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Costa Rica vs United Kingdom: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 176 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more ā€” latest data through 2026.

Costa Rica
cri
Leads on 58 of 176 metrics
United Kingdom
gbr
Leads on 108 of 176 metrics

Summary

United Kingdom has 13.5 times as many people as Costa Rica (69.96 million vs 5.18 million). United Kingdom's economy is 37.1 times the size of Costa Rica's ($4.1 trillion vs $110.67 billion GDP).

Comparing Costa Rica and United Kingdom: Costa Rica leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (53,000) against United Kingdom (1.58); Costa Rica leads on Oil Imports (44,110) against United Kingdom (1.45); Costa Rica leads on Oil Consumption (47,000) against United Kingdom (1.62). Across 176 compared metrics, Costa Rica wins on 58 and United Kingdom wins on 108.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration23.29 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants42.16 subscriptions per 100 inhabitantsā˜…
Internet Penetration Rate (%)87.17 %95.47 %ā˜…
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)85.4 %96.3 %ā˜…
Internet Userspercent of population: 85% (2023 est.)percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed23.29 Mbps42.16 Mbpsā˜…
Press Freedom Index Score73.09 points78.89 pointsā˜…
Radios980,000ā˜…84.5
Televisions525,000ā˜…30.5
Waterways7303,200ā˜…

Economy

67 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.74B $31.15B $ā˜…
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars110.67B $4.10T $ā˜…
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.67 %19.12 %ā˜…
Apple Import Volume20.26M tonnes326.31M tonnesā˜…
Bank Account Ownership Rate71.35 %99.28 %ā˜…
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.5 %ā˜…0.25 %
Coal Revenue00
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)11.37 %ā˜…4.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.6 % of GDP10 % of GDPā˜…
Ease of Doing Business Index69.293.8ā˜…
Electricity Consumption9.81309.2ā˜…
Electricity Exports643ā˜…2.15
Electricity from Fossil Fuels1850ā˜…
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants64ā˜…2
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels09ā˜…
Electricity from Other Renewables1839ā˜…
Electricity Imports807ā˜…19.7
Electricity Installed Capacity3.5897.06ā˜…
Electricity Production10.79318.2ā˜…
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)30.73 USD per capita94.28 USD per capitaā˜…
Female Labor Force Participation Rate53.46 %73.49 %ā˜…
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-6.34 %16.28 %ā˜…
Gender Wage Gap-6.34 %ā˜…16.28 %
Gini Index Coefficient45.8ā˜…32.4
Gross Fixed Investment19.9ā˜…13.9
Gross National Saving15.1ā˜…13.6
High-Tech Export Percentage54.1 %63.43 %ā˜…
Highest GDP per Capita Countries28,443.41 USD53,993.12 USDā˜…
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.1 %ā˜…-0.5 %
Inflation Rate-0.07 %ā˜…3.88 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)-0.4 %ā˜…3.3 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.6 % of GDP2.4 % of GDPā˜…
Natural Gas Consumption079.17ā˜…
Natural Gas Exports011.27ā˜…
Natural Gas Imports047ā˜…
Natural Gas Production042.11ā˜…
Natural Gas Proved Reserves0176ā˜…
Number of AI Patents Filed1 patents441 patentsā˜…
Oil Consumption47,000ā˜…1.62
Oil Exports2,087ā˜…1.31
Oil Imports44,110ā˜…1.45
Oil Production263ā˜…1.39
Oil Proved Reserves02.86ā˜…
Population Below Poverty Line24.4 people18.6 peopleā˜…
Public Debt48.9ā˜…138.6
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.34 %2.68 %ā˜…
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USDā˜…1.1 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends8.19 %ā˜…-1.08 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption53,000ā˜…1.58
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0613,800ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Imports51,320907,500ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Production01.29ā˜…
Remittances0.8ā˜…0.1
Researchers in R&D per Million385.02 researchers4,472.69 researchersā˜…
Revenue from Forest Resources0.82ā˜…0.01
Robotics Research Funding0.34 USD2.68 USDā˜…
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)2.160.5ā˜…
Tax Burden (% of GDP)13.46 %ā˜…26.89 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)13.46 % of GDP26.89 % of GDPā˜…
Taxes and Other Revenues13.927.4ā˜…
Top Exporting Countries36.74B USD1.14T USDā˜…
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.43 %ā˜…1.91 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP1.87 %ā˜…1.77 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)1.87 %ā˜…1.77 %
Unemployment Rate7.9 %4.2 %ā˜…
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate57.66 %ā˜…61.37 %
Youth Unemployment Rate19.95 %14.65 %ā˜…

Environment

12 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Annual COā‚‚ Emissions Growth (abs)287,922ā˜…5.08M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate3,517.97 %12,600 %ā˜…
Average Annual Temperature23.34 Ā°Cā˜…10.37 Ā°C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.91ā˜…340.94
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution3,314.33 mmā˜…962.53 mm
Population Distributionroughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the populationthe core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scottish lowlands between Edinburgh and Glasgow, in southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and in far-eastern N
Protected Land Area for Adaptation25.83 sq km28.58 sq kmā˜…
Protected Land Area Percentage26.6 %28.4 %ā˜…
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.31 Cubic meters per yearā˜…9.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources113147ā˜…
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species4 speciesā˜…

Geography

7 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization3.41 %9.75 %ā˜…
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)196ā˜…115
Agricultural land16,651.72 sq. km172,448.2 sq. kmā˜…
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km51,060241,930ā˜…
Coastline Length (km)1,290 km12,429 kmā˜…
Dam capacity per capita382.59 cubic meters per inhabitantā˜…75.83 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land1,015ā˜…718

Government

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Rule of Law Index by Country54.31 %86.77 %ā˜…
Administrative Divisions7England: 24 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*) two-tier counties: Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Ess
Corruption Perception Index58 indexā˜…71 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score58 index71 indexā˜…
Independence15no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union unite England, Scotland, and
LGBT Rights Index Score3.0710.98ā˜…
Prison Population Rate395 per 100,000137.66 per 100,000ā˜…
Public Sector Corruption Perception58ā˜…71
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water80.5 %99.82 %ā˜…
Average BMI for Adults26.8 kg/mĀ²27.3 kg/mĀ²ā˜…
Change in Measles Immunization Rate93 %ā˜…89 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)37.338.38ā˜…
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.8ā˜…7.4
Female Life Expectancy Leaders81 years81.39 yearsā˜…
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.45 per 1,000 births0.25 per 1,000 birthsā˜…
Health Care Spending per Capita2,112.89 USD7,011.86 USDā˜…
Health Coverage Index Score84 score88 scoreā˜…
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.6 % of GDP11.3 % of GDPā˜…
Highest Male Life Expectancy81 years81.39 yearsā˜…
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %NA
Hospital Bed Density1.2 people/sq km2.4 people/sq kmā˜…
Hospital Beds per Capita1.14 beds per 1,0002.42 beds per 1,000ā˜…
Low Birth Weight Prevalence8.72 %6.83 %ā˜…
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)24 %8 %ā˜…
Nurses and Midwives Density3.07 per 1,000 people9.06 per 1,000 peopleā˜…
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)25.7 %ā˜…27.8 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending24.13 %14.63 %ā˜…
People Living With HIV/AIDS16,000NA
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.8 %8.98 %ā˜…
Total Number of Doctors2.693.14ā˜…
Underweight Children Under 52.90.6ā˜…

Military and Security

3 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Active Military Personnel0 personnel150,000 personnelā˜…
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0 %ā˜…2.35 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)10,000153,000ā˜…

People and Society

40 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Currently married (Percent)40.93 %46.59 %ā˜…
Human Capital Index0.630.79ā˜…
Life expectancy at birth84.75 yearsā˜…83.69 years
Median age of population35.68 years40.33 yearsā˜…
Population Change24,088.1 persons377,688.2 personsā˜…
Population density101.38 per sq. kmā˜…288.63 per sq. km
Total population5.18M persons69.96M personsā˜…
Academic Freedom Index0.92ā˜…0.67
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-BCā˜…
Beer Consumption per Capita2.46 liters3.54 litersā˜…
Birth Rate (%)10.86 %ā˜…10.76 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate70.9 %76.1 %ā˜…
Crude Birth Rate9.99 per 1,000 peopleā˜…9.89 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.24 %ā˜…9.25 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6.2 % of GDPā˜…5.9 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age1.33M persons15.28M personsā˜…
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)60.47 %75.41 %ā˜…
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate23.29 %42.16 %ā˜…
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.41 male/female105.42 male/femaleā˜…
Human Development Index0.590.78ā˜…
Labor Force Participation Rate2.3635.36ā˜…
Learning-adjusted years of school9.01 years11.65 yearsā˜…
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.46 people9.65 peopleā˜…
Mean Male Height (cm)168.93177.49ā˜…
Mean Years of Schooling9.12 years12.9 yearsā˜…
Military Service Age and Obligation18ā˜…16
Old-Age Dependency Ratio16.98 %ā˜…30.33 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization74.2 %86.48 %ā˜…
Physician Density2.69 people/sq km3.3 people/sq kmā˜…
Population Growth Rate0.75 %ā˜…0.4 %
Population living in slums1.68 %ā˜…0.16 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.63ā˜…15.13
Total deaths26,826 personsā˜…675,626.2 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)63.4 %75.07 %ā˜…
Total fertility rate1.3 per woman1.53 per womanā˜…
Total net-migration974.7 persons375,700.7 personsā˜…
Under-five mortality rate7.18 per live births4.03 per live birthsā˜…
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.97 %ā˜…0.39 %
Voting Age Population62.27 millionsā˜…61.06 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.482.25ā˜…
Airports1321,057ā˜…
Civil Air Travel11618ā˜…
Heliports8139ā˜…

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.62B USD84.55B USDā˜…

Other

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡ØšŸ‡· Costa RicašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Current Bank Rate3.5 %3.75 %ā˜…

Frequently Asked Questions About Costa Rica vs United Kingdom

Which has a larger population, Costa Rica or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom has 13.5 times as many people as Costa Rica (69.96 million vs 5.18 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Costa Rica or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom's economy is 37.1 times the size of Costa Rica's ($4.1 trillion vs $110.67 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Costa Rica or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $58,622 in United Kingdom vs $21,381 in Costa Rica (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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