Germany vs Switzerland: Exposure to outdoor air pollution
Germany
9.1 µg/m³
in 2024
Switzerland
9 µg/m³
in 2024
Germany rank
176th
Switzerland rank
178th
Exposure to outdoor air pollution over time
- Germany
- Switzerland
How they compare
Germany currently reports 9.1 µg/m³ against 9 µg/m³ in Switzerland, a difference of 0.1 µg/m³.
The two have swapped places 12 times across 27 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Germany ahead.
Germany ranks 176th and Switzerland ranks 178th of 241 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Germany averaged higher in 2 and Switzerland in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Germany | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.95 µg/m³ | 15.65 µg/m³ | 0.3 µg/m³ | Germany |
| 2000s | 14.96 µg/m³ | 15.04 µg/m³ | 0.08 µg/m³ | Switzerland |
| 2010s | 12.89 µg/m³ | 12.31 µg/m³ | 0.58 µg/m³ | Germany |
| 2020s | 9.02 µg/m³ | 9.12 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | Switzerland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher exposure to outdoor air pollution, Germany or Switzerland?
- Germany, at 9.1 µg/m³ against 9 µg/m³ in Switzerland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution between Germany and Switzerland?
- 0.1 µg/m³, with Germany ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Switzerland?
- 27 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2024.
- How do Germany and Switzerland rank globally for exposure to outdoor air pollution?
- Germany ranks 176th and Switzerland ranks 178th 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.