Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Costa Rica: San José

The capital of Costa Rica is San José. Costa Rica sits in North America, has a population of 5,180,829, and uses the CRC. Official languages include Spanish.

Quick facts

  • Capital: San José
  • Continent: North America
  • Population: ~5,180,829
  • Area: 51,100 km²
  • Population density: 101 people per km²
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Currency: CRC
  • ISO code: CR

How big is Costa Rica?

By population, Costa Rica ranks 122nd in the world, holding roughly 0.07% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 126th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Costa Rica has 101 people per square kilometre, which is somewhat above the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.

Within North America, Costa Rica is the 11th most populous country of 23.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Costa Rica in population are New Zealand (5,124,100) and Liberia (5,302,681).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Bosnia and Herzegovina (51,197 km²) and Slovakia (49,035 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Cuba, and 14 others.

Costa Rica uses the CRC, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

Costa Rica in North America

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are United States, Mexico, Canada and Guatemala.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — North America is the block Costa Rica belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Costa Rica and a page on the flag of Costa Rica.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Costa Rica?

The capital of Costa Rica is San José.

What is the population of Costa Rica?

About 5,180,829, making it the 122nd most populous country in the world.

How big is Costa Rica?

51,100 square kilometres, ranking 126th by land area, at a density of 101 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Costa Rica use?

The CRC, which no other country uses.

More capitals to learn