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People group profile · PG046514

The Costa Ricans of the United States

The Costa Ricans of the United States, numbering about 148,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a multiethnic Central American population of predominantly European and mixed European-Indigenous ancestry. They primarily speak Spanish and maintain cultural traditions shaped by Hispanic, Indigenous, Afro-Caribbean, and immigrant influences.

They are a diaspora people in the Hispanic people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Spanish.

Pray for the Costa RicansPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Costa Ricans people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Costa Rican

Fast facts

Country
United States
Population
148,000
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
Hispanic
Primary language
Spanish (spa)
Primary religion
Roman Catholicism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
2% or Greater but Less than 5%
GSEC
2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
Lostness priority
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Northern America, Americas

Where they live

Gospel status

The Costa Ricans are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Costa Ricans

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Roman Catholicism · Christianity

81% adherents

Primary language

Spanish · Indo-European family

100% speak Spanish

Gospel resources in Spanish

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Costa Ricans

  1. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  2. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  3. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  4. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.

Download a prayer guide

Costa Rican in other countries

The same people (ROP3 102297) is reported in 2 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Costa RicansCosta Rica4,930,000No Longer Unreached
Costa RicansCanada5,900No Longer Unreached

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