Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 78.87 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
78.87 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
81st
of 215 countries
All-time high
78.87 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
9.24 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Costa Rica, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 78.87 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Costa Rica peaked at 78.87 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 9.24 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Costa Rica 81st out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 9.24 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 9.62 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1963 | 10.01 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1964 | 10.44 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1965 | 10.94 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1966 | 11.49 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1967 | 12.08 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1968 | 12.69 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1969 | 13.33 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 13.98 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1971 | 14.62 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 15.25 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 15.84 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 16.41 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 16.98 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 17.56 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1977 | 18.16 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 18.77 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 19.41 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 20.08 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 20.79 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 21.53 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 22.33 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 23.18 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 24.1 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 25.09 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 26.14 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 27.26 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 28.44 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 29.7 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 31.05 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 32.47 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 33.96 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 35.5 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 37.11 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 38.75 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 40.43 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 42.13 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 43.84 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 45.54 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 47.22 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 48.91 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 50.62 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 52.36 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 54.16 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 56 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 57.88 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 59.82 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 61.81 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 63.8 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 65.76 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 67.04 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 68.3 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 69.54 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 70.79 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 72.01 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 73.18 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 74.33 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 75.44 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 76.43 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 77.28 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 78.07 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 78.87 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 78.87 people per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 78.87 people per square kilometre, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 78.87 people per square kilometre is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 60.92 people per square kilometre, 1.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.09 people per square kilometre | 9.24 people per square kilometre | 13.33 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 16.7 people per square kilometre | 13.98 people per square kilometre | 19.41 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.89 people per square kilometre | 20.08 people per square kilometre | 28.44 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.49 people per square kilometre | 29.7 people per square kilometre | 43.84 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.43 people per square kilometre | 45.54 people per square kilometre | 61.81 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.02 people per square kilometre | 63.8 people per square kilometre | 75.44 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.66 people per square kilometre | 76.43 people per square kilometre | 78.87 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 78 Thailand 85.52 people per square kilometre compare
- 79 Cuba 81.88 people per square kilometre compare
- 80 Malaysia 81.73 people per square kilometre compare
- 82 Isle of Man 77.05 people per square kilometre compare
- 83 Spain 76.83 people per square kilometre compare
- 84 Austria 76.6 people per square kilometre compare
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 number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Costa Rica?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Costa Rica was 78.87 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 78.87 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.24 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Costa Rica rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Costa Rica ranks 81st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.