Population
Costa Rica is higher
Costa Rica records 5,129,910, about 1.14× the other value.
Country comparison
Costa RicavsPanama
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
Panama is higher
Panama records 75,320 km², about 1.47× the other value.
Nominal GDP
Costa Rica is higher
Costa Rica records $95.35 billion, about 1.10× the other value.
What stands out
Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.
Population
🇨🇷 Costa Rica5,129,910
🇵🇦 Panama4,515,577
Costa Rica’s population is 14% larger than that of Panama, a difference of 614,333.
Surface area
🇨🇷 Costa Rica51,100 km²
🇵🇦 Panama75,320 km²
Panama’s surface area is 47% larger than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 24,220 km².
Population density
🇨🇷 Costa Rica100 /km²
🇵🇦 Panama60 /km²
Costa Rica’s population density is 67% higher than that of Panama, a difference of 40.4 /km².
Nominal GDP
🇨🇷 Costa Rica$95.35 billion · 2024
🇵🇦 Panama$86.52 billion · 2024
Costa Rica’s nominal GDP is 10% larger than that of Panama, a difference of $8.83 billion.
GDP per capita
🇨🇷 Costa Rica$18,587 · 2024
🇵🇦 Panama$19,161 · 2024
Panama’s GDP per capita is 3.1% higher than that of Costa Rica, a difference of $574.
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
Panama City
Population
5,129,910
4,515,577
Surface area
51,100 km²
75,320 km²
Population density
100 /km²
60 /km²
Nominal GDP
$95.35 billion · 2024
$86.52 billion · 2024
GDP per capita
$18,587 · 2024
$19,161 · 2024
Region
Americas
Americas
Subregion
Central America
Central America
Currency
Costa Rican colón · CRC · ₡
Panamanian balboa · PAB · B/.
Nationality
Costa Rican
Panamanian
Phone code
+506
+507
Internet domain
.cr
.pa
ISO codes
CR / CRI
PA / PAN
Time zone
America/Costa_Rica
America/Panama
Native name
Costa Rica
Panamá
| Measure | Costa Rica | Panama |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | San Jose | Panama City |
| Population | 5,129,910 | 4,515,577 |
| Surface area | 51,100 km² | 75,320 km² |
| Population density | 100 /km² | 60 /km² |
| Nominal GDP | $95.35 billion · 2024 | $86.52 billion · 2024 |
| GDP per capita | $18,587 · 2024 | $19,161 · 2024 |
| Region | Americas | Americas |
| Subregion | Central America | Central America |
| Currency | Costa Rican colón · CRC · ₡ | Panamanian balboa · PAB · B/. |
| Nationality | Costa Rican | Panamanian |
| Phone code | +506 | +507 |
| Internet domain | .cr | .pa |
| ISO codes | CR / CRI | PA / PAN |
| Time zone | America/Costa_Rica | America/Panama |
| Native name | Costa Rica | Panamá |
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 Panama
Panama is a transcontinental country connecting Central America with South America. It is renowned for the Panama Canal, a vital waterway that allows ships to travel between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, significantly reducing travel time and cost.
Full Panama profile →Costa Rica & Panama: 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 Panama?
The capital of Panama is Panama City.
What is the population of Panama?
Panama has a recorded population of approximately 4,515,577 people.
How big is Panama?
Panama covers an area of about 75,320 km².
What is the population density of Panama?
Panama has a population density of roughly 60 /km² (people per square kilometre).
What is the GDP of Panama?
Panama has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $86.52 billion as of 2024.
What is the GDP per capita of Panama?
Panama has a GDP per capita of approximately $19,161.
What currency is used in Panama?
Panama uses the Panamanian balboa (PAB), with the symbol B/..
Where is Panama located?
Panama is located in Central America, Americas.
What is the native name of Panama?
The native name of Panama is Panamá.
What are people from Panama called?
People from Panama are referred to as Panamanian.
What is the phone calling code for Panama?
The international dialing code for Panama is +507.
What is the internet domain for Panama?
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Panama is .pa.
What time zone is Panama in?
Panama uses the America/Panama time zone.
What is Panama known for?
Panama is a transcontinental country connecting Central America with South America. It is renowned for the Panama Canal, a vital waterway that allows ships to travel between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, significantly reducing travel time and cost.