Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — Costa Rica

Rural population share in Costa Rica in 2025 — 20.3%. Ranked 159 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 45.6 pp.

2025 20.3% −0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank 159of 217
Period maximum 65.9%1960
Period minimum 20.3%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — Costa Rica, 1960–202502040608019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 65.9%1962: 65.7%1964: 65.2%1966: 64.2%1968: 62.7%1970: 61.2%1972: 59.8%1974: 58.9%1976: 58.3%1978: 57.7%1980: 57.1%1982: 56.5%1984: 55.6%1986: 54.5%1988: 53.1%1990: 51.4%1992: 49.5%1994: 47.5%1996: 45.3%1998: 43.1%2000: 41%2002: 38.7%2004: 36.3%2006: 33.8%2008: 31.2%2010: 28.5%2012: 26.6%2014: 25.5%2016: 24.5%2018: 23.4%2020: 22.5%2022: 21.6%2024: 20.7%2025: 20.3%
Change over the period: −45.6 pp Annual average: -0.7 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Costa Rica

Costa Rica 20.3%
World 42.2%
Central America computed 25%
Rural population share — Costa Rica, by year Costa Rica All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 20.3 −0.4 pp
2024 20.7 −0.4 pp
2023 21.1 −0.4 pp
2022 21.6 −0.5 pp
2021 22 −0.5 pp
2020 22.5 −0.5 pp
2019 23 −0.5 pp
2018 23.4 −0.5 pp
2017 23.9 −0.5 pp
2016 24.5 −0.5 pp
2015 25 −0.5 pp
2014 25.5 −0.5 pp
2013 26.1 −0.6 pp
2012 26.6 −0.5 pp
2011 27.2 −1.3 pp
2010 28.5 −1.4 pp
2009 29.9 −1.3 pp
2008 31.2 −1.3 pp
2007 32.5 −1.3 pp
2006 33.8 −1.3 pp
2005 35.1 −1.2 pp
2004 36.3 −1.2 pp
2003 37.5 −1.2 pp
2002 38.7 −1.1 pp
2001 39.9 −1.1 pp
2000 41 −1.1 pp
1999 42 −1.1 pp
1998 43.1 −1.1 pp
1997 44.2 −1.1 pp
1996 45.3 −1.1 pp
1995 46.4 −1.1 pp
1994 47.5 −1 pp
1993 48.5 −1 pp
1992 49.5 −1 pp
1991 50.5 −0.9 pp
1990 51.4 −0.9 pp
1989 52.3 −0.8 pp
1988 53.1 −0.7 pp
1987 53.9 −0.7 pp
1986 54.5 −0.6 pp
1985 55.1 −0.5 pp
1984 55.6 −0.4 pp
1983 56.1 −0.4 pp
1982 56.5 −0.3 pp
1981 56.8 −0.3 pp
1980 57.1 −0.3 pp
1979 57.4 −0.3 pp
1978 57.7 −0.3 pp
1977 58 −0.3 pp
1976 58.3 −0.3 pp
1975 58.6 −0.4 pp
1974 58.9 −0.4 pp
1973 59.3 −0.5 pp
1972 59.8 −0.6 pp
1971 60.5 −0.7 pp
1970 61.2 −0.8 pp
1969 62 −0.8 pp
1968 62.7 −0.8 pp
1967 63.5 −0.7 pp
1966 64.2 −0.6 pp
1965 64.8 −0.5 pp
1964 65.2 −0.3 pp
1963 65.5 −0.1 pp
1962 65.7 −0.1 pp
1961 65.8 −0.1 pp
1960 65.9

Central America, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living outside urban settlements, as a percent of the total. It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and therefore inherits every particularity of national definitions of urban areas.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.