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Population density: Costa Rica vs Singapore compared

Updated on by Georank team

Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 22,064 people in Singapore. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 1,282 sq ft in Singapore. Costa Rica and Singapore rank 93rd and 2nd 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 0.0005% of the land area for Singapore, making the population density in Costa Rica 98.8% lower than in Singapore.

Population density by year

Costa Rica
Singapore

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Costa Rica Singapore
2026 262.6 22,064
2025 261.4 21,926
2024 260.2 21,776
2023 259 21,346
2022 257.8 20,334
2021 256.7 19,672
2020 255.4 20,510
2019 253.6 20,632
2018 251.5 20,454
2017 249.2 20,415
2016 246.9 20,483
2015 244.4 20,219
2014 241.8 19,981
2013 239.2 19,779
2012 236.6 19,489
2011 233.8 19,071
2010 231.1 18,730
2009 228.2 18,454
2008 225.2 17,906
2007 222.2 17,100
2006 219.2 16,426
2005 216.1 16,035
2004 213 15,663
2003 209.9 15,513
2002 206.7 16,023
2001 203.4 15,996
2000 199.7 15,570
1999 195.9 15,303
1998 191.9 15,181
1997 187.8 14,674
1996 183.6 14,190
1995 179.3 13,625
1994 175.1 13,217
1993 170.8 12,809
1992 166.6 12,489
1991 162.4 12,119
1990 158.3 11,779
1989 154.4 11,330
1988 150.6 11,002
1987 146.7 10,726
1986 142.9 10,566
1985 139.1 10,576
1984 135.3 10,562
1983 131.6 10,364
1982 128.1 10,230
1981 124.6 9,791
1980 121.3 9,331
1979 118 9,214
1978 114.9 9,098
1977 111.8 8,989
1976 108.9 8,865
1975 106.2 8,746
1974 103.5 8,620
1973 100.9 8,477
1972 98.3 8,320
1971 95.8 8,168
1970 93.3 8,019
1969 90.8 7,896
1968 88.2 7,778
1967 85.7 7,645
1966 83.1 7,478
1965 80.5 7,294
1964 77.8 7,119
1963 75.2 6,939
1962 72.5 6,766
1961 69.9 6,581

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/singapore | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 34.3% growth in Singapore.

In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. Singapore was 2nd in 2006 and still ranks 2nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Costa Rica
Singapore
1x
Year Urban population
Costa Rica Singapore
2024 79.3% 100%
2023 78.9% 100%
2022 78.4% 100%
2021 78% 100%
2020 77.5% 100%
2019 77% 100%
2018 76.6% 100%
2017 76.1% 100%
2016 75.5% 100%
2015 75% 100%
2014 74.5% 100%
2013 73.9% 100%
2012 73.4% 100%
2011 72.8% 100%
2010 71.5% 100%
2009 70.1% 100%
2008 68.8% 100%
2007 67.5% 100%
2006 66.2% 100%
2005 64.9% 100%
2004 63.7% 100%
2003 62.5% 100%
2002 61.3% 100%
2001 60.1% 100%
2000 59% 100%
1999 58% 100%
1998 56.9% 100%
1997 55.8% 100%
1996 54.7% 100%
1995 53.6% 100%
1994 52.5% 100%
1993 51.5% 100%
1992 50.5% 100%
1991 49.5% 100%
1990 48.6% 100%
1989 47.7% 100%
1988 46.9% 100%
1987 46.1% 100%
1986 45.5% 100%
1985 44.9% 100%
1984 44.4% 100%
1983 43.9% 100%
1982 43.5% 100%
1981 43.2% 100%
1980 42.9% 100%
1979 42.6% 100%
1978 42.3% 100%
1977 42% 100%
1976 41.7% 100%
1975 41.4% 100%
1974 41.1% 100%
1973 40.7% 100%
1972 40.2% 100%
1971 39.5% 100%
1970 38.8% 100%
1969 38% 100%
1968 37.3% 100%
1967 36.5% 100%
1966 35.8% 100%
1965 35.2% 100%
1964 34.8% 100%
1963 34.5% 100%
1962 34.3% 100%
1961 34.2% 100%
1960 34.1% 100%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 100% to 100% in Singapore.

Densely populated cities

Costa Rica
City Population
San Jose 335K
Limon 71.5K
Liberia 65.9K
Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K

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/singapore | 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 (2018–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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