Skip to content

Population in Costa Rica compared to Uganda: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Costa Rica was 5,152,950 in 2025 vs 51,384,894 people in Uganda in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Costa Rica's population is 5,186,356 people compared to 53,495,325 in Uganda.

Population statistics:

  • Uganda's population is 10.3 times bigger than Costa Rica's.
  • Costa Rica is ranked the 126th most populous country in the world, while Uganda is the 30th.
  • The countries together account for 0.71% of the world: 0.06% for Costa Rica vs 0.64% for Uganda.
  • For the last 10 years, Costa Rica has had an average growth rate of +0.71% per year vs +3.19% in Uganda.
  • Since 2006, the population of Costa Rica has increased from 4.32M people to 5.19M (20% growth), while Uganda has grown from 28.8M to 53.5M (85.8% growth).

Costa Rica vs Uganda: population by year and forecast

Costa Rica
Factual

Projection
Uganda
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Costa Rica Uganda
2100 3,803,678 122,461,518
2099 3,841,913 122,400,118
2098 3,880,484 122,328,333
2097 3,919,475 122,230,315
2096 3,958,826 122,110,905
2095 3,998,552 121,940,556
2094 4,038,516 121,763,948
2093 4,078,807 121,549,120
2092 4,119,351 121,301,128
2091 4,160,111 121,034,858
2090 4,200,989 120,731,912
2089 4,241,888 120,392,371
2088 4,282,758 120,029,300
2087 4,323,650 119,633,372
2086 4,364,399 119,221,630
2085 4,404,935 118,780,837
2084 4,445,179 118,304,392
2083 4,485,048 117,787,304
2082 4,524,570 117,240,484
2081 4,563,658 116,673,088
2080 4,602,126 116,061,969
2079 4,640,060 115,440,209
2078 4,677,313 114,771,629
2077 4,713,901 114,085,142
2076 4,749,678 113,356,858
2075 4,784,723 112,604,741
2074 4,819,050 111,830,528
2073 4,852,492 111,038,122
2072 4,885,078 110,208,535
2071 4,916,792 109,360,734
2070 4,947,655 108,473,738
2069 4,977,764 107,576,028
2068 5,006,939 106,646,220
2067 5,035,207 105,691,752
2066 5,062,849 104,708,323
2065 5,089,797 103,707,399
2064 5,115,866 102,671,371
2063 5,141,239 101,616,654
2062 5,165,574 100,532,299
2061 5,189,146 99,421,530
2060 5,211,857 98,305,883
2059 5,233,370 97,158,930
2058 5,253,830 95,986,215
2057 5,273,143 94,793,892
2056 5,291,310 93,585,691
2055 5,308,124 92,357,892
2054 5,323,598 91,106,039
2053 5,337,707 89,831,291
2052 5,350,263 88,542,276
2051 5,361,152 87,244,950
2050 5,370,484 85,932,109
2049 5,378,189 84,607,399
2048 5,384,366 83,260,483
2047 5,388,962 81,904,082
2046 5,391,996 80,545,542
2045 5,393,493 79,185,378
2044 5,393,407 77,812,065
2043 5,391,873 76,431,508
2042 5,388,912 75,053,218
2041 5,384,386 73,680,031
2040 5,378,629 72,312,112
2039 5,371,473 70,942,351
2038 5,362,904 69,559,994
2037 5,353,217 68,166,092
2036 5,342,317 66,785,108
2035 5,330,286 65,392,706
2034 5,317,189 64,004,533
2033 5,302,930 62,616,072
2032 5,287,714 61,217,174
2031 5,271,514 59,807,490
2030 5,254,366 58,398,308
2029 5,236,206 56,989,526
2028 5,217,031 55,580,177
2027 5,196,723 54,175,341
2026 5,175,408 52,777,106
2025 5,152,950 51,384,894
2024 5,129,910 50,015,092
2023 5,105,525 48,656,601
2022 5,081,765 47,312,719
2021 5,059,988 45,910,930
2020 5,034,320 44,457,152
2019 4,999,553 42,999,637
2018 4,957,818 41,565,831
2017 4,913,177 40,177,388
2016 4,866,998 38,799,152
2015 4,818,038 37,531,446
2014 4,767,119 36,395,539
2013 4,716,147 35,337,042
2012 4,663,934 34,337,438
2011 4,609,833 33,354,543
2010 4,555,962 32,390,802
2009 4,499,791 31,451,151
2008 4,440,056 30,539,553
2007 4,380,248 29,653,430
2006 4,321,340 28,794,003
2005 4,261,240 27,963,289
2004 4,200,078 27,154,515
2003 4,138,784 26,352,124
2002 4,075,705 25,532,870
2001 4,008,947 24,745,676
2000 3,937,739 24,000,150
1999 3,862,101 23,257,281
1998 3,782,838 22,515,806
1997 3,701,711 21,856,046
1996 3,619,013 21,231,550
1995 3,535,176 20,665,667
1994 3,451,122 20,108,801
1993 3,367,434 19,445,161
1992 3,284,258 18,785,032
1991 3,202,176 18,155,901
1990 3,121,706 17,569,897
1989 3,043,827 17,010,698
1988 2,968,103 16,470,483
1987 2,892,699 15,954,170
1986 2,817,216 15,467,579
1985 2,741,894 15,023,681
1984 2,667,595 14,607,677
1983 2,595,153 14,221,881
1982 2,524,806 13,873,631
1981 2,456,637 13,556,452
1980 2,390,633 13,275,741
1979 2,326,490 13,002,163
1978 2,264,510 12,692,113
1977 2,205,025 12,359,669
1976 2,147,774 12,037,294
1975 2,092,719 11,725,240
1974 2,039,643 11,424,846
1973 1,988,343 11,144,236
1972 1,938,248 10,885,796
1971 1,888,539 10,618,206
1970 1,838,949 10,321,603
1969 1,789,276 10,014,858
1968 1,739,731 9,708,632
1967 1,689,523 9,408,924
1966 1,638,116 9,122,864
1965 1,586,208 8,849,203
1964 1,533,960 8,586,363
1963 1,481,604 8,333,663
1962 1,429,445 8,092,231
1961 1,377,920 7,862,217
1960 1,327,496 7,640,973

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/costa-rica/uganda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Costa Rica increased by 545,658 people (a 12.6% growth), while Uganda gained 10,005,149 people (a 34.7% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Costa Rica gained 319,358 people (a 6.56% growth), while Uganda's population increased by 14,696,173 people (a 37.9% growth).

Costa Rica was ranked 119th most populous country in 2006 and is 126th in 2026. Uganda was ranked 38th in 2006 and ranked 30th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Costa Rica's population will grow by 3.55% to 5,370,484 people with a rank change from 126th to 127th. The population of Uganda will increase by 60.6% to 85,932,109 people and rank change from 30th to 20th.

Costa Rica is projected to reach its peak in 2045 at 5.39M people compared to the peak of 122M people in 2100 for Uganda.

Population growth rate by year

Costa Rica
Factual

Projection
Uganda
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Costa Rica Uganda
2100 -1% 0.05%
2099 -0.99% 0.06%
2098 -0.99% 0.08%
2097 -0.99% 0.1%
2096 -0.99% 0.14%
2095 -0.99% 0.15%
2094 -0.99% 0.18%
2093 -0.98% 0.2%
2092 -0.98% 0.22%
2091 -0.97% 0.25%
2090 -0.96% 0.28%
2089 -0.95% 0.3%
2088 -0.95% 0.33%
2087 -0.93% 0.35%
2086 -0.92% 0.37%
2085 -0.91% 0.4%
2084 -0.89% 0.44%
2083 -0.87% 0.47%
2082 -0.86% 0.49%
2081 -0.84% 0.53%
2080 -0.82% 0.54%
2079 -0.8% 0.58%
2078 -0.78% 0.6%
2077 -0.75% 0.64%
2076 -0.73% 0.67%
2075 -0.71% 0.69%
2074 -0.69% 0.71%
2073 -0.67% 0.75%
2072 -0.65% 0.78%
2071 -0.62% 0.82%
2070 -0.6% 0.83%
2069 -0.58% 0.87%
2068 -0.56% 0.9%
2067 -0.55% 0.94%
2066 -0.53% 0.97%
2065 -0.51% 1.01%
2064 -0.49% 1.04%
2063 -0.47% 1.08%
2062 -0.45% 1.12%
2061 -0.44% 1.13%
2060 -0.41% 1.18%
2059 -0.39% 1.22%
2058 -0.37% 1.26%
2057 -0.34% 1.29%
2056 -0.32% 1.33%
2055 -0.29% 1.37%
2054 -0.26% 1.42%
2053 -0.23% 1.46%
2052 -0.2% 1.49%
2051 -0.17% 1.53%
2050 -0.14% 1.57%
2049 -0.11% 1.62%
2048 -0.09% 1.66%
2047 -0.06% 1.69%
2046 -0.03% 1.72%
2045 0.002% 1.76%
2044 0.03% 1.81%
2043 0.05% 1.84%
2042 0.08% 1.86%
2041 0.11% 1.89%
2040 0.13% 1.93%
2039 0.16% 1.99%
2038 0.18% 2.04%
2037 0.2% 2.07%
2036 0.23% 2.13%
2035 0.25% 2.17%
2034 0.27% 2.22%
2033 0.29% 2.29%
2032 0.31% 2.36%
2031 0.33% 2.41%
2030 0.35% 2.47%
2029 0.37% 2.54%
2028 0.39% 2.59%
2027 0.41% 2.65%
2026 0.44% 2.71%
2025 0.45% 2.74%
2024 0.48% 2.79%
2023 0.47% 2.84%
2022 0.43% 3.05%
2021 0.51% 3.27%
2020 0.7% 3.39%
2019 0.84% 3.45%
2018 0.91% 3.46%
2017 0.95% 3.55%
2016 1.02% 3.38%
2015 1.07% 3.12%
2014 1.08% 3%
2013 1.12% 2.91%
2012 1.17% 2.95%
2011 1.18% 2.98%
2010 1.25% 2.99%
2009 1.35% 2.98%
2008 1.37% 2.99%
2007 1.36% 2.98%
2006 1.41% 2.97%
2005 1.46% 2.98%
2004 1.48% 3.04%
2003 1.55% 3.21%
2002 1.67% 3.18%
2001 1.81% 3.11%
2000 1.96% 3.19%
1999 2.1% 3.29%
1998 2.19% 3.02%
1997 2.29% 2.94%
1996 2.37% 2.74%
1995 2.44% 2.77%
1994 2.49% 3.41%
1993 2.53% 3.51%
1992 2.56% 3.47%
1991 2.58% 3.34%
1990 2.56% 3.29%
1989 2.55% 3.28%
1988 2.61% 3.24%
1987 2.68% 3.15%
1986 2.75% 2.95%
1985 2.79% 2.85%
1984 2.79% 2.71%
1983 2.79% 2.51%
1982 2.77% 2.34%
1981 2.76% 2.11%
1980 2.76% 2.1%
1979 2.74% 2.44%
1978 2.7% 2.69%
1977 2.67% 2.68%
1976 2.63% 2.66%
1975 2.6% 2.63%
1974 2.58% 2.52%
1973 2.58% 2.37%
1972 2.63% 2.52%
1971 2.7% 2.87%
1970 2.78% 3.06%
1969 2.85% 3.15%
1968 2.97% 3.19%
1967 3.14% 3.14%
1966 3.27% 3.09%
1965 3.41% 3.06%
1964 3.53% 3.03%
1963 3.65% 2.98%
1962 3.74% 2.93%
1961 3.8% 2.9%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/costa-rica/uganda | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Costa Rica grew by 0.45%, while Uganda's population grew by 2.74%.

Live population counters

Costa Rica Uganda
Current population
5186356
53495325
Population rank 126/197 30/197
Percent of world population 0.06% 0.64%
One net population change
22.9 minutes
23.1 seconds
One birth every
10.3 minutes
18.3 seconds
One death every
18.4 minutes
2.2 minutes
Daily growth/decline +63 +3,753
Annual growth/decline +23,040 +1,369,802
Annual growth/decline rate +0.45% +2.74%
Population growth rate rank 134/197 21/197
One migration net change every
8.78 hours
4.43 minutes
Annual migration change +1,000 -119,059
Net migration rank 63/196 183/196
Foreign-born residents 628,404 2,057,759
Foreign-born residents rank 75/195 37/195
Foreign-born share of population 12.2% 4.1%
Foreign-born share rank 55/195 106/195

Natural population change vs migration

Costa Rica
Natural

Migration
Uganda
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Costa Rica Uganda
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 1,000 - -119,059
2024 22,699 967 1,483,898 -117,924
2023 24,109 995 1,477,166 -126,181
2022 21,409 1,006 1,455,576 -118,843
2021 20,119 1,018 1,423,377 43,464
2020 29,164 1,029 1,397,288 43,464
2019 37,682 1,653 1,367,044 107,210
2018 42,469 1,673 1,332,600 60,724
2017 43,471 1,671 1,290,658 92,879
2016 45,565 1,649 1,249,565 123,379
2015 49,077 1,617 1,224,839 -62,366
2014 49,559 1,589 1,201,599 -92,273
2013 49,227 1,579 1,184,250 -176,579
2012 52,036 1,587 1,167,473 -175,936
2011 52,884 1,695 1,147,263 -173,005
2010 50,803 2,357 1,121,564 -168,322
2009 55,757 3,432 1,090,600 -164,553
2008 56,491 3,794 1,055,935 -158,790
2007 55,244 4,080 1,029,893 -154,773
2006 54,177 4,321 999,958 -156,232
2005 57,139 4,567 969,096 -151,386
2004 55,769 4,856 938,623 -138,770
2003 56,743 5,216 901,374 -96,429
2002 58,388 5,812 868,756 -35,149
2001 62,199 7,119 836,751 -95,956
2000 64,268 8,826 803,069 -52,824
1999 64,922 13,253 775,166 -39,695
1998 64,788 15,556 741,175 6,277
1997 64,954 16,954 727,523 -155,461
1996 66,094 17,393 699,707 -22,795
1995 67,585 16,609 697,218 -242,378
1994 68,336 15,587 675,092 -16,198
1993 69,016 14,431 650,032 18,349
1992 69,830 13,069 627,139 24,723
1991 70,506 10,757 602,740 3,643
1990 71,727 7,949 587,291 -21,688
1989 72,327 3,758 565,367 -12,576
1988 72,944 2,414 547,759 -20,113
1987 73,188 2,267 527,397 -22,415
1986 73,211 2,302 487,693 -19,485
1985 72,776 2,357 462,534 -42,942
1984 71,062 2,402 421,241 -8,818
1983 68,972 2,449 404,940 -45,776
1982 66,826 2,453 390,820 -53,497
1981 64,632 2,431 380,028 -83,010
1980 62,561 2,387 370,287 -105,900
1979 60,984 2,349 381,626 -98,863
1978 58,327 2,296 371,930 -34,606
1977 56,122 2,228 365,216 -37,671
1976 54,019 2,129 359,458 -42,259
1975 51,979 1,992 354,278 -47,359
1974 50,349 1,839 345,773 -51,910
1973 48,943 1,468 340,780 -73,439
1972 48,417 1,366 335,935 -86,409
1971 48,341 1,296 328,294 -42,642
1970 48,398 1,137 333,202 -25,646
1969 48,790 1,017 320,486 -14,548
1968 48,361 939 309,725 -3,214
1967 50,193 926 296,692 -3,773
1966 50,755 930 282,225 -3,021
1965 51,196 932 271,830 -3,716
1964 51,435 934 260,733 -3,169
1963 51,403 938 250,885 -3,058
1962 51,046 934 241,513 -6,470
1961 50,149 924 232,894 -7,893
1960 48,857 910 225,080 -7,586

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/costa-rica/uganda | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 96.2% of the population change in Costa Rica is from natural causes (a gain of 335,764 people) and 3.8% is from migration (a gain of 13,278 people). In Uganda 99.7% is from natural causes (a gain of 13,702,011 people) and 0.33% is from migration (a gain of 45,806 people).

As of 2024, 628,404 residents or 12.2% of the population were not native-born in Costa Rica, compared to 2,057,759 people or 4.1% in Uganda.

Biggest cities by population

Costa Rica
City Population
San Jose 335K
Limon 71.5K
Liberia 65.9K
Alajuela 44.4K
Puntarenas 41.5K
Cartago 22.8K
Heredia 16.7K
Tamarindo 7.13K
Santa Teresa 3K
Uganda
City Population
Kampala 1.68M
Mbale 586K
Arua 385K
Kira Town 317K
Jinja 279K
Gulu 177K
Kasese 134K
Entebbe 70K
Tororo 42.9K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/costa-rica/uganda | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.