What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas between Costa Rica and Zambia?

0.95 micrograms per cubic meter, with Zambia ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and Zambia?

14 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data, published as Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Costa Rica vs Zambia: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas

Costa Rica

15.62 micrograms per cubic meter

in 2023

Zambia

16.57 micrograms per cubic meter

in 2023

Costa Rica rank

102nd

Zambia rank

99th

Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas over time

Costa Rica
Zambia

How they compare

Zambia currently reports 16.57 micrograms per cubic meter against 15.62 micrograms per cubic meter in Costa Rica, a difference of 0.95 micrograms per cubic meter.

That makes Zambia's figure about 1.1 times Costa Rica's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 14 shared years of data; in 2010 it was Costa Rica ahead.

Costa Rica ranks 102nd and Zambia ranks 99th of 226 countries.

Across the 2 decades both report, Costa Rica averaged higher in 1 and Zambia in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Costa Rica	Zambia	Difference	Ahead
2010s	19.27 micrograms per cubic meter	15.86 micrograms per cubic meter	3.41 micrograms per cubic meter	Costa Rica
2020s	15.65 micrograms per cubic meter	16.31 micrograms per cubic meter	0.6625 micrograms per cubic meter	Zambia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas, Costa Rica or Zambia?: Zambia, at 16.57 micrograms per cubic meter against 15.62 micrograms per cubic meter in Costa Rica as of 2023.
What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas between Costa Rica and Zambia?: 0.95 micrograms per cubic meter, with Zambia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and Zambia?: 14 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2023.
How do Costa Rica and Zambia rank globally for exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas?: Costa Rica ranks 102nd and Zambia ranks 99th of 226 countries.
Where does this data come from?: World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data, published as Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Costa Rica vs Zambia: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/exposure-to-outdoor-air-pollution-in-urban-areas/costa-rica/zambia/

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<a href="https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/exposure-to-outdoor-air-pollution-in-urban-areas/costa-rica/zambia/">Costa Rica vs Zambia: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas
Unit: micrograms per cubic meter
Source: World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 226 places, 3,156 data points, 2010–2023
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (population-weighted), by location (micrograms per cubic meter).