 3,292 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 3,280 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 3,269 |
| 2004 | 213 | 3,248 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 3,226 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 3,205 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 3,181 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 3,157 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 3,137 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 3,118 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 3,098 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 3,075 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 3,055 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 3,033 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 3,005 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 2,975 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 2,945 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 2,867 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 2,839 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 2,811 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 2,788 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 2,769 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 2,723 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 2,676 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 2,675 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 2,638 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 2,582 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 2,563 |
| 1979 | 118 | 2,536 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 2,511 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 2,485 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 2,475 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 2,462 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 2,444 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 2,446 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 2,448 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 2,450 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 2,450 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 2,463 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 2,492 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 2,522 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 2,551 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 2,580 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 2,600 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 2,611 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 2,622 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 2,632 |
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/malta | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 43.4% growth in Malta.
In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. Malta was 5th in 2006 and still ranks 5th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Costa Rica
|
Malta
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 262.6 ppl/mi² | 4,704 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 93/197 | 5/197 |
| Population |
5181862
|
581729
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 123.6 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 6,055 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.7% | 4.35% |
| Urban population | 79.3% | 95.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Malta
|
|
| 2024 | 79.3% | 95.7% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | 95.6% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | 95.6% |
| 2021 | 78% | 95.5% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | 95.2% |
| 2019 | 77% | 94.9% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | 94.7% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | 94.6% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 94.5% |
| 2015 | 75% | 94.4% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | 94.4% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | 94.4% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 94.4% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | 94.3% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | 94.2% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 94.1% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | 94% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | 93.9% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | 93.8% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | 93.7% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | 93.6% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | 93.5% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | 93.4% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | 93.4% |
| 2000 | 59% | 93.3% |
| 1999 | 58% | 93.2% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | 93.1% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | 93% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | 92.9% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | 92.7% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | 92.5% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | 92.2% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | 91.8% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | 91.4% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | 91% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | 90.7% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 90.3% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | 90.1% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | 89.9% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | 89.8% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | 89.8% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | 89.7% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | 89.7% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 89.6% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | 89.6% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | 89.6% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | 89.5% |
| 1977 | 42% | 89.5% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 89.5% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | 89.4% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | 89.4% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 89.4% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | 89.4% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 89.4% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 89.4% |
| 1969 | 38% | 89.4% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | 89.4% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | 89.4% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | 89.4% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | 89.5% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | 89.6% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | 89.7% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | 89.9% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | 90% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | 90.1% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/malta | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 93.6% to 95.7% in Malta.
Densely populated cities
|
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/costa-rica/malta | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.