Population growth in Costa Rica
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Costa Rica increased from 1.33 million to 5.15 million people. This is a growth of 287.3 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Costa Rica was recorded in 1961 with 3.79 percent. The smallest increase in 2021 with 0.60 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Costa Rica rose by 3.31 years from 2012 to 2021 from 29.29 to 32.60 years (median value).
Around 81 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.4 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Costa Rica
Population development in Costa Rica since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)| Year | Population Costa Rica | Change Costa Rica | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.38 M | 3.79 % | 45.3 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 1.43 M | 3.78 % | 44.4 ‰ | 9.5 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 1.49 M | 3.71 % | 43.3 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 1.54 M | 3.59 % | 42.0 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 1.59 M | 3.43 % | 40.4 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 1.65 M | 3.28 % | 38.8 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 1.70 M | 3.14 % | 37.1 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 1.75 M | 3.00 % | 35.4 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 1.80 M | 2.87 % | 33.8 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 1.85 M | 2.75 % | 32.4 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 1.90 M | 2.64 % | 31.3 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 1.94 M | 2.54 % | 30.4 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 1.99 M | 2.49 % | 29.9 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 2.04 M | 2.50 % | 29.5 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 2.09 M | 2.54 % | 29.4 ‰ | 5.5 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 2.15 M | 2.60 % | 29.4 ‰ | 5.3 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 2.21 M | 2.65 % | 29.6 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 2.26 M | 2.69 % | 29.7 ‰ | 4.9 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 2.33 M | 2.72 % | 29.9 ‰ | 4.8 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 2.39 M | 2.73 % | 29.9 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 2.46 M | 2.75 % | 30.0 ‰ | 4.5 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 2.52 M | 2.76 % | 30.0 ‰ | 4.3 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 2.59 M | 2.76 % | 29.9 ‰ | 4.2 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 2.66 M | 2.75 % | 29.8 ‰ | 4.2 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 2.74 M | 2.72 % | 29.7 ‰ | 4.1 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 2.81 M | 2.69 % | 29.4 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 2.88 M | 2.65 % | 29.1 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 2.96 M | 2.64 % | 28.6 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 3.04 M | 2.64 % | 28.1 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 3.12 M | 2.65 % | 27.4 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 3.20 M | 2.65 % | 26.6 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 3.29 M | 2.64 % | 25.8 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 3.37 M | 2.61 % | 25.0 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 3.46 M | 2.57 % | 24.2 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 3.55 M | 2.51 % | 23.4 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 3.63 M | 2.45 % | 22.5 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 3.72 M | 2.38 % | 21.7 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 3.80 M | 2.28 % | 20.9 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 3.89 M | 2.14 % | 20.1 ‰ | 3.9 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 3.96 M | 1.98 % | 19.3 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 4.03 M | 1.81 % | 18.6 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 4.10 M | 1.66 % | 18.0 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 4.16 M | 1.54 % | 17.5 ‰ | 4.1 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 4.23 M | 1.47 % | 17.1 ‰ | 4.1 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 4.29 M | 1.43 % | 16.7 ‰ | 4.2 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 4.35 M | 1.40 % | 16.4 ‰ | 4.3 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 4.40 M | 1.36 % | 16.2 ‰ | 4.3 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 4.46 M | 1.33 % | 16.0 ‰ | 4.4 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 4.52 M | 1.29 % | 15.9 ‰ | 4.5 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 4.58 M | 1.25 % | 15.7 ‰ | 4.5 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 4.63 M | 1.22 % | 15.6 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 4.69 M | 1.19 % | 15.4 ‰ | 4.7 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 4.74 M | 1.15 % | 15.2 ‰ | 4.7 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 4.80 M | 1.12 % | 14.9 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 4.90 M | 2.08 % | 14.5 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 4.95 M | 1.02 % | 14.1 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 4.99 M | 0.98 % | 13.9 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 5.04 M | 0.94 % | 13.6 ‰ | 5.3 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 5.08 M | 0.87 % | 12.8 ‰ | 5.5 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 5.12 M | 0.76 % | 12.2 ‰ | 5.6 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 5.15 M | 0.60 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Costa Rica
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Costa Rica increased by about 38,600 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 5.6 per 1,000 people (~ 28,600 deaths) and the birth rate was 12.2 per 1,000 people (~ 61,800 births). As a result, around 5,400 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 24,811 in Costa Rica. The number of births was 69,396 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life in country comparison
Inflation rates in Venezuela