Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 51 people in South Sudan. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 580,697 sq ft in South Sudan. Costa Rica and South Sudan rank 93rd and 171st 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 0.15% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for South Sudan, making the population density in Costa Rica 415% higher than in South Sudan.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Costa Rica
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2026 | 262.6 | 51 |
| 2025 | 261.4 | 50 |
| 2024 | 260.2 | 49 |
| 2023 | 259 | 47.1 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 45.2 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 44.5 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 43.8 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 42.7 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 41.5 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 42 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 44.4 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 45.5 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 46 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 45.8 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 44.1 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | - |
| 2010 | 231.1 | - |
| 2009 | 228.2 | - |
| 2008 | 225.2 | - |
| 2007 | 222.2 | - |
| 2006 | 219.2 | - |
| 2005 | 216.1 | - |
| 2004 | 213 | - |
| 2003 | 209.9 | - |
| 2002 | 206.7 | - |
| 2001 | 203.4 | - |
| 2000 | 199.7 | - |
| 1999 | 195.9 | - |
| 1998 | 191.9 | - |
| 1997 | 187.8 | - |
| 1996 | 183.6 | - |
| 1995 | 179.3 | - |
| 1994 | 175.1 | - |
| 1993 | 170.8 | - |
| 1992 | 166.6 | - |
| 1991 | 162.4 | - |
| 1990 | 158.3 | - |
| 1989 | 154.4 | - |
| 1988 | 150.6 | - |
| 1987 | 146.7 | - |
| 1986 | 142.9 | - |
| 1985 | 139.1 | - |
| 1984 | 135.3 | - |
| 1983 | 131.6 | - |
| 1982 | 128.1 | - |
| 1981 | 124.6 | - |
| 1980 | 121.3 | - |
| 1979 | 118 | - |
| 1978 | 114.9 | - |
| 1977 | 111.8 | - |
| 1976 | 108.9 | - |
| 1975 | 106.2 | - |
| 1974 | 103.5 | - |
| 1973 | 100.9 | - |
| 1972 | 98.3 | - |
| 1971 | 95.8 | - |
| 1970 | 93.3 | - |
| 1969 | 90.8 | - |
| 1968 | 88.2 | - |
| 1967 | 85.7 | - |
| 1966 | 83.1 | - |
| 1965 | 80.5 | - |
| 1964 | 77.8 | - |
| 1963 | 75.2 | - |
| 1962 | 72.5 | - |
| 1961 | 69.9 | - |
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/south-sudan | CC BY 
From 2012 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 11%, compared to a 15.6% growth in South Sudan.
In 2012, Costa Rica ranked 89th by population density and is 93rd now. South Sudan was 169th in 2012 and ranks 171st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Costa Rica
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 262.6 ppl/mi² | 51 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 93/197 | 171/197 |
| Population |
5181862
|
12507858
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 243,990 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 569,522 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.7% | 78.6% |
| Urban population | 79.3% | 21.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 79.3% | 21.4% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | 21.1% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | 20.8% |
| 2021 | 78% | 20.5% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | 20.2% |
| 2019 | 77% | 19.9% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | 19.6% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | 19.3% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 19.1% |
| 2015 | 75% | 18.8% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | 18.5% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | 18.3% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 18% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | 17.8% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | 17.5% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 17.3% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | 17% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | 17% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | 17% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | 16.9% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | 16.8% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | 16.6% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | 16.4% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | 16.3% |
| 2000 | 59% | 16% |
| 1999 | 58% | 15.8% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | 15.6% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | 15.3% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | 15% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | 14.7% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | 14.5% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | 14.2% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | 13.8% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | 13.3% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | 12.6% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | 11.9% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 11.2% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | 10.4% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | 9.73% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | 9.15% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | 8.73% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | 8.52% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | 8.49% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 8.49% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | 8.49% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | 8.49% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | 8.49% |
| 1977 | 42% | 8.49% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 8.49% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | 8.5% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | 8.5% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 8.5% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | 8.51% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 8.51% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 8.52% |
| 1969 | 38% | 8.53% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | 8.54% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | 8.55% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | 8.56% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | 8.57% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | 8.58% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | 8.6% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | 8.62% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | 8.64% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | 8.66% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/south-sudan | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 16.8% to 21.4% in South Sudan.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 335K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Juba | 500K |
| Wau | 321K |
| Bor | 315K |
| Malakal | 147K |
| Yambio | 130K |
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/south-sudan | 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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