Costa Rica has a population density of 260.2 people per square mile compared to 148.9 people in Nicaragua. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 187,291 sq ft in Nicaragua. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Costa Rica and Nicaragua are ranked 91st and 132nd, 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 0.08% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for Nicaragua, hence the population density in Costa Rica is 74.8% higher than in Nicaragua.
Population density comparison
Costa Rica
|
Nicaragua
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 260.2 ppl/mi² | 148.9 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 91/197 | 132/197 |
| Population |
5170484
|
7079664
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 46,464 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 187,291 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.8% | 39.8% |
| Urban population | 83.2% | 60.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Costa Rica vs Nicaragua:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Costa Rica increased by 22.1%, compared to a 31.2% growth in Nicaragua.
In 2004, Costa Rica ranked 88th for population density and is in 91st place now. Nicaragua was 126th in 2004 and ranks 132nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Nicaragua
|
|
| 2024 | 260.2 | 148.9 |
| 2023 | 259 | 146.9 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 144.9 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 143 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 141.3 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 139.5 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 137.7 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 135.9 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 134.1 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 132.3 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 130.6 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 128.8 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 127 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 125.2 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 123.5 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 121.7 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 120 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 118.3 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 116.6 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 115 |
| 2004 | 213 | 113.5 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 112.2 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 110.8 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 109.5 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 108.1 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 106.6 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 105.1 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 103.5 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 101.8 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 99.9 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 97.9 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 95.9 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 93.8 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 91.7 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 89.6 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 87.5 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 85.5 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 83.6 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 81.7 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 79.8 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 77.9 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 76 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 74 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 72 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 70 |
| 1979 | 118 | 68.1 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 66.3 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 64.4 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 62.5 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 60.6 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 58.8 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 57 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 55.4 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 53.8 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 52.1 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 50.5 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 49 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 47.5 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 46 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 44.6 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 43.3 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 42 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 40.7 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 39.5 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Nicaragua
|
|
| 2024 | 83.2% | 60.2% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | 59.8% |
| 2022 | 82% | 59.6% |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 59.3% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 59% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | 58.8% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 58.5% |
| 2017 | 78.6% | 58.3% |
| 2016 | 77.7% | 58.1% |
| 2015 | 76.9% | 57.9% |
| 2014 | 75.9% | 57.7% |
| 2013 | 75% | 57.5% |
| 2012 | 73.9% | 57.3% |
| 2011 | 72.9% | 57.1% |
| 2010 | 71.7% | 56.9% |
| 2009 | 70.6% | 56.7% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | 56.5% |
| 2007 | 68.2% | 56.3% |
| 2006 | 66.9% | 56.1% |
| 2005 | 65.7% | 55.9% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | 55.8% |
| 2003 | 63.1% | 55.6% |
| 2002 | 61.8% | 55.5% |
| 2001 | 60.4% | 55.3% |
| 2000 | 59.1% | 55.2% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | 55% |
| 1998 | 57.3% | 54.9% |
| 1997 | 56.4% | 54.7% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | 54.6% |
| 1995 | 54.6% | 54.4% |
| 1994 | 53.7% | 54.2% |
| 1993 | 52.7% | 53.9% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 53.6% |
| 1991 | 50.9% | 53.4% |
| 1990 | 50% | 53.1% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | 52.8% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 52.5% |
| 1987 | 47.3% | 52.2% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 52% |
| 1985 | 45.4% | 51.7% |
| 1984 | 44.5% | 51.4% |
| 1983 | 44.2% | 51.1% |
| 1982 | 43.8% | 50.8% |
| 1981 | 43.5% | 50.6% |
| 1980 | 43.1% | 50.3% |
| 1979 | 42.7% | 50% |
| 1978 | 42.4% | 49.7% |
| 1977 | 42% | 49.5% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 49.2% |
| 1975 | 41.3% | 48.9% |
| 1974 | 41% | 48.6% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 48.3% |
| 1972 | 40.1% | 48.1% |
| 1971 | 39.4% | 47.8% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 47% |
| 1969 | 38.2% | 46.2% |
| 1968 | 37.6% | 45.3% |
| 1967 | 37% | 44.4% |
| 1966 | 36.4% | 43.6% |
| 1965 | 35.8% | 42.7% |
| 1964 | 35.2% | 41.9% |
| 1963 | 34.6% | 41% |
| 1962 | 34.4% | 40.5% |
| 1961 | 34.3% | 40% |
| 1960 | 34.3% | 39.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 64.4% to 83.2% in Costa Rica and from 55.8% to 60.2% in Nicaragua.
Densely populated cities
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people per square mile
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