Costa Rica Population Growth
Annual population growth rate SP.POP.GROW
Costa Rica's population growth was 0.37% in 2025, ranked 150th globally. This represents a 21.9% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1961–2025.
Overview
Costa Rica's population growth stood at 0.37% in 2025, a decline of +0.10pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.37% by 2025. Costa Rica ranked 150th globally.
Costa Rica’s population growth has slowed dramatically over the 65‑year span from 1961 to 2025, falling from an all‑time peak of 3.73 % in 1961 to a trough of 0.37 % in 2025, a decline that places the country at 150th globally. The contraction reflects a combination of declining fertility, increased urbanisation and the maturation of its health and education systems, which have lowered mortality while encouraging smaller family sizes. By contrast, Chile recorded a slightly higher growth rate of 0.40 % in the same year, underscoring how Costa Rica now lags even modestly behind its regional peers. The persistent low rate suggests that natural increase will contribute little to future demographic change, shifting the burden of population dynamics to migration and longevity. Should policies promote higher fertility or attract skilled migrants, the downward trajectory could be moderated, but absent such interventions the growth rate is likely to remain near the current trough.
Data & projection
| Year | Population Growth | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 0.28% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 0.32% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.37% | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.37% | −0.10pp | #150 |
| 2024 | 0.48% | +0.01pp | #71 |
| 2023 | 0.47% | +0.04pp | #71 |
| 2022 | 0.43% | −0.08pp | #70 |
| 2021 | 0.51% | −0.18pp | #88 |
| 2020 | 0.69% | −0.15pp | #95 |
| 2019 | 0.84% | −0.07pp | #93 |
| 2018 | 0.90% | −0.04pp | #94 |
| 2017 | 0.94% | −0.07pp | #101 |
| 2016 | 1.01% | −0.05pp | #98 |
| 2015 | 1.06% | −0.01pp | #102 |
| 2014 | 1.07% | −0.04pp | #100 |
| 2013 | 1.11% | −0.05pp | #101 |
| 2012 | 1.17% | −0.01pp | #109 |
| 2011 | 1.18% | −0.07pp | #110 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Costa Rica matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 1995. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw population growth improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Costa Rica's population growth was 0.37% in 2025. Ranked 150th globally. This represents a 21.9% decrease from the previous year.
Costa Rica's population growth peaked at 3.73% in 1961.
The lowest population growth in Costa Rica was 0.37% in 2025.
Costa Rica ranks 150th globally in population growth as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SP.POP.GROW. Data sourced from World Bank.
Costa Rica's population growth is projected to reach 0.37% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The population growth of Costa Rica in 2025 was 0.37%. This ranks 150th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_costa-rica_population-growth,
title = {Costa Rica Population Growth},
url = {https://historysaid.com/costa-rica/population-growth/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}