South Korea vs North Macedonia: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution
South Korea
21.89 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2023
North Macedonia
21.81 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2023
South Korea rank
73rd
North Macedonia rank
74th
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution over time
- South Korea
- North Macedonia
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter against 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter in North Macedonia, a difference of 0.08 micrograms per cubic meter.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was North Macedonia ahead.
South Korea ranks 73rd and North Macedonia ranks 74th of 200 countries.
North Macedonia has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | North Macedonia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.32 micrograms per cubic meter | 33.57 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.25 micrograms per cubic meter | North Macedonia |
| 2000s | 22.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.71 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.46 micrograms per cubic meter | North Macedonia |
| 2010s | 23.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 3.21 micrograms per cubic meter | North Macedonia |
| 2020s | 21.97 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.24 micrograms per cubic meter | 0.266 micrograms per cubic meter | North Macedonia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution, South Korea or North Macedonia?
- South Korea, at 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter against 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter in North Macedonia as of 2023.
- What is the difference in average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution between South Korea and North Macedonia?
- 0.08 micrograms per cubic meter, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and North Macedonia?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do South Korea and North Macedonia rank globally for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- South Korea ranks 73rd and North Macedonia ranks 74th of 200 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The average level of exposure of the population to suspended particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and damaging health. This is measured in micrograms per cubic meter.