What is the total area of Costa Rica?

Costa Rica spans 51,100 square kilometers (19,730 sq miles).

What is Costa Rica's size comparable to?

Costa Rica is roughly the size of West Virginia in the United States or Denmark in Europe.

How much coastline does Costa Rica possess?

Costa Rica features 1,016 km (631 mi) of Pacific coastline and 212 km (132 mi) of Caribbean coastline.

Does Costa Rica's terrain impact travel time?

Yes, despite its small size, Costa Rica's varied and extreme terrain, including mountainous, windy, and often poor roads, can make travel between destinations significantly longer than expected.

How big is Costa Rica?

Good to Know

Costa Rica is a compact nation, encompassing 51,100 square kilometers (19,730 sq miles), comparable in size to West Virginia or Denmark. Despite its modest area, the country boasts extensive coastlines: 1,016 km on the Pacific and 212 km on the Caribbean. Its varied and often challenging terrain, characterized by mountainous, winding roads and impassable regions, makes the country feel significantly larger and extends travel times between destinations.

Costa Rica is a small country encompassing 51,100 square kilometers (19,730 sq miles). This is roughly the size of West Virginia or Denmark. There is 1,016 km (631 mi) of coastline on the Pacific side and 212 km (132 mi) of coastline on the Caribbean side. The Nicaragua border to the north is 309 km long (192 mi) and the Panama border to the south is 330 km long (210 mi).

Despite the small size of Costa Rica, the varied terrain makes the country seem as though it is much larger. The mountainous, windy roads which are generally in poor condition (though improvements are under way) can make getting from one place to another much longer than it would appear. The extreme terrain of Costa Rica also makes many locations impassible due to mangroves, high mountains with low valleys between, marshland, protected areas, etc…

Follow this link for more information on how long it will take to drive between popular destinations.

Here is a link to our Costa Rica map page.

Frequently Asked Questions Index Page

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the total area of Costa Rica?: Costa Rica spans 51,100 square kilometers (19,730 sq miles).
What is Costa Rica's size comparable to?: Costa Rica is roughly the size of West Virginia in the United States or Denmark in Europe.
How much coastline does Costa Rica possess?: Costa Rica features 1,016 km (631 mi) of Pacific coastline and 212 km (132 mi) of Caribbean coastline.
Does Costa Rica's terrain impact travel time?: Yes, despite its small size, Costa Rica's varied and extreme terrain, including mountainous, windy, and often poor roads, can make travel between destinations significantly longer than expected.