Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Costa Rica and Switzerland rank 93rd and 51st 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 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in Costa Rica 56% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Costa Rica
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 262.6 | 596 |
| 2025 | 261.4 | 594 |
| 2024 | 260.2 | 590 |
| 2023 | 259 | 583 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 575 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 571 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 566 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 562 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 558 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 554 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 549 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 543 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 537 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 530 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 524 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 519 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 513 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 508 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 501 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 495 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 491 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 487 |
| 2004 | 213 | 484 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 481 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 477 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 474 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 471 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 468 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 466 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 464 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 463 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 461 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 458 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 455 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 450 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 446 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 440 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 436 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 432 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 429 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 426 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 424 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 422 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 421 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 419 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 416 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 414 |
| 1979 | 118 | 412 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 412 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 412 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 413 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 415 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 416 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 413 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 410 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 407 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 405 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 402 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 398 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 393 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 388 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 384 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 379 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 373 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 365 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 356 |
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/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Costa Rica
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 262.6 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 93/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
5181862
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.7% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 79.3% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 79.3% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 78% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 77% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 75% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 59% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 58% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | 72% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | 71% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | 68% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | 64% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 42% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 38% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | 53% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 63.7% to 79.3% in Costa Rica and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 335K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 209K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 145K |
| Winterthur | 110K |
| Lucerne | 86.2K |
| St. Gallen | 78.9K |
| Lugano | 63.5K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
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/switzerland | 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 (2016–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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