Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 101.46 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
101.46 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
104th
of 216 countries
All-time high
101.46 people per sq. km of land area
in 2024
All-time low
26.99 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in Costa Rica, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
In 2024, population density in Costa Rica stood at 101.46 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Costa Rica peaked at 101.46 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 26.99 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Costa Rica 104th out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 26.99 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 28 people per sq. km of land area | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 29.02 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1964 | 30.04 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1965 | 31.07 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 32.08 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 33.09 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 34.07 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 35.04 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 36.02 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 36.99 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 37.96 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 38.94 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 39.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 40.99 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 42.06 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 43.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 44.35 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 45.56 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 46.82 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 48.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 49.45 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 50.83 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 52.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 53.7 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 55.17 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 56.65 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 58.13 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 59.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 61.14 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 62.71 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 64.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 65.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 67.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 69.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 70.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 72.5 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 74.09 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 75.64 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 77.12 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 78.51 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 79.82 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 81.06 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 82.26 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 83.46 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 84.63 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 85.79 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 86.96 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 88.13 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 89.23 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 90.28 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 91.34 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 92.36 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 93.36 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 94.36 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 95.32 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 96.22 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 97.1 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 97.92 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 98.6 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 100.08 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 100.51 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 100.98 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 101.46 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 101.46 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for high income countries, which is 147 people per sq. km of land area, 69% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 101.46 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 103.62 people per sq. km of land area, 98% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.04 people per sq. km of land area | 26.99 people per sq. km of land area | 35.04 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 40.6 people per sq. km of land area | 36.02 people per sq. km of land area | 45.56 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.07 people per sq. km of land area | 46.82 people per sq. km of land area | 59.61 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 68.4 people per sq. km of land area | 61.14 people per sq. km of land area | 75.64 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.77 people per sq. km of land area | 77.12 people per sq. km of land area | 88.13 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.75 people per sq. km of land area | 89.23 people per sq. km of land area | 97.92 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 100.33 people per sq. km of land area | 98.6 people per sq. km of land area | 101.46 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 101 Cuba 105.78 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 102 Slovenia 105.66 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 103 Hungary 104.78 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 105 Cote d'Ivoire 100.42 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 106 Cambodia 99.93 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 107 Spain 97.76 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Costa Rica
- Population in the largest city 36.6% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 17.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2916 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.50 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 28.63 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.50 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 32.51 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Costa Rica?
- Population density in Costa Rica was 101.46 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 101.46 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.99 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Costa Rica rank for population density?
- Costa Rica ranks 104th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.