Afghanistan vs Congo: Exposure to outdoor air pollution
Afghanistan
40 µg/m³
in 2024
Congo
40.3 µg/m³
in 2024
Afghanistan rank
20th
Congo rank
19th
Exposure to outdoor air pollution over time
- Afghanistan
- Congo
How they compare
Congo currently reports 40.3 µg/m³ against 40 µg/m³ in Afghanistan, a difference of 0.3 µg/m³.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 27 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Congo ahead.
Afghanistan ranks 20th and Congo ranks 19th of 241 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Afghanistan averaged higher in 1 and Congo in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Afghanistan | Congo | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.85 µg/m³ | 24.45 µg/m³ | 2.6 µg/m³ | Congo |
| 2000s | 32.66 µg/m³ | 29.49 µg/m³ | 3.17 µg/m³ | Afghanistan |
| 2010s | 33.21 µg/m³ | 36.76 µg/m³ | 3.55 µg/m³ | Congo |
| 2020s | 35.6 µg/m³ | 36.14 µg/m³ | 0.54 µg/m³ | Congo |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher exposure to outdoor air pollution, Afghanistan or Congo?
- Congo, at 40.3 µg/m³ against 40 µg/m³ in Afghanistan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution between Afghanistan and Congo?
- 0.3 µg/m³, with Congo ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Congo?
- 27 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2024.
- How do Afghanistan and Congo rank globally for exposure to outdoor air pollution?
- Afghanistan ranks 20th and Congo ranks 19th of 241 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- SatPM, Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Exposure to outdoor air pollution. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Annual population-weighted average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can pose significant health risks.