Rural population, per square kilometre in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Rural population, per square kilometre was 21.12 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
21.12 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
122nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
32.13 units per square kilometre
in 1995
All-time low
17.75 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in Costa Rica, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population, per square kilometre in Costa Rica is 21.12 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Costa Rica peaked at 32.13 units per square kilometre in 1995 and was at its lowest, 17.75 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Costa Rica 122nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 17.75 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 18.38 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1963 | 19.01 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 19.6 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 20.13 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 20.6 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1967 | 21.01 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 21.38 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 21.71 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 22.04 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 22.36 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 22.71 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 23.11 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 23.54 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 24.01 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 24.5 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 25.03 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 25.58 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 26.15 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 26.74 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 27.33 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 27.92 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 28.5 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 29.07 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 29.6 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 30.09 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 30.51 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 30.87 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 31.17 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 31.44 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 31.67 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 31.85 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 31.99 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 32.09 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 32.13 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 32.12 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 32.06 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 31.95 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 31.8 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 31.58 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 31.29 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 30.91 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 30.44 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 29.89 units per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 29.29 units per square kilometre | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 28.63 units per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 27.91 units per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 27.14 units per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 26.31 units per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 25.42 units per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 24.52 units per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 24.31 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 24.07 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 23.82 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 23.57 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 23.31 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 23.04 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 22.77 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 22.48 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 22.16 units per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 21.81 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 21.46 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 21.12 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.95 units per square kilometre | 17.75 units per square kilometre | 21.71 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 23.9 units per square kilometre | 22.04 units per square kilometre | 26.15 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.18 units per square kilometre | 26.74 units per square kilometre | 31.17 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.91 units per square kilometre | 31.44 units per square kilometre | 32.13 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.34 units per square kilometre | 26.31 units per square kilometre | 31.58 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.73 units per square kilometre | 22.48 units per square kilometre | 25.42 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.64 units per square kilometre | 21.12 units per square kilometre | 22.16 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 119 Nicaragua 23.18 units per square kilometre compare
- 120 Brunei 21.93 units per square kilometre compare
- 121 United Arab Emirates 21.16 units per square kilometre compare
- 123 Puerto Rico 21.03 units per square kilometre compare
- 124 Georgia 20.98 units per square kilometre compare
- 125 Fiji 20.94 units per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for Costa Rica
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0337 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 672.15 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2027 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 3.37 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 3.37 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in Costa Rica?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Costa Rica was 21.12 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 32.13 units per square kilometre in 1995.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.75 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Costa Rica rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Costa Rica ranks 122nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.