Map of Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a country in North America with its capital at San José, home to about 5.15 million people across 51,180 km². The interactive map below plots 13 cities and towns, 2 rivers, 1 mountain summits and 4 ports recorded for Costa Rica in YearMaps.
- Population
- 5.15 million
- Area
- 51,180 km²
- Capital
- San José
- Continent
- North America
Interactive Map of Costa Rica
Centred on San José at 9.9370° N, 84.0860° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, sharing a maritime border with Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. It has a population of around five million in a land area of nearly 51,180 km2 (19,760 sq mi); the capital and largest city is San José, home to around 350,000 residents and two million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.
Humans have been in Costa Rica since between 7,000 and 10,000 BC. Various indigenous peoples lived in the territory before it was colonized by Spain in the 16th century. Costa Rica was a peripheral colony of the Spanish Empire until independence in 1821 as part of the First Mexican Empire, followed by membership in the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823, from which it formally declared independence in 1847. The country underwent gradual modernization under relatively stable authoritarian rule until the late 19th century, when it promulgated a liberal constitution and held the first free and fair national election in Central America.
Following a brief civil war in 1948, Costa Rica adopted its current constitution in 1949, which granted universal suffrage, provided various social, economic, and educational guarantees for all citizens, and permanently abolished the army, becoming one of the few sovereign nations without a standing military. Costa Rica is a presidential republic with a robust and stable democracy. About one-fourth of the national budget is spent on education—which has been free and compulsory since 1886—equal to about 6.2% of the country's GDP, compared to a global average of 3.8%; the economy, once heavily dependent on agriculture, has diversified to include finance, corporate services for foreign companies, pharmaceuticals, and ecotourism.
Costa Rica has consistently performed favorably in the Human Development Index (HDI), placing 62nd globally, and fifth in Latin America, in 2023. Costa Rica is classified by the World Bank as a high-income economy and is the only OECD country in Central America and the Caribbean. It has been cited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as having attained much higher human development than other countries at the same income levels, with a better record on human development and inequality than the regional median.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Costa Rica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Costa Rica
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance from Indigenous populations, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two-and-a-half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica was one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. General Federico TINOCO Granados led a coup in 1917, but the threat of US intervention pushed him to resign in 1919. In 1948, landowner Jose FIGUERES Ferrer raised his own army and rebelled against the government. The brief civil war ended with an agreement to allow FIGUERES to remain in power for 18 months, then step down in favor of the previously elected Otilio ULATE. FIGUERES was later elected twice in his own right, in 1953 and 1970. Costa Rica experienced destabilizing waves of refugees from Central American civil wars in the 1970s and 1980s, but peace in the region has since helped the economy rebound. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries.
- Location
- Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama.
- Climate
- Tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands.
- Terrain
- Coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major active volcanoes.
- Highest point
- Cerro Chirripo 3,819 m.
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 1,290 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 661 km; border countries: Nicaragua 313 km; Panama 348 km.
- Natural resources
- Hydropower.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 33.1% (2023 est.); arable land: 3.3% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 7.4% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.); forest: 58.4% (2023 est.); other: 8.4% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes volcanism: Arenal (1,670 m) is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city, as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba.
- Geographic note
- Four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65.
- Languages
- Spanish (official), English.
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)
- Economy
- Trade-based upper middle-income economy; green economy leader, having reversed deforestation; investing in blue economy infrastructure; declining poverty until hard impacts of COVID-19; lingering inequality and growing government debts have prompted a liquidity crisis.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Costa Rica in Numbers
- Population
- 5.15 million
- GDP
- US$102.9 billion
- GDP per person
- US$19,970
- Life expectancy
- 81.0 years
- Population growth
- 0.45% a year
- Population density
- 101 per km²
- Urban population
- 79.7%
- Surface area
- 51,100 km²
- Forest cover
- 59.1%
- Arable land
- 3.3%
- Access to electricity
- 99.8%
- Internet users
- 87.2%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Costa Rica in Depth
History
Historians have classified the Indigenous people of Costa Rica as belonging to the Intermediate Area, where the peripheries of the Mesoamerican and Andean native cultures overlapped. More recently, pre-Columbian Costa Rica has also been described as part of the Isthmo-Colombian Area.
Stone tools, the oldest evidence of human occupation in Costa Rica, are associated with the arrival of various groups of hunter-gatherers about 10,000 to 7,000 years BCE in the Turrialba Valley. The presence of Clovis culture type spearheads and arrows from South America opens the possibility that, in this area, two different cultures coexisted.
Agriculture became evident in the populations that lived in Costa Rica about 5,000 years ago. They mainly grew tubers and roots.
Geography
Costa Rica borders the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Costa Rica also borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.
The highest point in the country is Cerro Chirripó, at 3,819 metres (12,530 ft). The highest volcano in the country is the Irazú Volcano (3,431 m or 11,257 ft) and the largest lake is Lake Arenal. There are 14 known volcanoes in Costa Rica, and six of them have been active in the last 75 years.
Costa Rica experiences a tropical climate year-round. There are two seasons. The dry season is December to April, and the rainy season is May to November. March and April are the hottest months in the country, while December and January are the coldest.
Economy
Costa Rica's economy has shown resilience and growth in recent years. In 2024, the country's nominal GDP per capita was estimated at US$17,501, reflecting steady economic development.
The unemployment rate has also seen improvement, dropping to 6.9% in December 2024. This reduction suggests a recovering labor market and increased employment opportunities. Poverty levels have decreased, with the national poverty rate falling to 10.0% in 2024, the lowest in recent years. This improvement reflects successful social programs and economic inclusivity. In 2025, the World Bank reclassified Costa Rica as a high-income economy.
Costa Rica continues to prioritize renewable energy, with approximately 95% of its electricity generated from renewable sources in 2023.
Demographics
The 2022 census counted a total population of 5,044,197 people. In 2022, the census also recorded ethnic or racial identity for all groups separately for the first time in more than ninety-five years since the 1927 census. Options included Indigenous, Black or Afro-descendant, Mulatto, Chinese, Mestizo, white and other on section IV: question 7.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Costa Rica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Costa Rica: Key Facts
| Currency | Costa Rican colón |
|---|---|
| Official language | Spanish |
| Head of state | Laura Fernández Delgado |
| Head of government | Laura Fernández Delgado |
| Calling code | +506 |
| Internet domain | .cr |
| Highest point | Cerro Chirripó |
| Lowest point | Caribbean Sea |
| Established | 1821 |
Facts from Wikidata Q800 (CC0).
History of Costa Rica: Empires and States
The atlas records 3 polities whose mapped territory included part of Costa Rica, from The Spanish Empire in 1526 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| The Spanish Empire | 1526–1821 CE | Most |
| United Provinces of Central America | 1824–1839 CE | Most |
| Republic of Costa Rica | 1840–2024 CE | Most |
Historical Maps of Costa Rica
Costa Rica on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Costa Rica
Costa Rica has bewilderingly diverse culture, climates, flora, and fauna, and landscapes range from rainforests, to dry tropical and temperate forests, to volcanoes, to Caribbean and Pacific beaches, to high mountains, and marshy lowlands. Costa Rica is an exceptionally stable and peaceful country compared to the volatile region it's in, and is one of the world's top destinations for nature and ecotourism. Owing in part to its comparative wealth, it can be a bit more expensive than its northern neighbors in Central America.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Costa Rica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Costa Rica
13 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San José | 1.28 million | San José | National capital |
| 2 | Alajuela | 387,743 | Alajuela | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Cartago | 196,946 | Cartago | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Puerto Limon | 85,001 | Limón | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Puntarenas | 57,102 | Puntarenas | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Liberia | 45,380 | Guanacaste | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Quesada | 31,106 | Alajuela | Populated place |
| 8 | Heredia | 21,947 | Heredia | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Canas | 20,306 | Guanacaste | Populated place |
| 10 | Golfito | 6,777 | Puntarenas | Populated place |
| 11 | La Cruz | 4,319 | Guanacaste | Populated place |
| 12 | Ciudad Cortes | 3,850 | Puntarenas | Populated place |
| 13 | Sixaola | 1,823 | Limón | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Costa Rica
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerro Chirripó | 3,820 m | 12,533 ft | North America |
Cerro Chirripó
Mountain · 3,820 m
Cerro Chirripó is a mountain rising to 3,820 metres (12,533 ft) in Costa Rica, in the North America region.
Cerro Chirripó is the highest mountain in Costa Rica, with an elevation of 3,821 meters (12,536 feet). It is part of the Cordillera de Talamanca, and the mountain range's highest point. It is located in Chirripó National Park and is noted for its ecological wealth.
Mount Chirripó is very tall relative to its surroundings, evidenced by its particularly high topographic prominence of 3,727 m (12,228 ft). This makes it the 37th most prominent peak in the world. On clear days it is possible to see across the country from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Cerro Chirripó (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 3,820 m (12,533 ft)
- Global rank
- #141 of 641 indexed
- Region
- North America (#27)
- Subregion
- Central America
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Coordinates
- 9.4836°, -83.4887°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Cerro Chirripó ranks #141 by elevation, below Saramati (3,826 m) and above Fuji Station (Japan) (3,810 m).
- Ranges:
- Sierra Madre Oriental (North America), Blue Ridge (North America)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Volcán Barú (3,475 m), Pico Mogotón (2,106 m), Cerro Las Minas (2,849 m)
- Settlements below:
- Cartago (65 km), Puerto Limon (76 km), San José (83 km)
More about Cerro Chirripó
Geography
Chirripó is the 37th most prominent peak in the world. The most abundant ecosystem in the mountains is the páramo, which extends across almost all the mountains. It also has a large number of lakes on the top, which is because during the previous ice age it was covered with snow. When the ice melted, these unique glacial lakes were formed. The mountain was named "Chirripo", meaning "land of eternal waters", by indigenous Costa Ricans because of the many lakes and streams around the mountain.
The temperatures on Mount Chirripo during the day range between 4 and 18 °C (39 and 64 °F), and at night they can drop to between −3 and 1 °C (27 and 34 °F). The coldest temperature ever documented in Costa Rica was −9 °C (16 °F), and recorded here.
History
The earliest known civilization to inhabit the area of Chirripó was the indigenous Cabécar people. In 1904, Agustín Blessing Presinger became the first known European to climb the peak.
The first official hiking trail was constructed in 1965; it led to a small sheet-metal hut five kilometers away from the peak. Today, the hut has been replaced by a concrete building visited by 7,000 people each year. In 1975, Chirripó National Park was founded, enclosing and protecting 500 square kilometers of rain forest and mountains around the peak.
Since 1953, there have been five major wildfires in the area. Forest fires occurred in 1976, in the 1990s, and in 2012.
Ecology
In the lowest parts of the mountains, the cloud forest dominates, with oak trees no higher than 50 meters, accompanied with mosses, lichens, and orchids. Whereas, in the upper parts of the mountain the páramo is predominant, an ecosystem characterized by short and dry grass. The high peaks in Chirripó National Park and La Amistad International Park host important areas of Talamancan montane forest and Costa Rican Páramo with high endemism and extremely high biodiversity. The peaks of these mountains constitute sky islands for many species of plants and animals. In fact, types of squirrels, hummingbirds, rabbits, quetzals, frogs, white-nosed coati and even jaguars habit the mountains.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Cerro Chirripó (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cerro Chirripó: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 3,727 m |
|---|---|
| Mountain range | Cordillera de Talamanca |
Facts from Wikidata Q252362 (CC0).
Rivers in Costa Rica
2 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
| Name | Type | Also Flows Through |
|---|---|---|
| Chirrip del Atlntico | River | — |
| San Juan | Lake reach | Nicaragua |
Ports in Costa Rica
4 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golfito | 42.1 m | Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | large vessels |
| 2 | Puntarenas | 38.4 m | Very Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | large vessels |
| 3 | Puerto Caldera | 34.7 m | Very Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | large vessels |
| 4 | Puerto Quepos | — | Very Small | Pacific Coast of North & Central America | medium vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Costa Rica
4 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves | 1983 | Natural | (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) |
| 2 | Cocos Island National Park | 1997 | Natural | (ix) (x) |
| 3 | Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site | 1999 | Natural | (ix) (x) |
| 4 | Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the Diquís | 2014 | Cultural | (iii) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Costa Rica
3 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central America | 787,235 km² | Isthmus | North America |
| 2 | Pen. de Nicoya | 687 km² | Pen/cape | North America |
| 3 | Pen. de Osa | 81 km² | Pen/cape | North America |
Central America
Isthmus · 787,235 km²
Central America is an isthmus in North America (Central America), covering an estimated 787,235 km². It extends across Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Belize. It is the 20th-largest of the 231 landforms with a mapped extent in YearMaps.
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually defined as consisting of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, and also, in specialized contexts, including Mexico. Within Central America is the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, which extends from southern Mexico to southeastern Panama. Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc, seismic activity in the region, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, is high, which has caused death, injury, and property damage.
Central America includes portions of two recognized cultural areas: the Isthmo-Colombian cultural area, which encompasses modern Panama, Costa Rica, and the eastern portions of Nicaragua and Honduras, along with regions to the east; and the Mesoamerican cultural area, encompassing Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and the western portions of Honduras and Nicaragua, along with the southern part of Mexico.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Central America (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Isthmus
- Mapped extent
- 787,235 km²
- Size rank
- #20 of 231 landforms
- Region
- North America
- Subregion
- Central America
- Countries
- Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Belize
- Coordinates
- 13.8877°, -85.5972°
- Summits:
- Cerro Chirripó (3,820 m)
- Ranges:
- Sierra Madre Oriental (North America), Blue Ridge (North America)
More about Central America
Geography
Central America is a part of North America consisting of a tapering isthmus running from the southern extent of Mexico to the northwestern portion of South America. Central America has the Gulf of Mexico, a body of water within the Atlantic Ocean, to the north; the Caribbean Sea, also part of the Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast; and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Some physiographists define the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as the northern geographic border of Central America, while others use the northwestern borders of Belize and Guatemala. From there, the Central American land mass extends southeastward to the Atrato River, where it connects to the Pacific Lowlands in northwestern South America.
History
Central America was formed more than 3 million years ago, as part of the Isthmus of Panama, when its portion of land connected each side of water.
In the Pre-Columbian era, the northern areas of Central America were inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. Most notable among these were the Mayans, who had built numerous cities throughout the region, and the Aztecs, who had created a vast empire. The pre-Columbian cultures of eastern Honduras, Caribbean Nicaragua, most of Costa Rica and Panama were predominantly speakers of the Chibchan languages at the time of European contact and are considered by some culturally different and grouped in the Isthmo-Colombian Area.
Economy
Signed in 2004, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is an agreement between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. The treaty is aimed at promoting free trade among its members.
Guatemala has the largest economy in the region. Its main exports are coffee, sugar, bananas, petroleum, clothing, and cardamom. Of its 10.29 billion dollar annual exports, 40.2% go to the United States, 11.1% to neighboring El Salvador, 8% to Honduras, 5.5% to Mexico, 4.7% to Nicaragua, and 4.3% to Costa Rica.
The region is particularly attractive for companies (especially clothing companies) because of its geographical proximity to the United States, very low wages and considerable tax advantages.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Central America (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Central America: Key Facts
| Area | 560,988 km² |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Volcán Tajumulco |
Facts from Wikidata Q27611 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Costa Rica
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in North America
Costa Rica: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Costa Rica?
- The capital of Costa Rica is San José.
- What is the population of Costa Rica?
- Costa Rica has a population of about 5.15 million, the #127 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Costa Rica?
- Costa Rica covers 51,180 km², ranking #131 by area, with about 101 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Costa Rica in?
- Costa Rica is in North America.
- Which countries border Costa Rica?
- Costa Rica shares a land or maritime border with Panama, Nicaragua.
- What is the largest city in Costa Rica?
- San José is the largest city in Costa Rica, with a metropolitan population of about 1.28 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Costa Rica?
- The highest summit recorded for Costa Rica in YearMaps is Cerro Chirripó at 3,820 m (12,533 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.