Costa Rica has a population density of 260.2 people per square mile compared to 52.5 people in New Zealand. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 540,405 sq ft in New Zealand. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Costa Rica and New Zealand are ranked 91st and 168th, 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 0.07% of the population and 0.18% of the land area for New Zealand, hence the population density in Costa Rica is 396% higher than in New Zealand.
Population density comparison
Costa Rica
|
New Zealand
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 260.2 ppl/mi² | 52.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 91/197 | 168/197 |
| Population |
5170484
|
5406623
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 101,665 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 530,907 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.8% | 12.9% |
| Urban population | 83.2% | 87.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 27.5% |
Costa Rica vs New Zealand:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Costa Rica increased by 22.1%, compared to a 30.6% growth in New Zealand.
In 2004, Costa Rica ranked 88th for population density and is in 91st place now. New Zealand was 162nd in 2004 and ranks 168th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2024 | 260.2 | 52.5 |
| 2023 | 259 | 51.6 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 50.3 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 50.3 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 50.1 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 49 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 48.2 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 47.3 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 46.4 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 45.3 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 44.4 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 43.7 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 43.4 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 43.1 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 42.8 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 42.3 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 41.9 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 41.5 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 41.2 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 40.7 |
| 2004 | 213 | 40.2 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 39.6 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 38.8 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 38.2 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 37.9 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 37.7 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 37.5 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 37.2 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 36.7 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 36.1 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 35.6 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 35.1 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 34.7 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 34.4 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 32.8 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 32.5 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 32.3 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 32.2 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 31.9 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 31.9 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 31.7 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 31.5 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 31 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 30.7 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 30.6 |
| 1979 | 118 | 30.6 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 30.7 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 30.7 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 30.6 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 30.3 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 29.7 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 29.1 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 28.6 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 28.1 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 27.6 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 27.3 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 27 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 26.8 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 26.3 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 25.9 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 25.4 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 24.9 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 24.4 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 23.8 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2024 | 83.2% | 87.1% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | 87% |
| 2022 | 82% | 86.9% |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 86.8% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 86.7% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | 86.6% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 86.5% |
| 2017 | 78.6% | 86.5% |
| 2016 | 77.7% | 86.4% |
| 2015 | 76.9% | 86.3% |
| 2014 | 75.9% | 86.3% |
| 2013 | 75% | 86.2% |
| 2012 | 73.9% | 86.2% |
| 2011 | 72.9% | 86.1% |
| 2010 | 71.7% | 86.2% |
| 2009 | 70.6% | 86.2% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | 86.3% |
| 2007 | 68.2% | 86.3% |
| 2006 | 66.9% | 86.4% |
| 2005 | 65.7% | 86.3% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | 86.3% |
| 2003 | 63.1% | 86.2% |
| 2002 | 61.8% | 86.2% |
| 2001 | 60.4% | 86.1% |
| 2000 | 59.1% | 86% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | 85.9% |
| 1998 | 57.3% | 85.9% |
| 1997 | 56.4% | 85.8% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | 85.7% |
| 1995 | 54.6% | 85.6% |
| 1994 | 53.7% | 85.4% |
| 1993 | 52.7% | 85.3% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 85.1% |
| 1991 | 50.9% | 84.9% |
| 1990 | 50% | 84.7% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | 84.5% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 84.3% |
| 1987 | 47.3% | 84% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 83.8% |
| 1985 | 45.4% | 83.7% |
| 1984 | 44.5% | 83.6% |
| 1983 | 44.2% | 83.6% |
| 1982 | 43.8% | 83.6% |
| 1981 | 43.5% | 83.5% |
| 1980 | 43.1% | 83.4% |
| 1979 | 42.7% | 83.3% |
| 1978 | 42.4% | 83.2% |
| 1977 | 42% | 83.1% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 83% |
| 1975 | 41.3% | 82.8% |
| 1974 | 41% | 82.5% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 82.1% |
| 1972 | 40.1% | 81.8% |
| 1971 | 39.4% | 81.5% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 81.1% |
| 1969 | 38.2% | 80.7% |
| 1968 | 37.6% | 80.3% |
| 1967 | 37% | 79.9% |
| 1966 | 36.4% | 79.4% |
| 1965 | 35.8% | 78.9% |
| 1964 | 35.2% | 78.3% |
| 1963 | 34.6% | 77.7% |
| 1962 | 34.4% | 77.1% |
| 1961 | 34.3% | 76.5% |
| 1960 | 34.3% | 76% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 64.4% to 83.2% in Costa Rica and from 86.3% to 87.1% in New Zealand.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 342K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
|
New Zealand
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Auckland | 1.47M |
| Christchurch | 383K |
| Wellington | 216K |
| Hamilton | 176K |
| Tauranga | 151K |
| Dunedin | 106K |
| Lower Hutt | 103K |
| Palmerston North | 81.5K |
| Napier | 66.3K |
| Porirua | 59.6K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
