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Population density: Costa Rica vs Poland compared

Updated on by Georank team

Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 303 people in Poland. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 92,061 sq ft in Poland. Costa Rica and Poland rank 93rd and 80th 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 0.45% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Poland, making the population density in Costa Rica 13.3% lower than in Poland.

Population density by year

Costa Rica
Poland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Costa Rica Poland
2026 262.6 303
2025 261.4 306
2024 260.2 309
2023 259 310
2022 257.8 312
2021 256.7 313
2020 255.4 317
2019 253.6 321
2018 251.5 321
2017 249.2 321
2016 246.9 321
2015 244.4 321
2014 241.8 322
2013 239.2 322
2012 236.6 322
2011 233.8 322
2010 231.1 322
2009 228.2 323
2008 225.2 322
2007 222.2 322
2006 219.2 322
2005 216.1 323
2004 213 323
2003 209.9 323
2002 206.7 323
2001 203.4 323
2000 199.7 324
1999 195.9 327
1998 191.9 327
1997 187.8 327
1996 183.6 327
1995 179.3 326
1994 175.1 326
1993 170.8 325
1992 166.6 324
1991 162.4 323
1990 158.3 322
1989 154.4 321
1988 150.6 320
1987 146.7 319
1986 142.9 317
1985 139.1 315
1984 135.3 312
1983 131.6 309
1982 128.1 306
1981 124.6 304
1980 121.3 301
1979 118 298.1
1978 114.9 295.7
1977 111.8 293.3
1976 108.9 290.5
1975 106.2 287.6
1974 103.5 284.8
1973 100.9 282.1
1972 98.3 279.5
1971 95.8 277.2
1970 93.3 276.2
1969 90.8 275.2
1968 88.2 273.1
1967 85.7 270.5
1966 83.1 267.9
1965 80.5 265.9
1964 77.8 263.3
1963 75.2 259.7
1962 72.5 256.3
1961 69.9 253.4

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/poland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 6.1% decline in Poland.

In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. Poland was 64th in 2006 and ranks 80th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Costa Rica
Poland
1x
Year Urban population
Costa Rica Poland
2024 79.3% 60%
2023 78.9% 59.9%
2022 78.4% 59.8%
2021 78% 59.8%
2020 77.5% 59.9%
2019 77% 60%
2018 76.6% 60.1%
2017 76.1% 60.1%
2016 75.5% 60.2%
2015 75% 60.3%
2014 74.5% 60.4%
2013 73.9% 60.5%
2012 73.4% 60.6%
2011 72.8% 60.7%
2010 71.5% 60.8%
2009 70.1% 61%
2008 68.8% 61.1%
2007 67.5% 61.3%
2006 66.2% 61.4%
2005 64.9% 61.5%
2004 63.7% 61.7%
2003 62.5% 61.7%
2002 61.3% 61.8%
2001 60.1% 61.8%
2000 59% 61.7%
1999 58% 61.7%
1998 56.9% 61.7%
1997 55.8% 61.7%
1996 54.7% 61.6%
1995 53.6% 61.6%
1994 52.5% 61.5%
1993 51.5% 61.5%
1992 50.5% 61.4%
1991 49.5% 61.4%
1990 48.6% 61.3%
1989 47.7% 61.2%
1988 46.9% 61.1%
1987 46.1% 61%
1986 45.5% 60.7%
1985 44.9% 60.4%
1984 44.4% 60.1%
1983 43.9% 59.6%
1982 43.5% 59.2%
1981 43.2% 58.7%
1980 42.9% 58.2%
1979 42.6% 57.7%
1978 42.3% 57.2%
1977 42% 56.7%
1976 41.7% 56%
1975 41.4% 55.3%
1974 41.1% 54.6%
1973 40.7% 53.9%
1972 40.2% 53.2%
1971 39.5% 52.6%
1970 38.8% 52.1%
1969 38% 51.6%
1968 37.3% 51.2%
1967 36.5% 50.9%
1966 35.8% 50.6%
1965 35.2% 50.2%
1964 34.8% 49.9%
1963 34.5% 49.5%
1962 34.3% 49.1%
1961 34.2% 48.6%
1960 34.1% 48.1%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 61.7% to 60% in Poland.

Densely populated cities

Costa Rica
City Population
San Jose 335K
Limon 71.5K
Liberia 65.9K
Poland
City Population
Warsaw 1.86M
Krakow 804K
Wroclaw 674K
Lodz 649K
Poznan 547K
Gdansk 488K
Szczecin 388K
Lublin 335K
Bydgoszcz 325K
Bialystok 290K

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/poland | 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 (2021–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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