Belgium vs Netherlands: Exposure to outdoor air pollution
Belgium
9.3 µg/m³
in 2024
Netherlands
9.6 µg/m³
in 2024
Belgium rank
174th
Netherlands rank
173rd
Exposure to outdoor air pollution over time
- Belgium
- Netherlands
How they compare
Netherlands currently reports 9.6 µg/m³ against 9.3 µg/m³ in Belgium, a difference of 0.3 µg/m³.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 27 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Netherlands ahead.
Belgium ranks 174th and Netherlands ranks 173rd of 241 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Belgium averaged higher in 2 and Netherlands in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Belgium | Netherlands | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.7 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | 0.3 µg/m³ | Belgium |
| 2000s | 15.6 µg/m³ | 15.36 µg/m³ | 0.24 µg/m³ | Belgium |
| 2010s | 13.46 µg/m³ | 13.51 µg/m³ | 0.05 µg/m³ | Netherlands |
| 2020s | 9.44 µg/m³ | 9.44 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher exposure to outdoor air pollution, Belgium or Netherlands?
- Netherlands, at 9.6 µg/m³ against 9.3 µg/m³ in Belgium as of 2024.
- What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution between Belgium and Netherlands?
- 0.3 µg/m³, with Netherlands ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and Netherlands?
- 27 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2024.
- How do Belgium and Netherlands rank globally for exposure to outdoor air pollution?
- Belgium ranks 174th and Netherlands ranks 173rd 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.