Costa Rica vs Nicaragua
Costa Rica vs Nicaragua: People aged 65 and over
People aged 65 and over in 2023: 11.7% in Costa Rica and 5.4% in Nicaragua, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Costa Rica, by 6.3 percentage points, or 2.18 times that in Nicaragua.
% of people · UN
What the numbers say
- Costa Rica has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- In 2023, Costa Rica ranked 93 and Nicaragua ranked 152 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Costa Rica at 40.5% and Nicaragua at 28.9% in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 10% in 2023.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Costa Rica | Nicaragua | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 11.7 | 5.4 | 10 |
| 2022 | 11.3 | 5.2 | 9.8 |
| 2021 | 10.9 | 5.2 | 9.5 |
| 2020 | 10.5 | 5.2 | 9.3 |
| 2019 | 10.1 | 5.1 | 9.1 |
| 2018 | 9.7 | 5 | 8.9 |
| 2017 | 9.4 | 4.9 | 8.7 |
| 2016 | 9.1 | 4.8 | 8.5 |
| 2015 | 8.8 | 4.7 | 8.3 |
| 2014 | 8.5 | 4.6 | 8.1 |
| 2013 | 8.2 | 4.5 | 7.9 |
| 2012 | 7.9 | 4.5 | 7.8 |
| 2011 | 7.6 | 4.4 | 7.7 |
| 2010 | 7.4 | 4.4 | 7.6 |
| 2009 | 7.1 | 4.4 | 7.5 |
| 2008 | 6.9 | 4.3 | 7.5 |
| 2007 | 6.7 | 4.3 | 7.4 |
| 2006 | 6.5 | 4.3 | 7.3 |
| 2005 | 6.4 | 4.2 | 7.3 |
| 2004 | 6.2 | 4.1 | 7.2 |
| 2003 | 6 | 3.9 | 7.1 |
| 2002 | 5.9 | 3.8 | 7 |
| 2001 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 6.9 |
| 2000 | 5.6 | 3.5 | 6.8 |
| 1999 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 6.8 |
| 1998 | 5.3 | 3.3 | 6.7 |
| 1997 | 5.2 | 3.2 | 6.6 |
| 1996 | 5.1 | 3 | 6.5 |
| 1995 | 5 | 3 | 6.5 |
| 1994 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 6.4 |
| 1993 | 4.8 | 2.9 | 6.3 |
| 1992 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 6.2 |
| 1991 | 4.6 | 2.8 | 6.1 |
| 1990 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 6.1 |
| 1989 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 6 |
| 1988 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 6 |
| 1987 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 5.9 |
| 1986 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 5.9 |
| 1985 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 5.8 |
| 1983 | 4 | 2.6 | 5.8 |
| 1982 | 4 | 2.6 | 5.8 |
| 1981 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 5.8 |
| 1980 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 5.8 |
| 1979 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 5.8 |
| 1978 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 5.7 |
| 1977 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 5.6 |
| 1976 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 5.6 |
| 1975 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 5.5 |
| 1974 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 5.5 |
| 1973 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 5.4 |
| 1972 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 5.4 |
| 1971 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 5.3 |
| 1970 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 5.3 |
| 1969 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 5.2 |
| 1968 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 5.2 |
| 1967 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 5.2 |
| 1966 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 5.1 |
| 1965 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 5.1 |
| 1964 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 5 |
| 1963 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 5 |
| 1962 | 3 | 2.6 | 5 |
| 1961 | 3 | 2.6 | 5 |
| 1960 | 3 | 2.6 | 5 |
| 1959 | 3 | 2.6 | 5 |
| 1958 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1957 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1956 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1955 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1954 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1953 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1952 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1951 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 1950 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 5.1 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Costa Rica | Nicaragua | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12.2 | 5.5 | 10.2 |
| 2025 | 12.8 | 5.7 | 10.4 |
| 2026 | 13.3 | 5.9 | 10.6 |
| 2027 | 13.9 | 6 | 10.8 |
| 2028 | 14.4 | 6.2 | 11.1 |
| 2029 | 15 | 6.4 | 11.5 |
| 2030 | 15.5 | 6.6 | 11.8 |
| 2031 | 16 | 6.9 | 12 |
| 2032 | 16.5 | 7.1 | 12.3 |
| 2033 | 17 | 7.3 | 12.6 |
| 2034 | 17.5 | 7.6 | 12.8 |
| 2035 | 17.9 | 7.8 | 13.1 |
| 2036 | 18.4 | 8.1 | 13.4 |
| 2037 | 18.8 | 8.4 | 13.7 |
| 2038 | 19.2 | 8.7 | 13.9 |
| 2039 | 19.6 | 9 | 14.1 |
| 2040 | 20.1 | 9.3 | 14.3 |
| 2041 | 20.5 | 9.6 | 14.5 |
| 2042 | 21 | 9.9 | 14.7 |
| 2043 | 21.4 | 10.3 | 14.9 |
| 2044 | 21.9 | 10.6 | 15 |
| 2045 | 22.4 | 11 | 15.2 |
| 2046 | 23 | 11.3 | 15.4 |
| 2047 | 23.5 | 11.7 | 15.7 |
| 2048 | 24.1 | 12.1 | 15.9 |
| 2049 | 24.7 | 12.4 | 16.1 |
| 2050 | 25.3 | 12.8 | 16.3 |
| 2051 | 25.9 | 13.2 | 16.6 |
| 2052 | 26.5 | 13.6 | 16.8 |
| 2053 | 27.2 | 14.1 | 17.1 |
| 2054 | 27.8 | 14.5 | 17.3 |
| 2055 | 28.4 | 14.9 | 17.6 |
| 2056 | 29 | 15.4 | 17.8 |
| 2057 | 29.5 | 15.8 | 18 |
| 2058 | 30.1 | 16.3 | 18.2 |
| 2059 | 30.7 | 16.7 | 18.4 |
| 2060 | 31.2 | 17.1 | 18.5 |
| 2061 | 31.8 | 17.5 | 18.7 |
| 2062 | 32.3 | 17.9 | 18.8 |
| 2063 | 32.8 | 18.3 | 19 |
| 2064 | 33.3 | 18.7 | 19.1 |
| 2065 | 33.8 | 19.1 | 19.3 |
| 2066 | 34.3 | 19.4 | 19.4 |
| 2067 | 34.8 | 19.8 | 19.6 |
| 2068 | 35.1 | 20.1 | 19.7 |
| 2069 | 35.5 | 20.5 | 19.9 |
| 2070 | 35.9 | 20.8 | 20 |
| 2071 | 36.2 | 21.1 | 20.2 |
| 2072 | 36.6 | 21.5 | 20.3 |
| 2073 | 36.9 | 21.8 | 20.5 |
| 2074 | 37.3 | 22.2 | 20.7 |
| 2075 | 37.7 | 22.5 | 20.9 |
| 2076 | 38 | 22.9 | 21.1 |
| 2077 | 38.3 | 23.2 | 21.3 |
| 2078 | 38.7 | 23.5 | 21.5 |
| 2079 | 39 | 23.8 | 21.7 |
| 2080 | 39.3 | 24.1 | 21.9 |
| 2081 | 39.6 | 24.4 | 22.1 |
| 2082 | 39.9 | 24.7 | 22.3 |
| 2083 | 40.2 | 25 | 22.4 |
| 2084 | 40.5 | 25.3 | 22.6 |
| 2085 | 40.6 | 25.6 | 22.7 |
| 2086 | 40.7 | 25.8 | 22.8 |
| 2087 | 40.7 | 26.1 | 22.9 |
| 2088 | 40.6 | 26.3 | 22.9 |
| 2089 | 40.6 | 26.6 | 23 |
| 2090 | 40.6 | 26.8 | 23.1 |
| 2091 | 40.6 | 27 | 23.2 |
| 2092 | 40.6 | 27.3 | 23.3 |
| 2093 | 40.6 | 27.5 | 23.3 |
| 2094 | 40.5 | 27.7 | 23.4 |
| 2095 | 40.5 | 27.9 | 23.5 |
| 2096 | 40.5 | 28.1 | 23.6 |
| 2097 | 40.5 | 28.3 | 23.7 |
| 2098 | 40.5 | 28.5 | 23.7 |
| 2099 | 40.5 | 28.7 | 23.8 |
| 2100 | 40.5 | 28.9 | 23.9 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of the population aged 65 or older.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Costa Rica vs Nicaragua
Health
- Life expectancyCosta Rica: 80.8 years in 2023Nicaragua: 75 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCosta Rica: 1 per 100 live births in 2024Nicaragua: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCosta Rica: 6.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nicaragua: 12.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterCosta Rica: 80.5% in 2022Nicaragua: 55.5% in 2020
- DepressionCosta Rica: 2.91% in 2017Nicaragua: 2.85% in 2017
- Suicide rateCosta Rica: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Nicaragua: 5.9 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCosta Rica: 5.11 million people in 2023Nicaragua: 6.82 million people in 2023
- Population growthCosta Rica: 0.49% a year in 2023Nicaragua: 1.36% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCosta Rica: 1.33 births per woman in 2023Nicaragua: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCosta Rica: 79.7% in 2025Nicaragua: 59.4% in 2025
- Median ageCosta Rica: 34.1 years in 2023Nicaragua: 25.3 years in 2023
- Net migration rateCosta Rica: 0.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Nicaragua: -1.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingCosta Rica: 0% of GDP in 2025Nicaragua: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsCosta Rica: $0 in 2025Nicaragua: $115M in 2025
- Military spending per personCosta Rica: $0 in 2025Nicaragua: $17 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingCosta Rica: 0% of government spending in 2025Nicaragua: 2.1% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelCosta Rica: 10,000 people in 2020Nicaragua: 12,000 people in 2020
- National powerCosta Rica: 0.03% of world capability in 2022Nicaragua: 0.04% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCosta Rica: 0.41% of the labour force in 2020Nicaragua: 0.41% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCosta Rica: 8 million TIV in 2019Nicaragua: 13 million TIV in 2019
- Arms exportsCosta Rica: 3 million TIV in 2009Nicaragua: 18 million TIV in 1993