Costa Rica — Population
Population, Total for Costa Rica, 1960–2025.
Population for Costa Rica was 5.15 million in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 1.33 million in 1960 (about 3.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.11% per year.
Costa Rica ranks 126 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 58%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 3.18 million, so Costa Rica sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 7%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 18 of 42 economies; Panama (4.57 million) is just below it. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1984. Doubling roughly every 33 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 132nd of 216 in 1960 → 130th of 216 in 1970 → 129th of 216 in 1980 → 125th of 217 in 1990 → 120th of 217 in 2000 → 119th of 217 in 2010 → 122nd of 217 in 2020 → 126th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,152,950 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 5,129,910 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 5,105,525 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 5,081,765 | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 5,059,988 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 5,034,320 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 4,999,553 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 4,957,818 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 4,913,177 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 4,866,998 | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 4,818,038 | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 4,767,119 | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 4,716,147 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 4,663,934 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 4,609,833 | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 4,555,962 | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 4,499,791 | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 4,440,056 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 4,380,248 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 4,321,340 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 4,261,240 | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 4,200,078 | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 4,138,784 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 4,075,705 | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 4,008,947 | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 3,937,739 | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 3,862,101 | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 3,782,838 | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 3,701,711 | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 3,619,013 | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 3,535,176 | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 3,451,122 | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 3,367,434 | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 3,284,258 | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 3,202,176 | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 3,121,706 | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 3,043,827 | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 2,968,103 | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 2,892,699 | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 2,817,216 | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 2,741,894 | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 2,667,595 | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 2,595,153 | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 2,524,806 | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 2,456,637 | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 2,390,633 | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 2,326,490 | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 2,264,510 | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 2,205,025 | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 2,147,774 | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 2,092,719 | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 2,039,643 | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 1,988,343 | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 1,938,248 | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 1,888,539 | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 1,838,949 | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 1,789,276 | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 1,739,731 | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 1,689,523 | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 1,638,116 | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 1,586,208 | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 1,533,960 | +3.5% |
| 1963 | 1,481,604 | +3.6% |
| 1962 | 1,429,445 | +3.7% |
| 1961 | 1,377,920 | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 1,327,496 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Costa Rica’s Population in 1961?
1,377,920 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Costa Rica’s Population figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — people — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Costa Rica’s Population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +288.2% in total — about 2.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 5,152,950; 2024: 5,129,910; 2023: 5,105,525; 2022: 5,081,765; 2021: 5,059,988. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.TOTL — Population, Total. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.