Annual population growth in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Annual population growth was 23,762 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
23,762
Change on year
up 9.1%
World rank
124th
of 236 countries
All-time high
84,057
in 1995
All-time low
21,773
in 2022
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual population growth in Costa Rica, 1951–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, annual population growth in Costa Rica stood at 23,762.
The figure is up 9.1% on the previous year and down 54.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual population growth in Costa Rica peaked at 84,057 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 21,773, in 2022.
That places Costa Rica 124th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 73 years of available data.
Annual population growth in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 31,657 | — |
| 1952 | 33,382 | +5.4% |
| 1953 | 35,210 | +5.5% |
| 1954 | 37,107 | +5.4% |
| 1955 | 38,939 | +4.9% |
| 1956 | 40,798 | +4.8% |
| 1957 | 42,784 | +4.9% |
| 1958 | 44,923 | +5.0% |
| 1959 | 47,032 | +4.7% |
| 1960 | 48,908 | +4.0% |
| 1961 | 50,417 | +3.1% |
| 1962 | 51,527 | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 52,160 | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 52,361 | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 52,248 | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 51,905 | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 51,415 | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 50,200 | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 49,547 | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 49,665 | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 49,602 | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 49,713 | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 50,087 | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 51,301 | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 53,067 | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 55,056 | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 57,263 | +4.0% |
| 1978 | 59,481 | +3.9% |
| 1979 | 61,974 | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 64,151 | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 66,002 | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 68,168 | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 70,344 | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 72,442 | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 74,306 | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 75,316 | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 75,479 | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 75,404 | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 75,724 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 77,881 | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 80,475 | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 82,079 | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 83,175 | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 83,686 | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 84,057 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 83,833 | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 82,701 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 81,127 | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 79,263 | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 75,634 | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 71,214 | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 66,759 | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 63,081 | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 61,288 | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 61,161 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 60,097 | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 58,913 | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 59,808 | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 59,730 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 56,177 | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 53,869 | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 54,096 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 52,223 | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 50,973 | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 50,919 | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 48,958 | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 46,174 | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 44,636 | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 41,736 | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 34,774 | -16.7% |
| 2021 | 25,668 | -26.2% |
| 2022 | 21,773 | -15.2% |
| 2023 | 23,762 | +9.1% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 23,762 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,163, 7.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 23,762 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5,220, 4.6× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual population growth in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | -26.2% | 34,774 | 25,668 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 39,092 | 31,657 | 47,032 | 9 |
| 1960s | 51,069 | 48,908 | 52,361 | 10 |
| 1970s | 53,721 | 49,602 | 61,974 | 10 |
| 1980s | 71,734 | 64,151 | 75,724 | 10 |
| 1990s | 81,828 | 77,881 | 84,057 | 10 |
| 2000s | 63,768 | 58,913 | 75,634 | 10 |
| 2010s | 49,976 | 41,736 | 56,177 | 10 |
| 2020s | 26,494 | 21,773 | 34,774 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 121 Lebanon 29,002 compare
- 122 Moldova 27,086 compare
- 123 Lesotho 25,364 compare
- 125 Azerbaijan 22,902 compare
- 126 Solomon Islands 18,939 compare
- 127 Montenegro 18,904 compare
More population data for Costa Rica
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2884 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6681 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,703 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5224 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7399 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1 (2100)
- Population density 73.96 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 123,827 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population growth in Costa Rica?
- Annual population growth in Costa Rica was 23,762 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual population growth recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 84,057 in 1995.
- What is the lowest annual population growth recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 21,773 in 2022.
- How does Costa Rica rank for annual population growth?
- Costa Rica ranks 124th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual population growth rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual population growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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