Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 573 people in North Korea. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. Costa Rica and North Korea rank 93rd and 52nd 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 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, making the population density in Costa Rica 54.2% lower than in North Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Costa Rica
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 262.6 | 573 |
| 2025 | 261.4 | 572 |
| 2024 | 260.2 | 570 |
| 2023 | 259 | 568 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 566 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 564 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 562 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 560 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 558 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 555 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 553 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 550 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 547 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 545 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 542 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 540 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 537 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 535 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 533 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 530 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 528 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 525 |
| 2004 | 213 | 522 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 518 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 515 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 512 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 509 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 505 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 501 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 497 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 492 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 488 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 482 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 475 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 468 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 461 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 454 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 447 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 441 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 435 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 428 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 422 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 416 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 410 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 404 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 398 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 392 |
| 1979 | 118 | 387 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 381 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 376 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 371 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 365 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 359 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 352 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 344 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 335 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 326 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 318 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 309 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 300 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 291.9 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 284.3 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 277.3 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 270.3 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 263.8 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 257.9 |
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/north-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 8.64% growth in North Korea.
In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. North Korea was 40th in 2006 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Costa Rica
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 262.6 ppl/mi² | 573 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 93/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
5181862
|
26659144
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 46,491 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 48,911 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.7% | 36.1% |
| Urban population | 79.3% | 63.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 10.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 79.3% | 63.9% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | 63.5% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | 63.2% |
| 2021 | 78% | 62.9% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | 62.6% |
| 2019 | 77% | 62.4% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | 62.1% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | 61.8% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 61.6% |
| 2015 | 75% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | 60.5% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | 60.3% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | 60% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | 59.9% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | 59.8% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | 59.5% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 59% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 58% | 59.4% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | 59.2% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | 59.1% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | 59% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | 58.9% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | 58.6% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | 58.3% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | 57.7% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | 57.5% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | 57.4% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | 57.2% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | 57.1% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 57% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 42% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 56.8% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | 56.5% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 56.1% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | 55.6% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 54.9% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 38% | 53.3% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | 52% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | 50.5% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | 49% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | 47.5% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | 46.2% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | 45% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | 43.7% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | 42.3% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | 40.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/north-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 335K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Pyongyang | 2.86M |
| Hamhung | 769K |
| Chongjin | 668K |
| Sunchon | 437K |
| Nampo | 367K |
| Wonsan | 363K |
| Sinuiju | 359K |
| Tanchon | 346K |
| Kaechon | 320K |
| Kaesong | 308K |
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/north-korea | CC BY
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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 (2008–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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