What is the population of Costa Rica in 2026?
Costa Rica has a population of 5,152,950 people (2025 estimate), which is 127th in the world and about 0.06% of the global total.
Country profile · North America · Rank #127 by population
Costa Rica
Officially Republic of Costa Rica
Population 2025
5,152,950
#127
in the world
0.06%
of world population
+0.45%
annual growth
About Costa Rica
With a population of 5,152,950, Costa Rica ranks 127th globally and spans 51,060 km² across North America between Nicaragua and Panama. The country's 80% urban population and median age of 35.2 years reflect a mature, primarily city-based society. Annual growth of just 0.4% and a fertility rate of 1.3 births per woman indicate demographic stability, while a life expectancy of 81 years is notably high for the region.
The nation achieved independence in 1821 and operates with a GDP per capita of $19,970. Spanish is the official language, and the Costa Rican colón serves as currency. Population density averages 100 people per km², with San José as the capital.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- San José
- Continent
- North America
- ISO codes
- CR · CRI
- Demonym
- Costa Rican
- Currency
- Costa Rican colón (CRC ₡)
- State inception
- 1821
- Time zone
- UTC−06:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +506
- Internet TLD
- .cr
- Land neighbours
- 2
Languages
- Spanish
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
None of our sources publish these indicators for Costa Rica.
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 18.8%
- Age 15–64
- 69.0%
- Age 65+
- 12.2%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 118 | 600 |
| 95-99 | 1,121 | 3,404 |
| 90-94 | 5,334 | 11,102 |
| 85-89 | 15,482 | 24,042 |
| 80-84 | 31,192 | 40,732 |
| 75-79 | 52,637 | 62,730 |
| 70-74 | 75,190 | 86,885 |
| 65-69 | 101,844 | 114,728 |
| 60-64 | 129,666 | 142,644 |
| 55-59 | 139,621 | 152,745 |
| 50-54 | 143,613 | 155,909 |
| 45-49 | 161,677 | 170,226 |
| 40-44 | 188,048 | 190,465 |
| 35-39 | 208,496 | 205,587 |
| 30-34 | 208,017 | 202,713 |
| 25-29 | 203,056 | 196,794 |
| 20-24 | 192,370 | 184,810 |
| 15-19 | 184,770 | 177,157 |
| 10-14 | 180,853 | 173,200 |
| 5-9 | 173,472 | 166,308 |
| 0-4 | 138,148 | 132,405 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 926,758 |
| 1960 | 1,327,496 |
| 1970 | 1,838,949 |
| 1980 | 2,390,633 |
| 1990 | 3,121,706 |
| 2000 | 3,937,739 |
| 2010 | 4,555,962 |
| 2020 | 5,034,320 |
| 2030 | 5,251,497 |
| 2040 | 5,369,806 |
| 2050 | 5,354,150 |
| 2060 | 5,189,194 |
| 2070 | 4,921,499 |
| 2080 | 4,572,927 |
| 2090 | 4,171,460 |
| 2100 | 3,776,474 |
How Costa Rica Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
- India1.46B
- China1.41B
- United States341.8M
- Indonesia285.7M
- Pakistan255.2M
- Nigeria237.5M
- Brazil212.8M
- Bangladesh175.7M
- Russia143.5M
- Ethiopia135.5M
- Costa Rica5.15M
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Costa Rica | 5.15M |
Largest Cities in Costa Rica
All cities →35 cities of 15,000 or more in our roster.
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San José | San Jose | 335,007 |
| 2 | Limón | Limon Province | 63,081 |
| 3 | Alajuela | Alajuela Province | 47,494 |
| 4 | Liberia | Guanacaste Province | 45,380 |
| 5 | Paraíso | Cartago Province | 39,702 |
| 6 | Puntarenas | Puntarenas Province | 35,650 |
| 7 | San Isidro | San Jose | 34,877 |
| 8 | Curridabat | San Jose | 34,586 |
Highest Peaks in Costa Rica
All peaks →38 notable summits in our mountain dataset. Subsidiary summits — named high points on a larger mountain — are omitted, so ranks may skip.
| # | Peak | Range | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerro Chirripó | Cordillera de Talamanca | 3,820 m |
| 2 | Cerro Ventisqueros | Cordillera de Talamanca | 3,812 m |
| 3 | Cerro Truncado | — | 3,618 m |
| 5 | Cerro Laguna | — | 3,607 m |
| 6 | Macizo de Chirripó Grande | — | 3,607 m |
| 7 | Loma Encerrada | — | 3,587 m |
| 9 | Pico Sureste | — | 3,562 m |
| 10 | Cerro Kámuk | Cordillera de Talamanca | 3,549 m |
Countries Bordering Costa Rica
2 land borders.
Costa Rica Population FAQ
Is the population of Costa Rica growing or shrinking?
Costa Rica's population is growing at +0.45% per year, a change of roughly 23,085 people annually.
What is the capital of Costa Rica?
The capital of Costa Rica is San José.
How densely populated is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has 100/km² across 51,060 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Costa Rica?
Life expectancy at birth in Costa Rica is 81.0 years (2024).
What is the median age in Costa Rica?
The median age in Costa Rica is 35.2 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Costa Rica in?
Costa Rica is in North America.