View source for Demographics of Costa Rica

{{Short description|none}}
<!-- This short description is INTENTIONALLY "none" - please see WP:SDNONE before you consider changing it! -->
{{Infobox place demographics
 | place              = [[Costa Rica]]
 | image              = CostaRicaPOP2024.png
 | image_size         = 350px
 | alt                =
 | caption            = Costa Rica [[population pyramid]] in 2024

<!-- main demographics -->
 | size_of_population = {{UN_Population|Costa Rica}}{{UN_Population|ref}}
 | density            =
 | growth             = 
 | birth              = 10.2 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
 | death              = 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
 | life               = 
 | life_male          = 
 | life_female        = 
 | fertility          = 1.29 children per woman (2022 est.)
 | infant_mortality   =
 | net_migration      =

<!-- age structure -->
 | age_0–14_years     = 18.71%
 | age_15–64_years    = 68.44%
 | age_65_years       = 12.85%

<!-- sex ratio -->
 | total_mf_ratio     = 
 | sr_at_birth        = 
 | sr_under_15        = 
 | sr_15–64_years     = 
 | sr_65_years_over   =

<!-- nationality -->
 | nation             = [[Costa Ricans|Costa Rican]]
 | major_ethnic       = {{unbulleted list
|{{Tree list}}
* [[White Latin Americans|White]] (65.8%)<ref name="inec.go.cr">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica: Población total por autoidentificación étnica-racial, según provincia y sexo. (Spanish)|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/social/grupos-etnicos-raciales|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Costa Rica)|access-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>
** [[Spanish Costa Rican|Spanish]] (N/D)
** [[Italian Costa Ricans|Italian]] (N/D)
**  Others (N/D)
{{tree list/end}}
}}
 | minor_ethnic       = {{unbulleted list
|{{Tree list}}
* [[Multiracial people|Multiracial]] (24.5%)<ref name="inec.go.cr">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica: Población total por autoidentificación étnica-racial, según provincia y sexo. (Spanish)|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/social/grupos-etnicos-raciales|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Costa Rica)|access-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>
** [[Mestizo]] (17.8%)
** [[Mulatto]] (6.7%)
* [[Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica|Indigenous]] (2.4%)<ref name="inec.go.cr">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica: Población total por autoidentificación étnica-racial, según provincia y sexo. (Spanish)|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/social/grupos-etnicos-raciales|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Costa Rica)|access-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>
* [[Afro-Costa Ricans|African]] (1.1%)<ref name="inec.go.cr">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica: Población total por autoidentificación étnica-racial, según provincia y sexo. (Spanish)|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/social/grupos-etnicos-raciales|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Costa Rica)|access-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>
* [[Asian Latin American|East Asian]] (0.2%)<ref name="inec.go.cr">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica: Población total por autoidentificación étnica-racial, según provincia y sexo. (Spanish)|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/social/grupos-etnicos-raciales|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Costa Rica)|access-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>
** [[Chinese people in Costa Rica|Chinese]] (N/D)
** Others (N/D)
* Others (6.0%)
{{tree list/end}}
}}

<!-- language -->
 | official           = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
 | spoken             = [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[English language|English]], [[Limonese Creole|Mekatelyu]], [[Bribri language|BriBri]], [[Jamaican Patois|Patois]]
}}

According to the [[United Nations]], [[Costa Rica]] had an estimated population of 5,265,575 people as of 2024.<ref name=":0">{{Citation |title=Costa Rica |date=2025-05-27 |work=The World Factbook |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/costa-rica/#people-and-society |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610210450/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/costa-rica/#people-and-society |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 10, 2025 |access-date=2025-06-05 |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en}}</ref> [[White people]] make up 65.8% of the population, 17.8% identity as [[castizos or mestizos]], 7.8% are [[black people]] (including mixed race), 2.4% [[Amerindians]], and 6.2% other/none.<ref name=":0" />

In 2010, just under 3% of the population was of African descent. These are called [[Afro-Costa Rican]]s or [[West Indian]]s and are English-speaking descendants of 19th-century black [[Jamaica]]n immigrant workers. Another 1% is composed of those of Chinese origin, and less than 1% are West Asian, mainly of [[Lebanon|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.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

[[Immigration to Costa Rica|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/Web/Home/pagPrincipal.aspx|title=Principal|date=27 March 2012|website=Inec.go.cr|access-date=30 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327062704/http://www.inec.go.cr/Web/Home/pagPrincipal.aspx|archive-date=27 March 2012}}</ref> In 2015, there were some 420,000 immigrants in Costa Rica<ref name="pewglobal.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.pewglobal.org/interactives/migration-tables/|title=International Migrants by Country|date=10 November 2016|website=Pewglobal.org|access-date=30 August 2017}}</ref> and the number of asylum seekers (mainly from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) rose to more than 110,000.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/26/central-american-refugees-costa-rica-obama-administration|title=US partners with Costa Rica to protect Central American refugees|first=Amanda|last=Holpuch|date=26 July 2016|website=Theguardian.com|access-date=30 August 2017}}</ref> An estimated 10% of the Costa Rican population in 2014 was made up of [[Nicaragua]]ns.<ref name="CherryDillon2014">{{cite book|last1=Cherry|first1=Andrew|author2=Mary Dillon|title=International Handbook of Adolescent Pregnancy: Medical, Psychosocial, and Public Health Responses|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Ym4BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA258|access-date=5 November 2016|year=2014|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-1-4899-8026-7|page=258}}</ref> There is also a community of North American retirees from the United States and Canada, followed by relatively large numbers of [[European Union]] expatriates (chiefly Scandinavians and from Germany) come to retire as well, and Australians.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-06 |title=23 Downsides to Living in Portugal |url=https://www.portugalist.com/portugal-downsides/ |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=Portugalist |language=en-US}}</ref>

Despite a low fertility rate of 1.67 children per woman (2024),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Costa Rica Fertility Rate 1950-2025 {{!}} MacroTrends |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/CRI/costa-rica/fertility-rate |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref> the population still grows steadily due to immigration and a relatively young population.

The indigenous population today numbers about 60,000 (just over 1% of the population), with some [[Miskito people|Miskito]] and [[Garifuna people|Garifuna]] (a population of mixed African and [[Island Caribs|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).<ref>[http://www.datosmacro.com/demografia/migracion/emigracion/costa-rica Costa Rica - Emigrantes totales] (in Spanish) Según los últimos datos publicados Costa Rica tiene 133.185 emigrantes, lo que supone un 2,77% de la población de Costa Rica. Si miramos el ranking de emigrantes vemos que tiene un porcentaje de emigrantes medio, ya que está en el puesto 44º de los 195 del ranking de emigrantes.</ref>

==Population size and structure==
{{Costa Rican censuses}}
{{Chart|definition=Population of Costa Rica by year.chart|data=Population of Costa Rica by year.tab|Width=700}}

{{Chart|definition=Natural change in population of Costa Rica per 1000 people by year.chart|data=Natural change in population of Costa Rica per 1000 people by year.tab|Width=700}}

{{Chart|definition=Total fertility rate of Costa Rica by year.chart|data=Total fertility rate of Costa Rica by year.tab|Width=310}}
[[File:Costa Rica population (1934-2024).png|thumb|Costa Rica's population (1934-2024).]]
In {{UN_Population|Year}}, Costa Rica had a population of {{UN_Population|Costa Rica}}. The population is increasing at a rate of 1.5% per year. According to current trends, the population will increase to 9,158,000 in about 46 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2006/WPP2006_Highlights_rev.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2006/WPP2006_Highlights_rev.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision, Highlights, Working Paper No. ESA/P/WP.202. |work=United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division |location=New York |date=2007 |access-date=4 November 2016}}</ref> The population density is [[List of countries by population density|94 people per square km]], the third highest in Central America.

Approximately 20% lived in rural areas and 80% in urban areas. The rate of urbanization estimated for the period 2005&ndash;2015 is 2.74% per annum,<ref>{{cite web|title=Field listing: Urbanization: Costa Rica|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2212.html?countryName=Costa%20Rica&countryCode=cs&regionCode=ca&#cs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613203934/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2212.html?countryName=Costa%20Rica&countryCode=CS&regionCode=ca&#cs|archive-date=June 13, 2009|publisher=[[The World Factbook]]|access-date=4 November 2016}}</ref> one of the highest among [[developing country|developing countries]]. About 75% of the population lives above 500 meters, where the temperature is cooler and milder.

The [[Costa Rica 2011 Census|2011 census]] counted a population of 4.3 million people<ref>{{cite web|url=https://costaricalaw.com/costa-rica-facts/demographics-and-population/population-statistics/|title=Costa Rica Population Statistics|date=30 September 2016|website=Costaricalaw.com|access-date=30 August 2017}}</ref> distributed among the following groups: 71.1% Whites or [[Castizo]]s,17% Mestizo, 6.7% Black/Mulatto mixed race, 2.4% [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]], 1.1% Black or [[Afro-Costa Rican|Afro-Caribbean]]; the census showed 1.1% as Other.<ref name="livepopulation.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.livepopulation.com/country/costa-rica.html|title=Live Costa Rica Population Clock 2017 - Population of Costa Rica Today|website=Livepopulation.com|access-date=30 August 2017}}</ref>

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 people|Chorotega]] (Guanacaste), [[Maleku people|Maleku]] (northern Alajuela), [[Bribri people|Bribri]] (southern Atlantic), Cabécar (Cordillera de Talamanca), [[Guaymí]] (southern Costa Rica, along the Panamá border), [[Boruca people|Boruca]] (southern Costa Rica) and Térraba (southern Costa Rica).

Costa Ricans of European origin are primarily of [[Spanish people|Spanish]] descent,<ref name=CIA>{{cite web |author=Central Intelligence Agency |title=Costa Rica |work=The World Factbook |publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |location=Langley, Virginia |year=2011 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/costa-rica/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111084149/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/costa-rica |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 11, 2021 |access-date=2011-10-04}}</ref> 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 [[Jamaicans|Jamaican]] immigrant workers.

[[File:Niños costarricenses.JPG|thumb|Costa Rican school children]]
The 2011 census classified 83.6% of the population as white and [[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.<ref name=CIA/> Native and European mixed blood populations are far less than in other Latin American countries. Exceptions are the [[Guanacaste Province|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.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Province
!Province population
!City
!City population
|-
|border = "1"|[[San José Province]]
| style="text-align:center;"|1,345,750
|align="left"|[[San José, Costa Rica|San José]]
| style="text-align:center;"|350,535
|-
|border = "1"|[[Alajuela Province]]
| style="text-align:center;"|716,286
|align="left"|[[Alajuela]]
| style="text-align:center;"|46,554
|-
|border = "1"|[[Cartago Province]]
| style="text-align:center;"|432,395
|align="left"|[[Cartago, Costa Rica|Cartago]]
| style="text-align:center;"|156,600
|-
|border = "1"|[[Puntarenas Province]]
| style="text-align:center;"|357,483
|align="left"|[[Puntarenas]]
| style="text-align:center;"|102,504
|-
|border = "1"|[[Heredia Province]]
| style="text-align:center;"|354,732
|align="left"|[[Heredia, Costa Rica|Heredia]]
| style="text-align:center;"|42,600
|-
|border = "1"|[[Limón Province]]
| style="text-align:center;"|339,395
|align="left"|[[Puerto Limon]]
| style="text-align:center;"|105,000
|-
|border = "1"|[[Guanacaste Province]]
| style="text-align:center;"|264,238
|align="left"|[[Liberia, Costa Rica|Liberia]]
| style="text-align:center;"|98,751
|}

=== Structure of the population ===

{{Hidden begin 
|title= Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2017) (Based on the national household survey of 2017.):<ref>{{cite web|title=United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics|url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/documents/dyb2017/table07.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/documents/dyb2017/table07.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|access-date=11 February 2019}}</ref>
|titlestyle = background:#EEBC35;
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:80pt;"|Age group
! style="width:80pt;"|Male
! style="width:80pt;"|Female
! style="width:80pt;"|Total
! style="width:80pt;"|%
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| Total
|| 2 405 636
|| 2 541 064
|| 4 946 700
|| 100
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 0–4
|| 153 647
|| 153 302
|| 306 949
|| 6.20
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 5–9
|| 180 403
|| 179 809
|| 360 212
|| 7.28
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 10–14
|| 200 123
|| 174 821
|| 374 944
|| 7.57
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 15–19
|| 216 776
|| 211 077
|| 427 853
|| 8.64
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 20–24
|| 215 301
|| 205 588
|| 420 889
|| 8.50
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 25–29
|| 188 815
|| 198 789
|| 387 604
|| 7.83
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 30–34
|| 176 356
|| 198 185
|| 373 541
|| 7.55
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 35–39
|| 161 288
|| 174 851
|| 336 139
|| 7.40
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 40–44
|| 145 430
|| 164 672
|| 310 102
|| 6.26
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 45–49
|| 136 591
|| 163 412
|| 300 003
|| 6.06
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 50–54
|| 146 253
|| 168 407
|| 314 660
|| 6.36
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 55–59
|| 133 924
|| 144 718
|| 278 642
|| 5.63
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 60–64
|| 108 422
|| 126 063
|| 234 485
|| 4.74
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 65–69
|| 83 152
|| 92 321
|| 175 473
|| 3.54
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 70–74
|| 55 495
|| 75 098
|| 130 593
|| 2.64
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 75–79
|| 50 799
|| 45 514
|| 96 313
|| 1.94
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 80–84
|| 28 176
|| 31 126
|| 59 302
|| 1.20
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 85–89
|| 16 164
|| 20 771
|| 36 935
|| 0.74
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 90–94
|| 6 159
|| 10 188
|| 16 347
|| 0.33
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 95+
|| 2 362
|| 3 352
|| 5 714
|| 0.11
|-
! style="width:50px;"|Age group 
! style="width:80pt;"|Male
! style="width:80px;"|Female
! style="width:80px;"|Total
! style="width:50px;"|Percent
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 0–14
|| 522 072
|| 498 520
|| 1 020 592
|| 21.63
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 15–64
|| 1 580 192
|| 1 676 121
|| 3 256 313
|| 69.02
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| 65+
|| 187 174
|| 248 444
|| 435 618
|| 9.23
|- style="text-align:right;" 
|| unknown
|| 3 000
|| 2 158
|| 5 158
|| 0.10
|}
{{Hidden end}}

{{Hidden begin 
|title= Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2021) (Based on the annual national household survey and the 2011 population census.): <ref>{{Cite web |title=UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/#statistics |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=unstats.un.org}}</ref>
|titlestyle = background:#EEBC35;
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 2 482 471
| align="right" | 2 680 942 
| align="right" | 5 163 413
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 124 613
| align="right" | 133 474
| align="right" | 258 087
| align="right" | 5.00
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 165 238 
| align="right" | 165 966 
| align="right" | 331 204
| align="right" | 6.41
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 192 664
| align="right" | 184 342 
| align="right" | 377 006
| align="right" | 7.30
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 205 825
| align="right" | 193 150
| align="right" | 398 975
| align="right" | 7.73
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 213 937 
| align="right" | 206 672
| align="right" | 420 609
| align="right" | 8.15
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 187 872
| align="right" | 181 842 
| align="right" | 369 714
| align="right" | 7.16
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 180 627
| align="right" | 186 317
| align="right" | 366 944
| align="right" | 7.11
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 171 681
| align="right" | 199 074
| align="right" | 370 755
| align="right" | 7.18
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 170 025
| align="right" | 192 808
| align="right" | 362 833
| align="right" | 7.03
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 146 946
| align="right" | 167 271
| align="right" | 314 217
| align="right" | 6.09
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 150 529
| align="right" | 178 318
| align="right" | 328 847
| align="right" | 6.37
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 147 298 
| align="right" | 173 022
| align="right" | 320 320
| align="right" | 6.20
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 132 034 
| align="right" | 148 439
| align="right" | 280 473
| align="right" | 5.43
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 105 615
| align="right" | 133 821
| align="right" | 239 436
| align="right" | 4.64
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 75 845
| align="right" | 90 945
| align="right" | 166 790
| align="right" | 3.23
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 51 931
| align="right" | 63 090
| align="right" | 115 021
| align="right" | 2.23
|-
| align="right" | 80–84
| align="right" | 32 001
| align="right" | 43 126
| align="right" | 75 127
| align="right" | 1.45
|-
| align="right" | 85–89
| align="right" | 18 172
| align="right" | 25 283
| align="right" | 43 455
| align="right" | 0.84
|-
| align="right" | 90–94
| align="right" | 7 628
| align="right" | 9 021
| align="right" | 16 649
| align="right" | 0.32
|-
| align="right" | 95+
| align="right" | 1 990
| align="right" | 4 961
| align="right" | 6 951
| align="right" | 0.13
|-
! width="50"|Age group 
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 482 515
| align="right" | 483 782
| align="right" | 966 297
| align="right" | 18.71
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 1 706 774
| align="right" | 1 826 913
| align="right" | 3 533 687
| align="right" | 68.44
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 293 182
| align="right" | 370 247
| align="right" | 663 429
| align="right" | 12.85
|-
|}
{{Hidden end}}

==Vital statistics==

{{sticky-header}}{{sort under}}{{table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sort-under sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:right;"
|-
!
! style="width:70pt;"|Average population <ref>{{cite web|title=United Nations Demographic Yearbooks|url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm#2001|website=Unstats.un.org|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Principal|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/Web/Home/pagPrincipal.aspx|website=Inec.go.cr|access-date=2 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327062704/http://www.inec.go.cr/Web/Home/pagPrincipal.aspx|archive-date=27 March 2012}}</ref>
! style="width:70pt;"|Live births
! style="width:70pt;"|Deaths
! style="width:70pt;"|Natural change
! style="width:70pt;"|Crude birth rate (per 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|Crude death rate (per 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|Natural change (per 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|Crude migration rate (per 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|TFR
|-
| 1934
| 558,000
| style="color:red;"|23,858||10,020||13,838
|44.2||18.6||25.6|| ||
|-
| 1935
| 572,000
|24,934||12,630||style="color:red;"|12,304
|45.2||style="color:red;"|22.9||22.3|| 2.8
|-
| 1936
| 585,000
|25,450||11,811||13,639
|45.2||21.0||24.2|| -1.5
|-
| 1937
| 599,000
|25,624||11,032||14,592
|44.5||19.2||25.3|| -1.4
|-
| 1938
| 615,000
|26,839||10,422||16,417
|45.5||17.7||27.8|| -1.1
|-
| 1939
| 631,000
|27,027||11,687||15,340
|44.7||19.3||25.4|| 0.6
|-
| 1940
| 648,000
|28,004||11,211||16,793
|45.3||18.1||27.2|| -0.3
|-
| 1941
| 664,000
|28,823||11,429||17,394
|45.5||18.1||27.4|| -2.7
|-
| 1942
| 680,000
|28,263||13,559||14,704
|43.7||21.0||22.7|| 1.4
|-
| 1943
| 697,000
|30,468||11,734||18,734
|46.1||17.7||28.4|| -3.4
|-
| 1944
| 716,000
|29,935||11,295||18,640
|44.2||16.7||27.5|| -0.2
|-
| 1945
| 736,000
|32,529||10,768||21,761
|style="color:blue;"|46.8||15.5||31.3|| -3.4
|-
| 1946
| 759,000
|32,159||9,971||22,188
|45.0||13.9||31.1|| 0.1
|-
| 1947
| 787,000
|32,600||10,967||21,633
|44.7||14.9||29.8|| 7.1
|-
| 1948
| 808,000
|35,956||10,666||25,290
|44.5||13.2||31.3|| -4.6
|-
| 1949
| 832,000
|36,774||10,566||26,208
|44.2||12.7||31.5|| -1,8
|-
| 1950
| 966,000
|39,943||10,480||29,463
|41.3||10.8||30.5|| 130.6
|-
| 1951
| 994,000
|43,068||10,390||32,678
|43.3||10.5||32.9|| -3.9
|-
| 1952
|1,025,000
|45,816||10,672||35,144
|44.7||10.4||34.3|| -3.1
|-
| 1953
|1,058,000
|45,697||11,353||34,344
|43.2||10.7||32.5|| -0.3
|-
| 1954
|1,093,000
|48,857||10,681||38,176
|44.7||9.8||34.9|| -1.8
|-
| 1955
|1,129,000
|49,800||11,000||39,269
|44.1||9.7||34.8|| -1.9
|-
| 1956
|1,167,000
|51,350||10,476||40,874
|44.0||9.0||35.1|| -1.4
|-
| 1957
|1,206,000
|52,860||11,544||41,316
|43.9||9.6||34.3|| -0.9
|-
| 1958
|1,246,000
|53,919||10,608||43,311
|43.3||8.5||34.8|| --1.6
|-
| 1959
|1,289,000
|57,801||11,160||46,641
|44.8||8.7||36.2|| -1.7
|-
| 1960
|1,334,000
|59,701||11,035||48,666
|44.8||8.3||style="color:blue;"|36.5|| -1.6
|-
| 1961
|1,382,000
|60,641||10,644||49,997
|43.9||7.7||36.2|| -0.2
|-
| 1962
|1,431,000
|60,750||11,953||48,797
|42.5||8.4||34.1|| 1.4
|-
| 1963
|1,482,000
|62,821||12,519||50,302
|42.4||8.5||34.0|| 1.6
|-
| 1964
|1,533,000
|61,870||13,527||48,343
|40.4||8.8||31.6|| 2.8
|-
| 1965
|1,583,000
|62,400||12,814||49,586
|39.4||8.1||31.3|| 1.3
|-
| 1966
|1,633,000
|62,330||11,403||50,927
|38.2||7.0||31.2|| 0.4
|-
| 1967
|1,681,000
|61,229||11,289||49,940
|36.4||6.7||29.7|| -0.3
|-
| 1968
|1,729,000
|60,902||10,653||50,249
|35.2||6.2||29.1|| -0.5
|-
| 1969
|1,776,000
|59,636||11,599||48,037
|33.6||6.5||27.1|| 0.1
|-
| 1970
|1,822,000
|59,557||11,504||48,053
|32.7||6.3||26.4|| -0.5
|-
| 1971
|1,867,000
|58,138||10,575||47,563
|31.2||5.7||25.5|| -0.8
|-
| 1972
|1,911,000
|59,274||10,855||48,419
|31.0||5.7||25.4|| -1.8
|-
| 1973
|1,956,000
|58,177||9,702||48,475
|29.8||5.0||24.8|| -1.3
|-
| 1974
|2,002,000
|57,749||9,512||48,237
|28.9||4.8||24.1|| -0.6
|-
| 1975
|2,052,000
|59,175||9,615||49,560
|28.9||4.7||24.2|| 0.8
|-
| 1976
|2,105,000
|60,668||9,356||51,312
|28.8||4.4||24.4|| 1.4
|-
| 1977
|2,162,000
|64,190||8,907||55,283
|29.7||4.1||25.6|| 1.5
|-
| 1978
|2,222,000
|67,722||style="color:blue;"|8,625||59,097
|30.5||3.9||26.6|| 1.2
|-
| 1979
|2,284,000
|69,318||9,143||60,175
|30.4||4.0||26.4|| 1.5
|-
| 1980
|2,348,000
|70,048||9,268||61,780
|29.8||3.9||26.3||1.7 ||style="color: blue"|3.63
|-
| 1981
|2,415,000
|72,294||8,990||63,304
|30.0||style="color:blue;"|3.7||26.2|| 2.3|| style="color: blue"|3.62
|-
| 1982
|2,483,000
|73,168||9,168||64,000
|29.5||3.7||25.8||2.4||style="color: blue"|3.54
|-
| 1983
|2,554,000
|72,944||9,432||63,536
|28.6||3.7||24.9|| 3.7|| style="color: blue"|3.41
|-
| 1984
|2,626,000
|76,878||9,931||66,217
|29.0||3.8||25.2|| 3.0|| style="color: blue"|3.44
|-
| 1985
|2,699,000
|style="color:blue;"|84,337||10,493||style="color:blue;"|73,841
|31.3||3.9||27.4|| 0.4||style="color: blue"|3.72
|-
| 1986
|2,773,000
|83,194||10,449||72,745
|30.0||3.8||26.3|| 1.1 ||style="color: blue"|3.58
|-
| 1987
|2,848,000
|80,326||10,687||69,639
|28.2||3.8||24.5|| 2.5||style="color: blue"|3.36
|-
| 1988
|2,924,000
|81,376||10,944||70,432
|27.8||3.7||24.1|| 2.6|| style="color: blue"|3.33
|-
| 1989
|3,001,000
|83,460||11,272||72,188
|27.8||3.8||24.1|| 2,2 ||style="color: blue"|3.35
|-
| 1990
|3,079,000
|81,939||11,366||70,573
|26.6||3.7||22.9|| 3.1 ||style="color: blue"|3.20
|-
| 1991
|3,156,000
|81,110||11,792||69,318
|25.7||3.7||22.0|| 3.0 ||style="color: blue"|3.04
|-
| 1992
|3,234,000
|80,164||12,253||67,911
|24.8||3.8||21.0|| 3.7||style="color: blue"|3.02
|-
| 1993
|3,312,000
|79,714||12,544||67,170
|24.1||3.8||20.3|| 3.8 ||style="color: blue"|3.02
|-
| 1994
|3,394,000
|80,391||13,313||67,078
|23.7||3.9||19.8|| 5.0 ||style="color: blue"|2.85
|-
| 1995
|3,478,000
|80,306||14,061||66,245
|23.1||4.0||19.0|| 5.7 ||style="color: blue"|2.78
|-
| 1996
|3,567,000
|79,203||13,993||65,210
|22.2||3.9||18.3|| 7.3 ||style="color: blue"|2.69
|-
| 1997
|3,658,000
|78,018||14,260||63,758
|21.3||3.9||17.4|| 8.1|| style="color: blue"|2.68
|-
| 1998
|3,751,000
|76,982||14,708||62,274
|20.5||3.9||16.6|| 8.8 ||style="color: blue"|2.60
|-
| 1999
|3,842,000
|78,526||15,052||63,474
|20.4||3.9||16.5|| 7.8 ||style="color: blue"|2.60
|-
| 2000
|3,930,000
|78,178||14,944||63,234
|19.9||3.8||16.1|| 6.8 ||style="color: blue"|2.41
|-
| 2001
|4,013,000
|76,401||15,608||60,793
|19.0||3.9||15.1|| 6.0 ||style="color: blue"|2.28
|-
| 2002
|4,094,000
|71,144||15,004||56,140
|17.4||3.7||13.7|| 6.5 ||2.08
|-
| 2003
|4,171,000
|72,938||15,800||57,138
|17.5||3.8||13.7|| 5.1 ||2.08
|-
| 2004
|4,246,000
|72,247||15,949||56,298
|17.0||3.8||13.3|| 4.7 ||2.00
|-
| 2005
|4,320,000
|71,548||16,139||55,409
|16.6||3.7||12.8|| 4.6 ||2.00
|-
| 2006
|4,392,000
|71,291||16,766||54,525
|16.2||3.8||12.4|| 4.3 ||1.90
|-
| 2007
|4,463,000
|73,144||17,071||56,073
|16.4||3.8||12.6|| 3.6 ||1.98
|-
| 2008
|4,533,000
|75,187||18,021||57,166
|16.6||4.0||12.6|| 3.1 ||1.97
|-
| 2009
|4,601,000
|75,000||18,560||56,440
|16.2||4.0||12.2|| 2.8 ||1.95
|-
| 2010
|4,670,000
|70,922||19,077||51,845
|15.5||4.2||11.4|| 3.6 ||1.81
|-
| 2011
|4,738,000
|73,459||18,801||54,658
|15.9||4.1||11.8|| 2.8 ||1.86
|-
| 2012
|4,652,000
|73,326||19,200||54,126
|15.7||4.1||11.6|| -29.8||1.84
|-
|2013
|4,713,000
|70,550||19,647||50,903
|15.0||4.2||10.8|| 2.3 ||1.76
|-
|2014
|4,773,000
|71,793||20,553||51,240
|15.0||4.3||10.7|| 2.0 ||1.77
|-
|2015
|4,832,000
|71,819||21,039||50,780
|14.9||4.3||10.6|| 1.8 ||1.76
|-
|2016
|4,890,000
|70,004||22,603||47,401
|14.3||4.6||9.7|| 2.3 ||1.71
|-
|2017
|4,947,000
|68,816||23,251||45,565
|13.9||4.7||9.2|| 2.5 ||1.67
|-
|2018
|5,003,000
|68,449||23,806||44,643
|13.7||4.8||8.9|| 2.4 ||1.66
|-
|2019
|5,058,000
|64,287||24,237||40,050
|12.7||4.8||7.9|| 3.1 ||1.56
|-
|2020
|5,111,200
|57,848||26,209||31,639
|11.4||5.1||6.3|| 4.2 ||1.41
|-
|2021
|5,173,400
|54,289||style="color:red;"|31,081||23,208
|10.7||6.1||4.6|| 7.7 ||1.32
|-
|2022
|5,044,197 (c)
|53,435||28,931||24,504
|10.5||5.7||4.8||-29.7 ||1.30
|-
|2023
|5,136,000
|50,205||29,189||21,016
|9.7||5.6||4.1|| 14.0 ||1.19
|-
|2024
|5,164,860
|45,825||30,185||15,640
|8.9||5.8||3.1||  2.6||1.12
|-
|2025
|style="color:blue;"|5,191,823
|45,384
|30,750
|14,634
|style="color:red;"|8.7
|5.9
|style="color:red;"|2.8
|
| style="color: red" |1.12
|}

(c) = Census results.

===Current vital statistics ===

{| class="wikitable"  style="text-align:center;"
|+
|-
! Period
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural increase
|-
! January-June 2024
| 22,120
| 15,067
| +7,053
|-
! January-June 2025
| 21,868
| 15,523
| +6,345
|-
! Difference
| {{decrease}} -252 (-1.13%)
| {{increasenegative}} +456 (+3.03%)
| {{decrease}} -708
|-
! colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | '''Source:'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Estadísticas vitales|url=https://inec.cr/estadisticas-fuentes/estadisticas-demograficas|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos - INEC|access-date=22 September 2025}}</ref>
|}

===Life expectancy at birth===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />Years
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />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''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/|title=World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations|access-date=2017-07-15}}</ref>

==Ethnic groups==

{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Ethnic groups in Costa Rica<ref name="inec.go.cr">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica: Población total por autoidentificación étnica-racial, según provincia y sexo. (Spanish)|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/social/grupos-etnicos-raciales|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Costa Rica)|access-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>
|label1 = [[White Latin Americans|European]]
|value1 = 70.8
|color1 = Blue
|label2 = [[Mestizo]]
|value2 = 17.8
|color2 = Purple
|label3 = [[Mulatto]]
|value3 = 6.7
|color3 = Turquoise
|label4 = [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous]]
|value4 = 2.4
|color4 = Red
|label5 = [[Afro–Latin Americans|African]]
|value5 = 1.1
|color5 = Green
|label6 = [[Asian Latin American|Asian]]
|value6 = 0.2
|color6 = Yellow
|label7 = Other/none
|value7 = 1.0
|color7 = DimGray
}}

According to census data the vast majority of the population identifies itself as white or mestizo. The indigenous Amerindian population only constitutes 2.4% of the population in 2011, but has gone up from only 0.3% in 1950. About 7% has African roots. 

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|+ Population of Costa Rica according to ethnic group<ref name="UN Demographic Yearbooks"
>[http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm#2001 UN Demographic Yearbooks]</ref>
|-bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! width="100pt" rowspan="2" | Ethnic<br />group
! colspan="2" | Census 1950|| colspan="2" | Census 2000|| colspan="2" | Census 2011<ref name="inec.go.cr">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica: Población total por autoidentificación étnica-racial, según provincia y sexo. (Spanish)|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/social/grupos-etnicos-raciales|website=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Costa Rica)|access-date=2016-11-19}}</ref>
|-bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Number ||% || Number ||% || Number || %
|-
|align=left|Amerindian (indigenous)||2 692||0.3||63 876||1.7||104 143||2.4
|-
|align=left|[[Bribri people|Bribri]]||||||||||18 198||0.4
|-
|align=left|[[Boruca|Brumca/Boruca]]||||||||||5 555||0.1
|-
|align=left|[[Cabécar people|Cabécar]]||||||||||16 985||0.4
|-
|align=left|[[Chorotega people|Chorotega]]||||||||||11 442||0.3
|-
|align=left|[[Huetar people|Huetar]]||||||||||3 461||0.1
|-
|align=left|[[Maleku people|Maleku/Guatuso]]||||||||||17 80||0.0
|-
|align=left|[[Guaymi people|Ngobe/Guaymi]]||||||||||9 543||0.2
|-
|align=left|[[Naso people|Teribe/Terraba]]||||||||||2 665||0.1
|-
|align=left|foreign tribe||||||||||8 444||0.2
|-
|align=left|tribe not specified||||||||||26 070||0.6
|-
|align=left|Afrocostarican or black||15 118||1.9||72 784||1.9||45 228||1.1
|-
|align=left|[[Mulatto people|Mulatto]]||||||||||289 209||6.7
|-
|align=left|[[Chinese people|Chinese]]||933||0.1||7 873||0.2||9 170||0.2
|-
|align=left|White/mestizo||782 041||97.6||3 568 471||93.7||3 597 000||83.6
|-
|align=left|Other||91||0.0||||||36 334||0.8
|-
|align=left|Did not state||||||||||124 641||2.9
|-
|align=left|Unknown||||||97 175||2.6||95 140||2.2
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! align="left" | Total
! colspan="2" | 800,872
! colspan="2" | 3,810,179
! colspan="2" | 4,301,712
|}

===European Costa Ricans===
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group      = European Costa Ricans
| image      = 
| caption    = 
| population = {{circa}} '''2,830,000'''<ref name="nacion">{{cite web|url=http://www.nacion.com/vivir/ciencia/Herencia-china-moldea-genes-costarricenses_0_1444655578.html |title=Ticos tenemos más de africanos y chinos de lo que se pensaba |trans-title=Costa Rica has more Africans and Chinese than was thought |work=Nacion.com |date=12 October 2014 |access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Costa Rica es multirracial, último censo lo pone en evidencia {{!}} Crhoy.com |url=https://archivo.crhoy.com/costa-rica-es-multirracial-ultimo-censo-lo-pone-en-evidencia/nacionales/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=CRHoy.com {{!}} Periodico Digital {{!}} Costa Rica Noticias 24/7 |language=es}}</ref><br /> 65.8% of the Costa Rican population
| popplace   = 
| langs      = [[Costa Rican Spanish]], [[English language|English]]
| rels       = [[Roman Catholic]] 76.3%, [[Evangelical]] 13.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%, [[Buddhism]] 2%<ref name="CIA2">{{cite web|title=Costa Rica|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/costa-rica/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111084149/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/costa-rica|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 11, 2021|website=The World Factbook|access-date=30 August 2016}}</ref>
| related    = [[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%<ref name="GCIAD">{{cite journal|title=Genomic components in American demographic|journal=Genetics|date=2015|url=https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4307/35125440893_3566ed7714_o.jpg|volume=1|issue=3|page=25}}</ref> of the population have some level of European ancestry.<ref name="nacion" />

Percentages of the Costa Rican population by race are known as the national census, which includes the question of ethnicity in its form. As of 2012, 65.80% of Costa Ricans identify themselves as white/castizo and 17.80% as mestizo, giving around over 80% of the 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.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Geographic Patterns of Genome Admixture in Latin American Mestizos Tabla|journal=PLOS Genetics |doi=10.1371/journal.pgen.1000037|volume=4|issue=3|article-number=e1000037|pmid=18369456|pmc=2265669|date=March 2008 |last1=Wang |first1=S |last2=Ray |first2=N |last3=Rojas |first3=W |display-authors=et al |doi-access=free}}</ref> According to [[CIA Factbook]], Costa Rica has a white or Castizo population of 83.6%.<ref name="CIA" />

[[Cristopher Columbus]] and his crew were the first Europeans ever to set foot on what is now Costa Rica, having arrived at [[Uvita Island]] (modern-day [[Limón province]]) in 1502 on Columbus's last trip.<ref name="Planet">{{cite journal|title=Costa Rica|journal=Lonely Planet|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica/history|access-date=30 August 2016}}</ref> Costa Rica was part of the [[Spanish Empire]] and colonized by Spaniards mostly [[Castilians]], [[Basque people|Basque]] and [[Sephardic Jews]].

After [[Independence of Central America|independence]], large migrations of wealthy [[Citizenship of the United States|Americans]], [[Germans]], [[French people|French]] and [[British people|British]] businessmen<ref name="Planet" /> 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 Class|high]] and [[middle class]]es.<ref name="SICREM">{{cite journal|title=OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION (Costa Rica)|journal=SICREM|url=http://www.migracionoea.org/index.php/en/sicremi-en/reports/34-sicremi/publicacion-2012/paises-en/515-sintesis-historica-de-la-migracion-internacional-costa-rica.html|access-date=30 August 2016|archive-date=11 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911122159/http://www.migracionoea.org/index.php/en/sicremi-en/reports/34-sicremi/publicacion-2012/paises-en/515-sintesis-historica-de-la-migracion-internacional-costa-rica.html}}</ref>

Later, smaller migrations of [[Italians]], Spaniards (mostly [[Catalans]]) and [[Arab peoples|Arabs]] (mostly [[Lebanese people|Lebanese]] and [[Syrians]]) took place. These migrants arrived fleeing economic crisis in their home countries, setting in large, more closed colonies.<ref name="Planet" /> [[Polish diaspora|Polish migrants]], mostly [[Ashkenazi Jews]] who fled [[antisemitism]] and [[Nazism|Nazi persecution in Europe]], also arrived in large numbers.<ref name="Planet" />

In 1901, the president [[Ascensión Esquivel Ibarra]] closed the country to all non-white immigrants. All Black, [[Chinese people|Chinese]], [[Arab]], [[Turkish people|Turkish]] or [[Romani people|Romani]] migration to the country was banned. After the beginning of the [[Spanish Civil War]], a large influx of [[Spanish Republican|Republican refugees]] settled in the country, mostly [[Castilians]], [[Galicians]], and [[Asturians]],<ref name="SICREM" /> as well as later [[Chilean people|Chilean]], [[Mexican people|Mexican]] and [[Colombian People|Colombian]]<ref name="Planet" /> migrants who would arrive escaping from war or dictatorships, as Costa Rica is the longest running democracy in [[Latin America]].<ref name="Planet" /><ref name="SICREM" />

==Languages==
[[File:Basilica los Angeles, Spring 2006.jpg|thumb|300px|The Basilica Los Angeles, [[Cartago, Costa Rica|Cartago]], Costa Rica.]]
{{Main|Languages of Costa Rica}}

Nearly all Costa Ricans speak Spanish, but many know English. Indigenous Costa Ricans also speak their [[Indigenous languages of the Americas|own language]], such as the case of the Ngobes.

==Religion==
{{Main|Religion in Costa Rica}}

{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Costa Rica (2008)<ref name=report1>[https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108520.htm International Religious Freedom Report 2008: Costa Rica]. United States [[Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor]] (September 14, 2007)</ref><ref name="buddhistchannel.tv">{{cite web|first=Terrence|last=Johnson|url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=71,11009,0,0,1,0#.WBz56iRuhnI|title=Buddhism in Costa Rica|website=Buddhistchannel.tv|date=5 August 2012|access-date=4 November 2016}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]]
|value1 = 70.5
|color1 = DodgerBlue
|label2 = [[Protestantism]]
|value2 = 13.8
|color2 = DarkOrchid
|label3 = [[Irreligion]]
|value3 = 11.3
|color3 = Gray
|label4 = [[Buddhism]]
|value4 = 2.1
|color4 = Gold
|label5 = Other religions
|value5 = 2.2
|color5 = Red
}}

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%), and 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 [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] Protestants, 11.3 percent report that they [[Nonreligious|do not have a religion]], and 4.3 percent declare that they belong to another religion.<ref name=report>{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2008/108520.htm|title=Costa Rica: International Religious Freedom Report 2008|work=[[United States Department of State]]|date=2008|access-date=4 November 2016}}</ref>

Apart from the dominant Catholic religion, several other religious groups exist in the country.<ref name=report/> [[Methodist]], [[Lutheran]], [[Anglicanism|Episcopal]], [[Baptist]], and other Protestant groups have significant membership.<ref name=report/> [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church) claims more than 35,000 members and has a temple in [[San José Costa Rica Temple|San José]] that served as a regional worship center for Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and Honduras.<ref>[https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics/country/costa-rica "Facts and Statistics"], ''[[Church News]]'', 2020. Retrieved on 30 March 2020.</ref>

Although they represent less than 1 percent of the population, [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] have a strong presence on the Caribbean coast.<ref name=report/> Seventh-day Adventists operate a university that attracts students from throughout the Caribbean Basin.<ref name=report/> The [[Unification Church]] maintains its continental headquarters for Latin America in San José.<ref name=report/>

Non-Christian religious groups, including followers of [[Judaism]], [[Islam]], [[Taoism]], [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|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).<ref name=report/> While there is no general correlation between religion and ethnicity, indigenous peoples are more likely to practice [[animism]] than other religions.<ref name=report/>

Article 75 of the Costa Rican Constitution states that the "Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Religion is the official religion of the Republic."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.costaricalaw.com/legalnet/constitutional_law/engtit6.html|title=Title VI: Religion: Article 75 (As amended with regard to its number by Article 1, Law No. 5703)|work=CostaRicaLaw.com|date=6 June 1975|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010421171417/http://www.costaricalaw.com/legalnet/constitutional_law/engtit6.html|archive-date=21 April 2001}}</ref> That same article provides for [[freedom of religion]]. The government respects this right.<ref name=report/> The US government found no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.<ref name=report/>

==Migration==

===Emigration===

Costa Rican emigration is among the smallest in the [[Caribbean Basin]]. About 2% 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, 127,061 Costa Ricans lived in another country as immigrants. [[Remittance]] s were $513,000,000 in 2006, which represented 2.3% of the national GDP.

===Immigration===
{{Further|Immigration to Costa Rica}}

Costa Rica's immigration is among the largest in the Caribbean Basin. According to the 2011 census, 385,899 residents were born abroad.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.inec.go.cr/Web/Home/GeneradorPagina.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120125018/http://www.inec.go.cr/Web/Home/GeneradorPagina.aspx|title=Censo 2011|archive-date=November 20, 2015}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPROSPECTS/Resources/334934-1199807908806/CostaRica.pdf|title=Costa Rica country profile (from the Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011)|publisher=[[World Bank]]|access-date=2011-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103144309/http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPROSPECTS/Resources/334934-1199807908806/CostaRica.pdf|archive-date=2011-11-03}}</ref> The number of migrants declined in later years but in 2015, there were some 420,000 immigrants in Costa Rica<ref name="pewglobal.org"/> and the number of asylum seekers (mainly from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) rose to more than 110,000, a fivefold increase from 2012.<ref name="auto"/> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/09/01/492066728/costa-rica-becomes-a-magnet-for-migrants|title=Costa Rica Becomes A Magnet For Migrants|website=Npr.org|access-date=30 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=122498|title=Nicaragua, Trump, Deportations and the {{sic|Affect|expected=Effect|nolink=y}} on Family Remittances - Havana Times.org|website=Havanatimes.org|date=5 December 2016|access-date=30 August 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Ethnic groups in Central America]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{CIA World Factbook|year=2006}}

==External links==
*[http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/costarica_statistics.html#6 UNICEF Information about Costa Rica's Demographics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050105033220/http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/costarica_statistics.html#6 |date=2005-01-05 }}
*[http://www.inec.go.cr INEC]. [[Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos de Costa Rica|National Institute of Statistics and Census]] {{in lang|es}}

{{Ethnic groups in Costa Rica}}
{{Costa Rica topics}}
{{North America in topic|Demographics of}}
{{Population country lists}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of Costa Rica}}
[[Category:Demographics of Costa Rica| ]]