According to the 2012 census by the INEC, approximately 1,100 citizens from Sweden live in Costa Rica, mainly professionals and retired people.

[2] The Swedish immigration in Costa Rica begins to gain importance in the late of the nineteenth century and the early of the twentieth century, when hundreds of Swedes came to the country by a policy, climate and attractive economy.

The main activity performed by retirees who emigrated, is tourism, because Costa Rica has attractive places as Escazú, Sta.

Around 8.000 to 13.000 Costa Ricans have Swedish ancestry, some surnames are known in the country: Jonsson, Eriksson, Andersson, Hansson and Berg.

[citation needed] The Saint Lucy's Day is not an official celebration in Costa Rica, but it is celebrated in some Lutheran churches in Costa Rica founded by some Swedish missionaries, with other missionaries from Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland.