Costa Rica - Population

The population of Costa Rica in 2003 was estimated by the United Nations at 4,173,000, which placed it as number 118 in population among the 193 nations of the world. In that year approximately 6% of the population was over 65 years of age, with another 32% of the population under 15 years of age. There were 103 males for every 100 females in the country in 2003. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate for 2000–2005 is 1.93%, with the projected population for the year 2015 at 5,030,000. The population density in 2002 was 77 per sq km (200 per sq mi).

It was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau that 48% of the population lived in urban areas in 2001. The capital city, San Jose, had a population of 964,000 in that year. Other large cities are Limón, 67,784; Alajuela, 158,276; Puntarenas, 92,360; Cartago, 108,958; and Heredia, 67,387. According to the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for 2000–2005 was2.6%.