Population
Nicaragua is higher
Nicaragua records 6,916,140, about 1.35× the other value.
Country comparison
Costa RicavsNicaragua
See the biggest differences first, then scan the geographic, economic, and practical reference data.
This comparison uses the latest available atlas values for each country; reporting years can differ by metric.
The biggest differences first
Surface area
Nicaragua is higher
Nicaragua records 130,370 km², about 2.55× the other value.
Nominal GDP
Costa Rica is higher
Costa Rica records $95.35 billion, about 4.84× the other value.
What stands out
Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.
Population
🇨🇷 Costa Rica5,129,910
🇳🇮 Nicaragua6,916,140
Nicaragua’s population is 35% larger than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 1,786,230.
Surface area
🇨🇷 Costa Rica51,100 km²
🇳🇮 Nicaragua130,370 km²
Nicaragua’s surface area is 155% larger than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 79,270 km².
Population density
🇨🇷 Costa Rica100 /km²
🇳🇮 Nicaragua53.1 /km²
Costa Rica’s population density is 89% higher than that of Nicaragua, a difference of 47.3 /km².
Nominal GDP
🇨🇷 Costa Rica$95.35 billion · 2024
🇳🇮 Nicaragua$19.69 billion · 2024
Costa Rica’s nominal GDP is 384% larger than that of Nicaragua, a difference of $75.66 billion.
GDP per capita
🇨🇷 Costa Rica$18,587 · 2024
🇳🇮 Nicaragua$2,848 · 2024
Costa Rica’s GDP per capita is 553% higher than that of Nicaragua, a difference of $15,740.
Values use the latest available observations in WorldSumma. Economic reporting years are shown when available and can differ by country.
Full side-by-side comparison
Capital
San Jose
Managua
Population
5,129,910
6,916,140
Surface area
51,100 km²
130,370 km²
Population density
100 /km²
53.1 /km²
Nominal GDP
$95.35 billion · 2024
$19.69 billion · 2024
GDP per capita
$18,587 · 2024
$2,848 · 2024
Region
Americas
Americas
Subregion
Central America
Central America
Currency
Costa Rican colón · CRC · ₡
Nicaraguan córdoba · NIO · C$
Nationality
Costa Rican
Nicaraguan
Phone code
+506
+505
Internet domain
.cr
.ni
ISO codes
CR / CRI
NI / NIC
Time zone
America/Costa_Rica
America/Managua
Native name
Costa Rica
Nicaragua
| Measure | Costa Rica | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | San Jose | Managua |
| Population | 5,129,910 | 6,916,140 |
| Surface area | 51,100 km² | 130,370 km² |
| Population density | 100 /km² | 53.1 /km² |
| Nominal GDP | $95.35 billion · 2024 | $19.69 billion · 2024 |
| GDP per capita | $18,587 · 2024 | $2,848 · 2024 |
| Region | Americas | Americas |
| Subregion | Central America | Central America |
| Currency | Costa Rican colón · CRC · ₡ | Nicaraguan córdoba · NIO · C$ |
| Nationality | Costa Rican | Nicaraguan |
| Phone code | +506 | +505 |
| Internet domain | .cr | .ni |
| ISO codes | CR / CRI | NI / NIC |
| Time zone | America/Costa_Rica | America/Managua |
| Native name | Costa Rica | Nicaragua |
Compare a different pair
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Country overviews
AI-assisted profile prose · methodologyAbout Costa Rica
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is a small but strikingly diverse nation celebrated for its lush rainforests, abundant wildlife, and a reputation as a global leader in eco‑tourism and sustainable living.
Full Costa Rica profile →About Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the largest country in Central America. It is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south.
Full Nicaragua profile →Costa Rica & Nicaragua: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Costa Rica?
The capital of Costa Rica is San Jose.
What is the population of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a recorded population of approximately 5,129,910 people.
How big is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica covers an area of about 51,100 km².
What is the population density of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a population density of roughly 100 /km² (people per square kilometre).
What is the GDP of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $95.35 billion as of 2024.
What is the GDP per capita of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a GDP per capita of approximately $18,587.
What currency is used in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica uses the Costa Rican colón (CRC), with the symbol ₡.
Where is Costa Rica located?
Costa Rica is located in Central America, Americas.
What are people from Costa Rica called?
People from Costa Rica are referred to as Costa Rican.
What is the phone calling code for Costa Rica?
The international dialing code for Costa Rica is +506.
What is the internet domain for Costa Rica?
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Costa Rica is .cr.
What time zone is Costa Rica in?
Costa Rica uses the America/Costa_Rica time zone.
What is Costa Rica known for?
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is a small but strikingly diverse nation celebrated for its lush rainforests, abundant wildlife, and a reputation as a global leader in eco‑tourism and sustainable living.
What is the capital of Nicaragua?
The capital of Nicaragua is Managua.
What is the population of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a recorded population of approximately 6,916,140 people.
How big is Nicaragua?
Nicaragua covers an area of about 130,370 km².
What is the population density of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a population density of roughly 53.1 /km² (people per square kilometre).
What is the GDP of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $19.69 billion as of 2024.
What is the GDP per capita of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of approximately $2,848.
What currency is used in Nicaragua?
Nicaragua uses the Nicaraguan córdoba (NIO), with the symbol C$.
Where is Nicaragua located?
Nicaragua is located in Central America, Americas.
What are people from Nicaragua called?
People from Nicaragua are referred to as Nicaraguan.
What is the phone calling code for Nicaragua?
The international dialing code for Nicaragua is +505.
What is the internet domain for Nicaragua?
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Nicaragua is .ni.
What time zone is Nicaragua in?
Nicaragua uses the America/Managua time zone.
What is Nicaragua known for?
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the largest country in Central America. It is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south.