Costa Rica Population (LIVE)

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Costa Rica Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Costa Rica is 5,236,791 as of Monday, March 18, 2024, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data 1.
  • Costa Rica 2023 population is estimated at 5,212,173 people at mid year.
  • Costa Rica population is equivalent to 0.06% of the total world population.
  • Costa Rica ranks number 124 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Costa Rica is 102 per Km2 (264 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 51,060 Km2 (19,714 sq. miles)
  • 82.0 % of the population is urban (4,271,646 people in 2023)
  • The median age in Costa Rica is 33.8 years.
1. Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Costa Rica (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationCosta Rica
Global Rank
2024 5,246,714 0.66 % 34,541 3,638 34.3 1.51 103 82.6 % 4,332,482 0.06 % 8,118,835,999 123
2023 5,212,173 0.60 % 31,344 3,750 33.8 1.52 102 82.0 % 4,271,646 0.06 % 8,045,311,447 124
2022 5,180,829 0.52 % 26,872 3,850 33.3 1.52 101 81.2 % 4,208,353 0.06 % 7,975,105,156 124
2020 5,123,105 0.76 % 38,573 2,084 32.4 1.56 100 79.5 % 4,074,214 0.07 % 7,840,952,880 121
2015 4,895,242 1.15 % 54,598 4,065 30.2 1.79 96 75.5 % 3,695,430 0.07 % 7,426,597,537 120
2010 4,622,252 1.38 % 61,273 4,728 28.1 1.93 91 70.5 % 3,260,590 0.07 % 6,985,603,105 120
2005 4,315,887 1.64 % 67,339 7,022 26.2 2.04 85 64.6 % 2,789,638 0.07 % 6,558,176,119 119
2000 3,979,193 2.18 % 81,26713,590 24.5 2.41 78 58.3 % 2,318,040 0.06 % 6,148,898,975 122
1995 3,572,856 2.50 % 82,921 16,607 23.1 2.80 70 53.6 % 1,915,604 0.06 % 5,743,219,454 125
1990 3,158,253 2.65 % 77,358 7,941 22.0 3.21 62 49.0 % 1,548,102 0.06 % 5,316,175,862 127
1985 2,771,463 2.80 % 71,432 3,631 20.9 3.51 54 44.8 % 1,240,768 0.06 % 4,861,730,613 127
1980 2,414,303 2.71 % 60,491 3,681 19.5 3.59 47 42.7 % 1,029,757 0.05 % 4,444,007,706 129
1975 2,111,850 2.62 % 51,231 3,081 18.1 3.80 41 41.1 % 867,261 0.05 % 4,069,437,231 130
1970 1,855,697 2.97 % 50,592 1,917 16.7 4.59 36 38.7 % 717,853 0.05 % 3,695,390,336 131
1965 1,602,736 3.55 % 51,287 1,570 15.9 5.96 31 35.5 % 568,941 0.05 % 3,337,111,983 134
1960 1,346,302 3.68 % 44,464 1,525 16.1 6.71 26 33.9 % 456,615 0.04 % 3,019,233,434 133
1955 1,123,982 3.45 % 35,099 1,240 16.8 6.57 22 33.7 % 379,324 0.04 % 2,746,072,141 134
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Costa Rica Population Forecast

1,200
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationCosta Rica
Global Rank
2025 5,280,199 0.61 % 31,419 3,515 34.8 1.51 103 83.2 % 4,390,911 0.06 % 8,191,988,453 123
2030 5,432,243 0.57 % 30,409 2,900 37.1 1.52 106 85.6 % 4,647,468 0.06 % 8,546,141,327 124
2035 5,554,928 0.45 % 24,537 2,300 39.4 1.52 109 87.2 % 4,846,325 0.06 % 8,879,397,401 123
2040 5,642,847 0.31 % 17,584 1,663 41.5 1.53 111 88.6 % 4,996,908 0.06 % 9,188,250,492 123
2045 5,691,658 0.17 % 9,762 1,263 43.5 1.53 111 89.9 % 5,116,679 0.06 % 9,467,543,575 122
2050 5,702,525 0.04 % 2,173   45.2 1.54 112 91.3 % 5,204,720 0.06 % 9,709,491,761 125
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Costa Rica Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Costa Rica
Life Expectancy
80.26 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
6.3
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
7.4
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Costa Rica

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 San Jose 335,007
2 Limon 63,081
3 San Francisco 55,923
4 Alajuela 47,494
5 Liberia 45,380
6 Paraiso 39,702
7 Puntarenas 35,650
8 San Isidro 34,877
9 Curridabat 34,586
10 San Vicente 34,447
10 San Vicente de Moravia 34,447
11 San Jose 31,430
12 Purral 30,034
13 Turrialba 28,955
14 San Miguel 28,827
15 San Pedro 27,477
16 San Rafael Abajo 27,419
17 Quesada 27,310
18 Ipis 26,669
19 Cartago 26,594
20 Chacarita 26,354
21 San Juan 26,047
22 Mercedes 26,007
23 Guadalupe 26,005
24 Aserri 25,874
25 San Rafael 25,410
26 San Felipe 24,985
27 Patarra 23,983
28 Tejar 22,433
29 Heredia 21,947
30 San Pablo 21,662
31 Calle Blancos 20,710
32 Canas 20,306
33 Guapiles 19,092
34 Siquirres 18,231
35 San Diego 16,991
36 Colima 15,875
37 Esparza 15,575
38 San Juan de Dios 15,469
39 Nicoya 15,313
40 San Rafael Arriba 15,051

See also

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Notes

The Costa Rica Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Costa Rica delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Costa Rica (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Costa Rica in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.