Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Costa Rica: San José — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

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.

How to remember Costa Rica

Costa Rica means 'rich coast', and San José sits in the Central Valley between the two coasts. Thailand's flag has the same stripe pattern, but Costa Rica's has red in the middle with blue at the edges and Thailand's has blue in the middle with red at the edges.

The flag of Costa Rica: blue, white and red

🇨🇷 The flag is five horizontal stripes of blue, white, a wide red stripe, white and blue, with the coat of arms on the red stripe. Blue stands for the sky, opportunity and perseverance, white for peace, happiness and wisdom, and red for the blood shed for freedom and the warmth and generosity of the people.

Region and neighbours

Costa Rica is a country in Central America with coasts on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It shares land borders with 2 countries: Nicaragua and Panama.

Three facts about Costa Rica

  1. After a short civil war in 1948, Costa Rica abolished its army, and its 1949 constitution made that permanent.
  2. Forest cover in Costa Rica grew from about 20% of the land in the 1980s to over 50% by 2013.
  3. Although it is small, Costa Rica is home to about 5% of the world's known species of plants and animals.

Sources: Wikipedia: Costa Rica, Wikipedia: Flag of Costa Rica, Wikipedia: San José, Costa Rica, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Costa Rica

Costa Rica capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Costa Rica 🇨🇷?

    • Managua
    • Belmopan
    • Tegucigalpa
    • San José
    Show answer

    San José

  2. What is the capital of Panama 🇵🇦?

    • Castries
    • Bridgetown
    • Panama City
    • Havana
    Show answer

    Panama City

  3. What is the capital of El Salvador 🇸🇻?

    • San Salvador
    • San José
    • Kingston
    • Washington, D.C.
    Show answer

    San Salvador

  4. What is the capital of Nicaragua 🇳🇮?

    • Roseau
    • Washington, D.C.
    • Managua
    • Mexico City
    Show answer

    Managua

  5. What is the capital of Jamaica 🇯🇲?

    • Kingston
    • Belmopan
    • Port of Spain
    • Roseau
    Show answer

    Kingston

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.

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.

What are the colours of the Costa Rica flag?

The flag of Costa Rica is five horizontal stripes of blue, white, a wide red stripe, white and blue, with the coat of arms on the red stripe. Blue stands for the sky, opportunity and perseverance, white for peace, happiness and wisdom, and red for the blood shed for freedom and the warmth and generosity of the people.

Which countries border Costa Rica?

Costa Rica shares land borders with Nicaragua and Panama.

How can I remember the capital of Costa Rica?

Costa Rica means 'rich coast', and San José sits in the Central Valley between the two coasts. Thailand's flag has the same stripe pattern, but Costa Rica's has red in the middle with blue at the edges and Thailand's has blue in the middle with red at the edges.

More capitals to learn

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