What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas between Lesotho and South Africa?

0.73 micrograms per cubic meter, with South Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Lesotho and South Africa?

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.

Lesotho vs South Africa: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas

Lesotho

19.08 micrograms per cubic meter

in 2023

South Africa

19.81 micrograms per cubic meter

in 2023

Lesotho rank

83rd

South Africa rank

81st

Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas over time

Lesotho
South Africa

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 19.81 micrograms per cubic meter against 19.08 micrograms per cubic meter in Lesotho, a difference of 0.73 micrograms per cubic meter.

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

Lesotho ranks 83rd and South Africa ranks 81st of 226 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Lesotho	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
2010s	17.53 micrograms per cubic meter	17.69 micrograms per cubic meter	0.164 micrograms per cubic meter	South Africa
2020s	18.46 micrograms per cubic meter	19.13 micrograms per cubic meter	0.665 micrograms per cubic meter	South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas, Lesotho or South Africa?: South Africa, at 19.81 micrograms per cubic meter against 19.08 micrograms per cubic meter in Lesotho as of 2023.
What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas between Lesotho and South Africa?: 0.73 micrograms per cubic meter, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Lesotho and South Africa?: 14 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2023.
How do Lesotho and South Africa rank globally for exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas?: Lesotho ranks 83rd and South Africa ranks 81st 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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Lesotho vs South Africa: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/exposure-to-outdoor-air-pollution-in-urban-areas/lesotho/south-africa/

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<a href="https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/exposure-to-outdoor-air-pollution-in-urban-areas/lesotho/south-africa/">Lesotho vs South Africa: 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).