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Population density: Costa Rica vs Palestine compared

Updated on by Georank team

Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 2,352 people in Palestine. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 12,251 sq ft in Palestine. Costa Rica and Palestine rank 93rd and 8th 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 0.07% of the population and 0.004% of the land area for Palestine, making the population density in Costa Rica 88.8% lower than in Palestine.

Population density by year

Costa Rica
Palestine

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Costa Rica Palestine
2026 262.6 2,352
2025 261.4 2,311
2024 260.2 2,274
2023 259 2,221
2022 257.8 2,168
2021 256.7 2,116
2020 255.4 2,067
2019 253.6 2,016
2018 251.5 1,966
2017 249.2 1,917
2016 246.9 1,879
2015 244.4 1,837
2014 241.8 1,796
2013 239.2 1,754
2012 236.6 1,712
2011 233.8 1,671
2010 231.1 1,629
2009 228.2 1,587
2008 225.2 1,545
2007 222.2 1,503
2006 219.2 1,466
2005 216.1 1,429
2004 213 1,392
2003 209.9 1,357
2002 206.7 1,323
2001 203.4 1,290
2000 199.7 1,257
1999 195.9 1,225
1998 191.9 1,195
1997 187.8 1,164
1996 183.6 1,113
1995 179.3 1,065
1994 175.1 1,018
1993 170.8 973
1992 166.6 931
1991 162.4 890
1990 158.3 851
1989 154.4 819
1988 150.6 766
1987 146.7 745
1986 142.9 729
1985 139.1 697
1984 135.3 670
1983 131.6 648
1982 128.1 629
1981 124.6 611
1980 121.3 595
1979 118 579
1978 114.9 564
1977 111.8 548
1976 108.9 532
1975 106.2 516
1974 103.5 499
1973 100.9 484
1972 98.3 474
1971 95.8 469
1970 93.3 471
1969 90.8 476
1968 88.2 483
1967 85.7 485
1966 83.1 484
1965 80.5 480
1964 77.8 472
1963 75.2 464
1962 72.5 457
1961 69.9 449

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/palestine | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 60.5% growth in Palestine.

In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. Palestine was 11th in 2006 and ranks 8th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Costa Rica
Palestine
1x
Year Urban population
Costa Rica Palestine
2024 79.3% 87.1%
2023 78.9% 86.9%
2022 78.4% 86.6%
2021 78% 86.3%
2020 77.5% 86.1%
2019 77% 85.8%
2018 76.6% 85.5%
2017 76.1% 85.4%
2016 75.5% 85.3%
2015 75% 85.2%
2014 74.5% 85%
2013 73.9% 84.8%
2012 73.4% 84.5%
2011 72.8% 84.2%
2010 71.5% 83.9%
2009 70.1% 83.5%
2008 68.8% 83.1%
2007 67.5% 82.6%
2006 66.2% 81.8%
2005 64.9% 80.5%
2004 63.7% 79%
2003 62.5% 77.3%
2002 61.3% 75.5%
2001 60.1% 73.7%
2000 59% 72.1%
1999 58% 70.6%
1998 56.9% 69.5%
1997 55.8% 68.7%
1996 54.7% 68.1%
1995 53.6% 67.5%
1994 52.5% 67%
1993 51.5% 66.5%
1992 50.5% 66.1%
1991 49.5% 65.7%
1990 48.6% 65.3%
1989 47.7% -
1988 46.9% -
1987 46.1% -
1986 45.5% -
1985 44.9% -
1984 44.4% -
1983 43.9% -
1982 43.5% -
1981 43.2% -
1980 42.9% -
1979 42.6% -
1978 42.3% -
1977 42% -
1976 41.7% -
1975 41.4% -
1974 41.1% -
1973 40.7% -
1972 40.2% -
1971 39.5% -
1970 38.8% -
1969 38% -
1968 37.3% -
1967 36.5% -
1966 35.8% -
1965 35.2% -
1964 34.8% -
1963 34.5% -
1962 34.3% -
1961 34.2% -
1960 34.1% -

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/palestine | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 79% to 87.1% in Palestine.

Densely populated cities

Costa Rica
City Population
San Jose 335K
Limon 71.5K
Liberia 65.9K
Palestine
City Population
Gaza 590K
Ashdod 220K
Hebron 215K
Nablus 178K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/palestine | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2015–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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