This is a demographic article about Costa Rica's population, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population.
| Demographics of Costa Rica | |
|---|---|
 Costa Rica population pyramid in 2020 | |
| Population | 5,153,957[1][2] |
| Birth rate | 10.2 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Fertility rate | 1.29 children per woman (2022 est.) |
| Age structure | |
| 0–14 years | 18.71% |
| 15–64 years | 68.44% |
| 65 and over | 12.85% |
| Nationality | |
| Nationality | Costa Rican |
| Major ethnic | White (65.8%)[3] |
| Minor ethnic | Mestizo (17.8%)[4] Mulatto (6.7%)[5] Indigenous (2.4%)[6] Black (1.1%)[7] Asian (0.2%)[8] Others (6.0%)[9] |
| Language | |
| Official | Spanish |
| Spoken | Spanish, English, Mekatelyu, BriBri, Patois |
According to the United Nations, Costa Rica had an estimated population of 5,153,957 people as of 2021. White and Mestizos make up 83.4% of the population, 7% are black people (including mixed race), 2.4% Amerindians, 0.2% Chinese and 7% other/none.[10]
In 2010, just under 3% of the population was of African descent. These are called Afro-Costa Ricans or West Indians and are English-speaking descendants of 19th-century black Jamaican immigrant workers. Another 1% is composed of those of Chinese origin, and less than 1% are West Asian, mainly of Lebanese descent but also Palestinians. The 2011 Census provided the following data: whites and mestizos make up 83.4% of the population, 7% are black people (including mixed race), 2.4% Amerindians, 0.2% Chinese, and 7% other/none.[10]
There is also a community of North American retirees from the United States and Canada, followed by fairly large numbers of European Union expatriates (chiefly Scandinavians and from Germany) come to retire as well, and Australians.[11] Immigration to Costa Rica made up 9% of the population in 2012. This included permanent settlers as well as migrants who were hoping to reach the U.S.[12] In 2015, there were some 420,000 immigrants in Costa Rica[13] and the number of asylum seekers (mostly from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) rose to more than 110,000.[14] An estimated 10% of the Costa Rican population in 2014 was made up of Nicaraguans.[15]
The indigenous population today numbers about 60,000 (just over 1% of the population), with some Miskito and Garifuna (a population of mixed African and Carib Amerindian descent) living in the coastal regions.
Costa Rica's emigration is the smallest in the Caribbean Basin and is among the smallest in the Americas. By 2015 about just 133,185 (2.77%) of the country's people live in another country as immigrants. The main destination countries are the United States (85,924), Nicaragua (10,772), Panama (7,760), Canada (5,039), Spain (3,339), Mexico (2,464), Germany (1,891), Italy (1,508), Guatemala (1,162) and Venezuela (1,127).[16]
Population and ancestry
| Costa Rican Censuses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Population | %± |
| 1864 | 120,499 | — |
| 1883 | 182,073 | 51.1 |
| 1892 | 243,205 | 33.6 |
| 1927 | 471,524 | 93.9 |
| 1950 | 800,875 | 69.8 |
| 1963 | 1,336,274 | 66.9 |
| 1973 | 1,871,780 | 40.1 |
| 1984 | 2,416,809 | 29.1 |
| 2000 | 3,810,179 | 57.7 |
| 2011 | 4,301,712 | 12.9 |
| 2012 | 5,044,197 | 14.7 |
In 2021, Costa Rica had a population of 5,153,957. The population is increasing at a rate of 1.5% per year. At current trends the population will increase to 9,158,000 in about 46 years.[17] The population density is 94 people per square km, the third highest in Central America.
Approximately 40% lived in rural areas and 60% in urban areas. The rate of urbanization estimated for the period 2005–2015 is 2.74% per annum,[18] one of the highest among developing countries. About 75% of the population live in the upper lands (above 500 meters) where temperature is cooler and milder.
The 2011 census counted a population of 4.3 million people[19] distributed among the following groups: 83.6% whites or mestizos, 6.7% black mixed race, 2.4% Native American, 1.1% black or Afro-Caribbean; the census showed 1.1% as Other, 2.9% (141,304 people) as None, and 2.2% (107,196 people) as unspecified.[20]
In 2011, there were over 104,000 Native American or indigenous inhabitants, representing 2.4% of the population. Most of them lived in secluded reservations, distributed among eight ethnic groups: Quitirrisí (in the Central Valley), Matambú or Chorotega (Guanacaste), Maleku (northern Alajuela), Bribri (southern Atlantic), Cabécar (Cordillera de Talamanca), Guaymí (southern Costa Rica, along the Panamá border), Boruca (southern Costa Rica) and Térraba (southern Costa Rica).
Costa Ricans of European origin are primarily of Spanish descent,[21] with significant numbers of Italian, German, English, Dutch, French, Irish, Portuguese, and Polish families, as well as a sizable Jewish community. The majority of the Afro-Costa Ricans are Creole English-speaking descendants of 19th century black Jamaican immigrant workers.
The 2011 census classified 83.6% of the population as white or Mestizo; the latter have combined European and Native American descent. The Mulatto segment (mix of white and black) represented 6.7% and indigenous people made up 2.4% of the population.[21] Native and European mixed blood populations are far less than in other Latin American countries. Exceptions are the Guanacaste province, where almost half the population is visibly mestizo, a legacy of the more pervasive unions between Spanish colonists and Chorotega Amerindians through several generations, and Limón, where the vast majority of the Afro-Costa Rican community lives.
| Province | Province population | City | City population |
|---|---|---|---|
| San José Province | 1,345,750 | San José | 350,535 |
| Alajuela Province | 716,286 | Alajuela | 46,554 |
| Cartago Province | 432,395 | Cartago | 156,600 |
| Puntarenas Province | 357,483 | Puntarenas | 102,504 |
| Heredia Province | 354,732 | Heredia | 42,600 |
| Limón Province | 339,395 | Puerto Limon | 105,000 |
| Guanacaste Province | 264,238 | Liberia | 98,751 |
Education
According to the United Nations, the country's literacy rate stands at 95.8%,[22] the fifth highest among American countries. Costa Rica's Education Index in 2006 was 0.882; higher than that of richer countries, such as Singapore and Mexico. The gross enrollment ratio is 73.0%, smaller than that of the neighbors countries of El Salvador and Honduras.[23]
All students must complete primary school and secondary school, between 6 and 15 years. Some students drop out because they must work to help support their families. In 2007 there were 536,436 pupils enrolled in 3,771 primary schools and 377,900 students attended public and private secondary schools.[24]
The main universities are the University of Costa Rica, in San Pedro and the National University of Costa Rica, in Heredia. Costa Rica also has several small private universities.
Emigration
Costa Rican emigration is among the smallest in the Caribbean Basin. About 3% of the country's population lives in another country as immigrants. The main destination countries are the United States, Spain, Mexico, and other Central American countries. In 2005, there were 127,061 Costa Ricans living in another country as immigrants. Remittances were $513,000,000 in 2006 which represented 2.3% of the national GDP.
Immigration
Costa Rica's immigration is among the largest in the Caribbean Basin. According to the 2011 census, 385,899 residents were born abroad.[25] The vast majority were born in Nicaragua (287,766). Other countries of origin were Colombia (20,514), United States (16,898), Spain (16,482) and Panama (11,250). Outward remittances were $246,000,000 in 2006.
Migrants
According to the World Bank, about 489,200 migrants lived in the country in 2010; mainly from Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize, while 125,306 Costa Ricans live abroad in the United States, Panama, Nicaragua, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador.[26] The number of migrants declined in later years but in 2015, there were some 420,000 immigrants in Costa Rica[13] and the number of asylum seekers (mostly from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) rose to more than 110,000, a fivefold increase from 2012.[14] In 2016, the country was called a "magnet" for migrants from South and Central America and other countries who were hoping to reach the U.S.[27][28]
European Costa Ricans
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 3,597,000[29][30] | |
| Languages | |
| Costa Rican Spanish, English | |
| Religion | |
| Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%, Buddhism 2%[31] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| White Latin Americans, White Caribbeans |
European Costa Ricans are people from Costa Rica whose ancestry lies within the continent of Europe, most notably Spain. According to DNA studies, around 75%[32] of the population have some level of European ancestry.[29]
Percentages of the Costa Rican population by race are known as the national census does have the question of ethnicity included in its form. As for 2012, 65.80% of Costa Ricans identify themselves as white/castizo and 13.65% as mestizo, giving around 80% of Caucasian population. This, however, is based on self-identification and not on scientific studies. According to the PLoS Genetics Geographic Patterns of Genome Admixture in Latin American Mestizos study of 2012, Costa Ricans have 73% of European ancestry, 25% Amerindian and 2% African.[33] According to CIA Factbook, Costa Rica has a white or mestizo population of 83.6%.[21]
Cristopher Columbus and his crew were the first Europeans ever to set foot on what is now Costa Rica, having arrived to Uvita Island (modern day Limón province) in 1502 in Columbus's last trip.[34] Costa Rica was part of the Spanish Empire and colonized by Spaniards mostly Castilians, Basque and Sephardic Jews.
After independence, large migrations of wealthy Americans, Germans, French and British businessmen[34] came to the country encouraged by the government and followed by their families and employees (many of them technicians and professionals), thus creating colonies and mixing with the population, especially the high and middle classes.[35]
Later, smaller migrations of Italians, Spaniards (mostly Catalans) and Arabs (mostly Lebanese and Syrians) took place. These migrants arrived fleeing economical crisis in their home countries, setting in large, more closed colonies.[34] Polish migrants, mostly Ashkenazi Jews who fled anti-Semitism and Nazi persecution in Europe, also arrived in large numbers.[34]
In 1901 president Ascensión Esquivel Ibarra closed the country to all non-white immigration. All Black, Chinese, Arab, Turkish or Gypsy migration to the country was banned. After the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, a large influx of Republican refugees settled in the country, mostly Castilians, Galicians and Asturians,[35] as well as later Chilean, Mexican and Colombian[34] migrants who would arrive escaping from war or dictatorships, as Costa Rica is the longest running democracy in Latin America.[34][35]
Ethnic groups
The following listing is taken from a publication of the Costa Rica 2011 Census:[37]
- Mestizos and Whites - 3,597,847 = 83.64%
- Mulatto - 289,209 = 6.72%
- Indigenous - 104,143 = 2.42%
- Black/Afro-Caribbean - 45,228 = 1.05%
- Chinese - 9 170 = 0.21%
- Other - 36 334 = 0.84%
- Did not state - 95,140 = 2.21%
Vital statistics
| Average population [38][39] | Live births | Deaths | Natural change | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Natural change (per 1000) | TFR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 558,000 | 23,858 | 10,020 | 13,838 | 44.2 | 18.6 | 25.6 | |
| 1935 | 572,000 | 24,934 | 12,630 | 12,304 | 45.2 | 22.9 | 22.3 | |
| 1936 | 585,000 | 25,450 | 11,811 | 13,639 | 45.2 | 21.0 | 24.2 | |
| 1937 | 599,000 | 25,624 | 11,032 | 14,592 | 44.5 | 19.2 | 25.3 | |
| 1938 | 615,000 | 26,839 | 10,422 | 16,417 | 45.5 | 17.7 | 27.8 | |
| 1939 | 631,000 | 27,027 | 11,687 | 15,340 | 44.7 | 19.3 | 25.4 | |
| 1940 | 648,000 | 28,004 | 11,211 | 16,793 | 45.3 | 18.1 | 27.2 | |
| 1941 | 664,000 | 28,823 | 11,429 | 17,394 | 45.5 | 18.1 | 27.4 | |
| 1942 | 680,000 | 28,263 | 13,559 | 14,704 | 43.7 | 21.0 | 22.7 | |
| 1943 | 697,000 | 30,468 | 11,734 | 18,734 | 46.1 | 17.7 | 28.4 | |
| 1944 | 716,000 | 29,935 | 11,295 | 18,640 | 44.2 | 16.7 | 27.5 | |
| 1945 | 736,000 | 32,529 | 10,768 | 21,761 | 46.8 | 15.5 | 31.3 | |
| 1946 | 759,000 | 32,159 | 9,971 | 22,188 | 45.0 | 13.9 | 31.1 | |
| 1947 | 787,000 | 32,600 | 10,967 | 21,633 | 44.7 | 14.9 | 29.8 | |
| 1948 | 808,000 | 35,956 | 10,666 | 25,290 | 44.5 | 13.2 | 31.3 | |
| 1949 | 832,000 | 36,774 | 10,566 | 26,208 | 44.2 | 12.7 | 31.5 | |
| 1950 | 966,000 | 39,943 | 10,480 | 29,463 | 41.3 | 10.8 | 30.5 | |
| 1951 | 994,000 | 43,068 | 10,390 | 32,678 | 43.3 | 10.5 | 32.9 | |
| 1952 | 1,025,000 | 45,816 | 10,672 | 35,144 | 44.7 | 10.4 | 34.3 | |
| 1953 | 1,058,000 | 45,697 | 11,353 | 34,344 | 43.2 | 10.7 | 32.5 | |
| 1954 | 1,093,000 | 48,857 | 10,681 | 38,176 | 44.7 | 9.8 | 34.9 | |
| 1955 | 1,129,000 | 49,800 | 11,000 | 39,269 | 44.1 | 9.7 | 34.8 | |
| 1956 | 1,167,000 | 51,350 | 10,476 | 40,874 | 44.0 | 9.0 | 35.1 | |
| 1957 | 1,206,000 | 52,860 | 11,544 | 41,316 | 43.9 | 9.6 | 34.3 | |
| 1958 | 1,246,000 | 53,919 | 10,608 | 43,311 | 43.3 | 8.5 | 34.8 | |
| 1959 | 1,289,000 | 57,801 | 11,160 | 46,641 | 44.8 | 8.7 | 36.2 | |
| 1960 | 1,334,000 | 59,701 | 11,035 | 48,666 | 44.8 | 8.3 | 36.5 | |
| 1961 | 1,382,000 | 60,641 | 10,644 | 49,997 | 43.9 | 7.7 | 36.2 | |
| 1962 | 1,431,000 | 60,750 | 11,953 | 48,797 | 42.5 | 8.4 | 34.1 | |
| 1963 | 1,482,000 | 62,821 | 12,519 | 50,302 | 42.4 | 8.5 | 34.0 | |
| 1964 | 1,533,000 | 61,870 | 13,527 | 48,343 | 40.4 | 8.8 | 31.6 | |
| 1965 | 1,583,000 | 62,400 | 12,814 | 49,586 | 39.4 | 8.1 | 31.3 | |
| 1966 | 1,633,000 | 62,330 | 11,403 | 50,927 | 38.2 | 7.0 | 31.2 | |
| 1967 | 1,681,000 | 61,229 | 11,289 | 49,940 | 36.4 | 6.7 | 29.7 | |
| 1968 | 1,729,000 | 60,902 | 10,653 | 50,249 | 35.2 | 6.2 | 29.1 | |
| 1969 | 1,776,000 | 59,636 | 11,599 | 48,037 | 33.6 | 6.5 | 27.1 | |
| 1970 | 1,822,000 | 59,557 | 11,504 | 48,053 | 32.7 | 6.3 | 26.4 | |
| 1971 | 1,867,000 | 58,138 | 10,575 | 47,563 | 31.2 | 5.7 | 25.5 | |
| 1972 | 1,911,000 | 59,274 | 10,855 | 48,419 | 31.0 | 5.7 | 25.4 | |
| 1973 | 1,956,000 | 58,177 | 9,702 | 48,475 | 29.8 | 5.0 | 24.8 | |
| 1974 | 2,002,000 | 57,749 | 9,512 | 48,237 | 28.9 | 4.8 | 24.1 | |
| 1975 | 2,052,000 | 59,175 | 9,615 | 49,560 | 28.9 | 4.7 | 24.2 | |
| 1976 | 2,105,000 | 60,668 | 9,356 | 51,312 | 28.8 | 4.4 | 24.4 | |
| 1977 | 2,162,000 | 64,190 | 8,907 | 55,283 | 29.7 | 4.1 | 25.6 | |
| 1978 | 2,222,000 | 67,722 | 8,625 | 59,097 | 30.5 | 3.9 | 26.6 | |
| 1979 | 2,284,000 | 69,318 | 9,143 | 60,175 | 30.4 | 4.0 | 26.4 | |
| 1980 | 2,348,000 | 70,048 | 9,268 | 61,780 | 29.8 | 3.9 | 26.3 | 3.63 |
| 1981 | 2,415,000 | 72,294 | 8,990 | 63,304 | 30.0 | 3.7 | 26.2 | 3.62 |
| 1982 | 2,483,000 | 73,168 | 9,168 | 64,000 | 29.5 | 3.7 | 25.8 | 3.54 |
| 1983 | 2,554,000 | 72,944 | 9,432 | 63,536 | 28.6 | 3.7 | 24.9 | 3.41 |
| 1984 | 2,626,000 | 76,878 | 9,931 | 66,217 | 29.0 | 3.8 | 25.2 | 3.44 |
| 1985 | 2,699,000 | 84,337 | 10,493 | 73,841 | 31.3 | 3.9 | 27.4 | 3.72 |
| 1986 | 2,773,000 | 83,194 | 10,449 | 72,745 | 30.0 | 3.8 | 26.3 | 3.58 |
| 1987 | 2,848,000 | 80,326 | 10,687 | 69,639 | 28.2 | 3.8 | 24.5 | 3.36 |
| 1988 | 2,924,000 | 81,376 | 10,944 | 70,432 | 27.8 | 3.7 | 24.1 | 3.33 |
| 1989 | 3,001,000 | 83,460 | 11,272 | 72,188 | 27.8 | 3.8 | 24.1 | 3.35 |
| 1990 | 3,079,000 | 81,939 | 11,366 | 70,573 | 26.6 | 3.7 | 22.9 | 3.20 |
| 1991 | 3,156,000 | 81,110 | 11,792 | 69,318 | 25.7 | 3.7 | 22.0 | 3.04 |
| 1992 | 3,234,000 | 80,164 | 12,253 | 67,911 | 24.8 | 3.8 | 21.0 | 3.02 |
| 1993 | 3,312,000 | 79,714 | 12,544 | 67,170 | 24.1 | 3.8 | 20.3 | 3.02 |
| 1994 | 3,394,000 | 80,391 | 13,313 | 67,078 | 23.7 | 3.9 | 19.8 | 2.85 |
| 1995 | 3,478,000 | 80,306 | 14,061 | 66,245 | 23.1 | 4.0 | 19.0 | 2.78 |
| 1996 | 3,567,000 | 79,203 | 13,993 | 65,210 | 22.2 | 3.9 | 18.3 | 2.69 |
| 1997 | 3,658,000 | 78,018 | 14,260 | 63,758 | 21.3 | 3.9 | 17.4 | 2.68 |
| 1998 | 3,751,000 | 76,982 | 14,708 | 62,274 | 20.5 | 3.9 | 16.6 | 2.60 |
| 1999 | 3,842,000 | 78,526 | 15,052 | 63,474 | 20.4 | 3.9 | 16.5 | 2.60 |
| 2000 | 3,930,000 | 78,178 | 14,944 | 63,234 | 19.9 | 3.8 | 16.1 | 2.41 |
| 2001 | 4,013,000 | 76,401 | 15,608 | 60,793 | 19.0 | 3.9 | 15.1 | 2.28 |
| 2002 | 4,094,000 | 71,144 | 15,004 | 56,140 | 17.4 | 3.7 | 13.7 | 2.08 |
| 2003 | 4,171,000 | 72,938 | 15,800 | 57,138 | 17.5 | 3.8 | 13.7 | 2.08 |
| 2004 | 4,246,000 | 72,247 | 15,949 | 56,298 | 17.0 | 3.8 | 13.3 | 2.00 |
| 2005 | 4,320,000 | 71,548 | 16,139 | 55,409 | 16.6 | 3.7 | 12.8 | 2.00 |
| 2006 | 4,392,000 | 71,291 | 16,766 | 54,525 | 16.2 | 3.8 | 12.4 | 1.90 |
| 2007 | 4,463,000 | 73,144 | 17,071 | 56,073 | 16.4 | 3.8 | 12.6 | 1.98 |
| 2008 | 4,533,000 | 75,187 | 18,021 | 57,166 | 16.6 | 4.0 | 12.6 | 1.97 |
| 2009 | 4,601,000 | 75,000 | 18,560 | 56,440 | 16.2 | 4.0 | 12.2 | 1.95 |
| 2010 | 4,670,000 | 70,922 | 19,077 | 51,845 | 15.5 | 4.2 | 11.4 | 1.81 |
| 2011 | 4,738,000 | 73,459 | 18,801 | 54,658 | 15.9 | 4.1 | 11.8 | 1.86 |
| 2012 | 4,652,000 | 73,326 | 19,200 | 54,126 | 15.7 | 4.1 | 11.6 | 1.84 |
| 2013 | 4,713,000 | 70,550 | 19,647 | 50,903 | 15.0 | 4.2 | 10.8 | 1.76 |
| 2014 | 4,773,000 | 71,793 | 20,553 | 51,240 | 15.0 | 4.3 | 10.7 | 1.77 |
| 2015 | 4,832,000 | 71,819 | 21,039 | 50,780 | 14.9 | 4.3 | 10.6 | 1.76 |
| 2016 | 4,890,000 | 70,004 | 22,603 | 47,401 | 14.3 | 4.6 | 9.7 | 1.71 |
| 2017 | 4,947,000 | 68,816 | 23,251 | 45,565 | 13.9 | 4.7 | 9.2 | 1.67 |
| 2018 | 5,003,000 | 68,449 | 23,806 | 44,643 | 13.7 | 4.8 | 8.9 | 1.66 |
| 2019 | 5,058,000 | 64,287 | 24,237 | 40,050 | 12.7 | 4.8 | 7.9 | 1.56 |
| 2020 | 5,111,200 | 57,848 | 26,209 | 31,639 | 11.4 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 1.41 |
| 2021 | 5,173,400 | 54,289 | 31,081 | 23,208 | 10.5 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 1.31 |
| 2022(c) | 5,044,197 | 53,435 | 28,931 | 24,504 | 10.2 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 1.29 |
| 2023 | 5,262,237 | 50,205 | 29,189 | 21,016 | 9.5 | 5.6 | 3.9 | 1.22 |
(c) = Census results.
Current vital statistics
| Period | Live births | Deaths | Natural increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2023 | 4,302 | ||
| January 2024 | 3,938 | ||
| Difference |  -364 (-8.46%) |
Structure of the population
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2 405 636 | 2 541 064 | 4 946 700 | 100 |
| 0-4 | 153 647 | 153 302 | 306 949 | 6.20 |
| 5-9 | 180 403 | 179 809 | 360 212 | 7.28 |
| 10-14 | 200 123 | 174 821 | 374 944 | 7.57 |
| 15-19 | 216 776 | 211 077 | 427 853 | 8.64 |
| 20-24 | 215 301 | 205 588 | 420 889 | 8.50 |
| 25-29 | 188 815 | 198 789 | 387 604 | 7.83 |
| 30-34 | 176 356 | 198 185 | 373 541 | 7.55 |
| 35-39 | 161 288 | 174 851 | 336 139 | 7.40 |
| 40-44 | 145 430 | 164 672 | 310 102 | 6.26 |
| 45-49 | 136 591 | 163 412 | 300 003 | 6.06 |
| 50-54 | 146 253 | 168 407 | 314 660 | 6.36 |
| 55-59 | 133 924 | 144 718 | 278 642 | 5.63 |
| 60-64 | 108 422 | 126 063 | 234 485 | 4.74 |
| 65-69 | 83 152 | 92 321 | 175 473 | 3.54 |
| 70-74 | 55 495 | 75 098 | 130 593 | 2.64 |
| 75-79 | 50 799 | 45 514 | 96 313 | 1.94 |
| 80-84 | 28 176 | 31 126 | 59 302 | 1.20 |
| 85-89 | 16 164 | 20 771 | 36 935 | 0.74 |
| 90-94 | 6 159 | 10 188 | 16 347 | 0.33 |
| 95+ | 2 362 | 3 352 | 5 714 | 0.11 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0-14 | 522 072 | 498 520 | 1 020 592 | 21.63 |
| 15-64 | 1 580 192 | 1 676 121 | 3 256 313 | 69.02 |
| 65+ | 187 174 | 248 444 | 435 618 | 9.23 |
| unknown | 3 000 | 2 158 | 5 158 | 0.10 |
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2 482 471 | 2 680 942 | 5 163 413 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 124 613 | 133 474 | 258 087 | 5.00 |
| 5–9 | 165 238 | 165 966 | 331 204 | 6.41 |
| 10–14 | 192 664 | 184 342 | 377 006 | 7.30 |
| 15–19 | 205 825 | 193 150 | 398 975 | 7.73 |
| 20–24 | 213 937 | 206 672 | 420 609 | 8.15 |
| 25–29 | 187 872 | 181 842 | 369 714 | 7.16 |
| 30–34 | 180 627 | 186 317 | 366 944 | 7.11 |
| 35–39 | 171 681 | 199 074 | 370 755 | 7.18 |
| 40–44 | 170 025 | 192 808 | 362 833 | 7.03 |
| 45–49 | 146 946 | 167 271 | 314 217 | 6.09 |
| 50–54 | 150 529 | 178 318 | 328 847 | 6.37 |
| 55–59 | 147 298 | 173 022 | 320 320 | 6.20 |
| 60–64 | 132 034 | 148 439 | 280 473 | 5.43 |
| 65-69 | 105 615 | 133 821 | 239 436 | 4.64 |
| 70-74 | 75 845 | 90 945 | 166 790 | 3.23 |
| 75-79 | 51 931 | 63 090 | 115 021 | 2.23 |
| 80-84 | 32 001 | 43 126 | 75 127 | 1.45 |
| 85-89 | 18 172 | 25 283 | 43 455 | 0.84 |
| 90-94 | 7 628 | 9 021 | 16 649 | 0.32 |
| 95+ | 1 990 | 4 961 | 6 951 | 0.13 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 482 515 | 483 782 | 966 297 | 18.71 |
| 15–64 | 1 706 774 | 1 826 913 | 3 533 687 | 68.44 |
| 65+ | 293 182 | 370 247 | 663 429 | 12.85 |
Life expectancy at birth
| Period | Life expectancy in Years | Period | Life expectancy in Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950–1955 | 56.0 | 1985–1990 | 75.1 |
| 1955–1960 | 58.8 | 1990–1995 | 76.1 |
| 1960–1965 | 62.4 | 1995–2000 | 77.0 |
| 1965–1970 | 65.2 | 2000–2005 | 77.8 |
| 1970–1975 | 67.7 | 2005–2010 | 78.4 |
| 1975–1980 | 70.5 | 2010–2015 | 79.2 |
| 1980–1985 | 73.4 |
Source: UN World Population Prospects[43]
Demographic statistics
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.[44]
- One birth every 8 minutes
- One death every 19 minutes
- One net migrant every 131 minutes
- Net gain of one person every 12 minutes
Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[45]
Population
- 5,204,411 (2022 est.)
- 4,987,142 (July 2018 est.)
- 4,872,543 (July 2016 est.)
Ethnic groups
White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years: 22.08% (male 575,731/female 549,802)
- 15-24 years: 15.19% (male 395,202/female 379,277)
- 25-54 years: 43.98% (male 1,130,387/female 1,111,791)
- 55-64 years: 9.99% (male 247,267/female 261,847)
- 65 years and over: 8.76% (2020 est.) (male 205,463/female 241,221)
- 0-14 years: 22.43% (male 572,172 /female 546,464)
- 15-24 years: 15.94% (male 405,515 /female 389,433)
- 25-54 years: 44.04% (male 1,105,944 /female 1,090,434)
- 55-64 years: 9.48% (male 229,928 /female 242,696)
- 65 years and over: 8.11% (male 186,531 /female 218,025) (2018 est.)
Median age
- total: 32.6 years. Country comparison to the world: 109th
- male: 32.1 years
- female: 33.1 years (2020 est.)
- Total: 31.7 years. Country comparison to the world: 109th
- Male: 31.2 years
- Female: 32.2 years (2018 est.)
- Total: 30.9 years
- Male: 30.4 years
- Female: 31.3 years (2016 est.)
Birth rate
- 14.28 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 121st
- 15.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 121st
Death rate
- 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 198th
- 4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 200th
Total fertility rate
- 1.86 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 134th
- 1.89 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 135th
Net migration rate
- 0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 69th
- 0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 65th
Population growth rate
- 1.01% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 95th
- 1.13% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 95th
Contraceptive prevalence rate
- 70.9% (2018)
Religions
Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
- Total dependency ratio: 45.4 (2015 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio: 32.4 (2015 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio: 12.9 (2015 est.)
- Potential support ratio: 7.7 (2015 est.)
Urbanization
- urban population: 82% of total population (2022)
- rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- Total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- Male: 9 deaths/1,000 live births
- Female: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
- total population: 79.64 years. Country comparison to the world: 58th
- male: 76.99 years
- female: 82.43 years (2022 est.)
- Total population: 78.9 years. Country comparison to the world: 55th
- Male: 76.2 years
- Female: 81.7 years (2018 est.)
- Total population: 78.6 years
- Male: 75.9 years
- Female: 81.3 years (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS
- Adult prevalence rate: 0.33%
- People living with HIV/AIDS: 10,000
- Deaths:200 (2015 est.)
Education expenditures
- 6.7% of GDP (2020) Country comparison to the world: 24th
Literacy
- total population: 97.9%
- male: 97.8%
- female: 97.9% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- total: 17 years
- male: 16 years
- female: 17 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
- total: 40.7%
- male: 34%
- female: 50.9% (2020 est.)
Nationality
- Noun: Costa Rican(s)
- Adjective: Costa Rican
Languages
Sex ratio
- At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0–14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15–24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
- 25–54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
- 55–64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
- Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
- vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Languages
Nearly all Costa Ricans speak Spanish; but many know English. Indigenous Costa Ricans also speak their own language, such as the case of the Ngobes.
Religions
Religion in Costa Rica (2008)[46][47]
According to the World Factbook, the main faiths are Roman Catholic, 76.3%; Evangelical, 13.7%; Jehovah's Witnesses, 1.3%; other Protestant, 0.7%; other, 4.8%; none, 3.2%.
The most recent nationwide survey of religion in Costa Rica, conducted in 2007 by the University of Costa Rica, found that 70.5 percent of the population identify themselves as Roman Catholics (with 44.9 percent practicing, 25.6 percent nonpracticing), 13.8 percent are Evangelical Protestants, 11.3 percent report that they do not have a religion, and 4.3 percent declare that they belong to another religion.[48]
Apart from the dominant Catholic religion, there are several other religious groups in the country.[48] Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, and other Protestant groups have significant membership.[48] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) claim more than 35,000 members and has a temple in San José that served as a regional worship center for Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and Honduras.[49]
Although they represent less than 1 percent of the population, Jehovah's Witnesses have a strong presence on the Caribbean coast.[48] Seventh-day Adventists operate a university that attracts students from throughout the Caribbean Basin.[48] The Unification Church maintains its continental headquarters for Latin America in San José.[48]
Non-Christian religious groups, including followers of Judaism, Islam, Taoism, Hare Krishna, Paganism, Wicca, Scientology, Tenrikyo, and the Baháʼí Faith, claim membership throughout the country, with the majority of worshipers residing in the Central Valley (the area of the capital).[48] While there is no general correlation between religion and ethnicity, indigenous peoples are more likely to practice animism than other religions.[48]
Article 75 of the Costa Rican Constitution states that the "Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Religion is the official religion of the Republic".[50] That same article provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.[48] The US government found no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.[48]
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2006 edition.)
External links
- UNICEF Information about Costa Rica's Demographics Archived 2005-01-05 at the Wayback Machine
- INEC. National Institute of Statistics and Census (in Spanish)