Costa Rica has a population density of 262.5 people per square mile compared to 430 people in the United Arab Emirates. Costa Rica has 106,909 sq ft of land per person vs 78,160 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. Costa Rica and the United Arab Emirates rank 93rd and 61st 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 0.14% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, making the population density in Costa Rica 38.9% lower than in the United Arab Emirates.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Costa Rica
|
UAE
|
|
| 2026 | 262.5 | 430 |
| 2025 | 261.4 | 420 |
| 2024 | 260.2 | 401 |
| 2023 | 259 | 382 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 367 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 349 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 343 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 344 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 341 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 336 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 326 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 310 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 293.9 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 280.6 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 269.6 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 259.1 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 250.5 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 244.6 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 229.8 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 205.1 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 182.7 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 170.1 |
| 2004 | 213 | 161.5 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 152.9 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 144.3 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 135.8 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 127.4 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 119.1 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 110.9 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 102.7 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 94.7 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 88.8 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 84.9 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 81 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 77.1 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 73.2 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 69.2 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 65.3 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 61.3 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 57.4 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 53.5 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 50.3 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 47.6 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 45 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 42.5 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 40.1 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 37 |
| 1979 | 118 | 33.3 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 29.5 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 25.9 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 22.5 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 19.8 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 17.8 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 15.9 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 14 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 12.2 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 10.4 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 8.74 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 7.27 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 6.55 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 6.34 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 6.09 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 5.82 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 5.55 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 5.29 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 5.03 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/united-arab-emirates | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Costa Rica increased by 19.8%, compared to a 135.2% growth in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2006, Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density and is 93rd now. The United Arab Emirates was 102nd in 2006 and ranks 61st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Costa Rica
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 262.5 ppl/mi² | 430 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 93/197 | 61/197 |
| Population |
5186356
|
11885001
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 27,421 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 106,658 sq ft | 66,398 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.3% | 14% |
| Urban population | 79.7% | 86% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 56.9% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
UAE
|
|
| 2025 | 79.7% | 86% |
| 2024 | 79.3% | 85.8% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | 85.7% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | 85.5% |
| 2021 | 78% | 85.4% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | 85.2% |
| 2019 | 77% | 85% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | 84.9% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | 84.7% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 84.5% |
| 2015 | 75% | 84.3% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | 84.1% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | 84% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 83.8% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | 83.6% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | 83.4% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 83.2% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | 83% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | 82.8% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | 82.6% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | 82.2% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | 81.5% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | 80.8% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | 79.7% |
| 2000 | 59% | 79.3% |
| 1999 | 58% | 78.9% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | 78.6% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | 78.4% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | 78.3% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | 78.3% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | 78.4% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | 78.4% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | 78.6% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | 78.7% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | 78.8% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 79% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | 79.2% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | 79.3% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | 79.5% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | 79.7% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | 80% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | 80.3% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 80.7% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | 81.1% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | 81.8% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | 82.6% |
| 1977 | 42% | 83.4% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 83.9% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | 83.9% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | 83.7% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 83.2% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | 82.6% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 82% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 81.2% |
| 1969 | 38% | 80.5% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | 79.8% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | 79.2% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | 78.5% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | 77.1% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | 76.3% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | 75.5% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | 74.5% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | 73.5% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/united-arab-emirates | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 64.9% to 79.7% in Costa Rica and from 82.2% to 86% in the United Arab Emirates.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 335K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Dubai | 3.94M |
| Abu Dhabi | 1.57M |
| Sharjah | 1.25M |
| Al Ain | 767K |
| Ajman | 490K |
| Fujairah | 119K |
| Ras al-Khaimah | 116K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica/united-arab-emirates | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Wikidata (2015–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
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