Historical population data in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Historical population data was 5.25 million Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
5.25 million Persons
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
38th
of 43 countries
All-time high
5.25 million Persons
in 2025
All-time low
893,756 Persons
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Historical population data in Costa Rica, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for historical population data in Costa Rica is 5.25 million Persons, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical population data in Costa Rica peaked at 5.25 million Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 893,756 Persons, in 1950.
Costa Rica ranks 38th of 43 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Historical population data in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 893,756 Persons | — |
| 1951 | 923,908 Persons | +3.4% |
| 1952 | 956,046 Persons | +3.5% |
| 1953 | 989,628 Persons | +3.5% |
| 1954 | 1.03 million Persons | +3.7% |
| 1955 | 1.06 million Persons | +3.8% |
| 1956 | 1.10 million Persons | +3.7% |
| 1957 | 1.15 million Persons | +3.7% |
| 1958 | 1.19 million Persons | +3.6% |
| 1959 | 1.23 million Persons | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 1.28 million Persons | +3.8% |
| 1961 | 1.33 million Persons | +3.9% |
| 1962 | 1.38 million Persons | +3.6% |
| 1963 | 1.42 million Persons | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 1.47 million Persons | +3.5% |
| 1965 | 1.52 million Persons | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 1.57 million Persons | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 1.62 million Persons | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 1.67 million Persons | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 1.72 million Persons | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 1.77 million Persons | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 1.81 million Persons | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 1.86 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 1.91 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 1.96 million Persons | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 2.01 million Persons | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 2.06 million Persons | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 2.11 million Persons | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 2.17 million Persons | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 2.23 million Persons | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 2.30 million Persons | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 2.37 million Persons | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 2.44 million Persons | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 2.51 million Persons | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 2.58 million Persons | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 2.66 million Persons | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 2.75 million Persons | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 2.83 million Persons | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 2.91 million Persons | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 2.99 million Persons | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 3.07 million Persons | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 3.16 million Persons | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 3.24 million Persons | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 3.33 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 3.41 million Persons | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 3.50 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 3.58 million Persons | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 3.67 million Persons | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 3.75 million Persons | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 3.83 million Persons | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 3.90 million Persons | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 3.98 million Persons | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 4.04 million Persons | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 4.11 million Persons | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 4.18 million Persons | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 4.24 million Persons | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 4.31 million Persons | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 4.37 million Persons | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 4.44 million Persons | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 4.50 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 4.56 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 4.63 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 4.69 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 4.75 million Persons | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 4.81 million Persons | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 4.87 million Persons | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 4.93 million Persons | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 4.98 million Persons | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 5.03 million Persons | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 5.07 million Persons | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 5.10 million Persons | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 5.13 million Persons | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 5.16 million Persons | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 5.19 million Persons | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 5.22 million Persons | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 5.25 million Persons | +0.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 5.25 million Persons is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.48 million Persons, 50% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 5.25 million Persons is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 49.48 million Persons, 11% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.05 million Persons | 893,756 Persons | 1.23 million Persons | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.50 million Persons | 1.28 million Persons | 1.72 million Persons | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.99 million Persons | 1.77 million Persons | 2.23 million Persons | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.63 million Persons | 2.30 million Persons | 2.99 million Persons | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.45 million Persons | 3.07 million Persons | 3.83 million Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.21 million Persons | 3.90 million Persons | 4.50 million Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.83 million Persons | 4.56 million Persons | 5.07 million Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.18 million Persons | 5.10 million Persons | 5.25 million Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More population data for Costa Rica
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,703 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6681 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 123,827 people (2100)
- Population density 73.96 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7399 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical population data in Costa Rica?
- Historical population data in Costa Rica was 5.25 million Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest historical population data recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 5.25 million Persons in 2025.
- What is the lowest historical population data recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 893,756 Persons in 1950.
- How does Costa Rica rank for historical population data?
- Costa Rica ranks 38th out of 43 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical population data rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Historical population data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This dataset presents annual population data from 1961 by sex and five year age groups as well as the share of children, youth, the elderly, old-age and total dependency ratios. The data is available for all member countries as well as for the EU27 and G20 countries, Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa and the World total. The data refer to mid-year estimates of the population. See country details in Historical population metadata.