Total population (in thousands) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Total population (in thousands) was 5,153 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
5,153
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
18th
of 36 countries
All-time high
5,153
in 2025
All-time low
926.76
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Total population in Costa Rica, 1950–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 5,153 for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Costa Rica peaked at 5,153 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 926.76, in 1950.
That places Costa Rica 18th out of 36 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Total population (in thousands) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 926.76 | — |
| 1951 | 958.41 | +3.4% |
| 1952 | 991.79 | +3.5% |
| 1953 | 1,027 | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 1,064 | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 1,103 | +3.7% |
| 1956 | 1,144 | +3.7% |
| 1957 | 1,187 | +3.7% |
| 1958 | 1,232 | +3.8% |
| 1959 | 1,279 | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 1,328 | +3.8% |
| 1961 | 1,378 | +3.8% |
| 1962 | 1,429 | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 1,482 | +3.6% |
| 1964 | 1,534 | +3.5% |
| 1965 | 1,586 | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 1,638 | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 1,690 | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 1,740 | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 1,789 | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 1,839 | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 1,889 | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 1,938 | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 1,988 | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 2,040 | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 2,093 | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 2,148 | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 2,205 | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 2,265 | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 2,326 | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 2,391 | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 2,457 | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 2,525 | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 2,595 | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 2,668 | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 2,742 | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 2,817 | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 2,893 | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 2,968 | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 3,044 | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 3,122 | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 3,202 | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 3,284 | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 3,367 | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 3,451 | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 3,535 | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 3,619 | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 3,702 | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 3,783 | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 3,862 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 3,938 | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 4,009 | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 4,076 | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 4,139 | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 4,200 | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 4,261 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 4,321 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 4,380 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 4,440 | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 4,500 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 4,556 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 4,610 | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 4,664 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 4,716 | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 4,767 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 4,818 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 4,867 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 4,913 | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 4,958 | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 5,000 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 5,034 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 5,060 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 5,082 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 5,106 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 5,130 | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 5,153 | +0.4% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 5,153 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5,759, 89% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 5,153 is above the median for high income countries, which is 835.99, 6.2× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1,091 | 926.76 | 1,279 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1,559 | 1,328 | 1,789 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,073 | 1,839 | 2,326 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,710 | 2,391 | 3,044 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3,493 | 3,122 | 3,862 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,226 | 3,938 | 4,500 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,787 | 4,556 | 5,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,094 | 5,034 | 5,153 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
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 total population in Costa Rica?
- Total population in Costa Rica was 5,153 in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 5,153 in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 926.76 in 1950.
- How does Costa Rica rank for total population?
- Costa Rica ranks 18th out of 36 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Total population (in thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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