COUNTRY PROFILECosta Rica
Costa Rica's population is 5,152,950 (2025) — the 126th-largest in the world and the 11th-largest in North America, growing by about 23,040 people a year.
5,165,803
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▲ growing5,152,950 (World Bank, 2025) + +23,040/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
Costa Rica Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
5,152,950
World rank
#126
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
100.9 / km²
51,060 km² land area
GDP / capita
$19,970
#73 economy overall
Share of humanity
1 in 1595 people on Earth lives in Costa Rica
Costa Rica's Population Growth
Yes — Costa Rica's population rose by 23,040 people (+0.45%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 1.3 births per woman — below the ~2.1 replacement level. Net migration was positive in the latest year on record.
You, in Costa Rica
A personal read on the numbers above — nothing is stored, it never leaves your browser.
Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
Costa Rica Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
100.9 people / km²
51,060 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
36.2 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
81.0 years
M 78.4 · F 83.6
Average height2019
174.0 cm (male)
female 160.4 cm
Homicide rate2023
17.7 per 100,000
#171 safest of 196
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
17.7 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
79.7 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
1.3 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
+1,000 people
positive in latest year
Costa Rica in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population5,152,950 people
#126 / 217
→
GDP$102.9B
#73 / 186
→
Life expectancy81 years
#47 / 217
→
Average height174 cm (male)
#93 / 200
→
Cleanest air17.7 µg/m³ PM2.5
#101 / 200
→
Safest countries17.7 homicides / 100k
#171 / 196
→
Most dangerous17.7 homicides / 100k
#25 / 196
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 2,545,672Female — 2,607,277
Largest cities
By population, GeoNames city-proper figures (not metro area).
Where is Costa Rica Located?
- Capital
- San Jose
- Currency
- Colon (CRC)
- Language(s)
- Spanish, English
- Region
- Latin America & Caribbean
- Continent
- 23 countries in North America →
- Land area
- 51,060 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 51,100 km²
- Borders
- 2 countries
Panama
NicaraguaCosta RicaVSExplore Costa Rica in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica's population is 5,152,950 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #126 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in Costa Rica?
5,152,950 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is Costa Rica's population density?
100.9 people per km², based on a land area of 51,060 km².
What is Costa Rica ranked in population worldwide?
#126 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in Costa Rica?
81.0 years on average (2024) — 78.4 for men, 83.6 for women.
What is Costa Rica's GDP?
$102.9B, ranking #73 of 186 economies we track — $19,970 per capita.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →