New Zealand vs Puerto Rico: Exposure to outdoor air pollution
New Zealand
7 µg/m³
in 2024
Puerto Rico
7.3 µg/m³
in 2024
New Zealand rank
193rd
Puerto Rico rank
192nd
Exposure to outdoor air pollution over time
- New Zealand
- Puerto Rico
How they compare
Puerto Rico currently reports 7.3 µg/m³ against 7 µg/m³ in New Zealand, a difference of 0.3 µg/m³.
The two have swapped places 10 times across 27 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Puerto Rico ahead.
New Zealand ranks 193rd and Puerto Rico ranks 192nd of 241 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, New Zealand averaged higher in 1 and Puerto Rico in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | Puerto Rico | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.4 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 1.1 µg/m³ | Puerto Rico |
| 2000s | 6.74 µg/m³ | 6.85 µg/m³ | 0.11 µg/m³ | Puerto Rico |
| 2010s | 7.15 µg/m³ | 6.98 µg/m³ | 0.17 µg/m³ | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 7.14 µg/m³ | 7.4 µg/m³ | 0.26 µg/m³ | Puerto Rico |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher exposure to outdoor air pollution, New Zealand or Puerto Rico?
- Puerto Rico, at 7.3 µg/m³ against 7 µg/m³ in New Zealand as of 2024.
- What is the difference in exposure to outdoor air pollution between New Zealand and Puerto Rico?
- 0.3 µg/m³, with Puerto Rico ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Puerto Rico?
- 27 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2024.
- How do New Zealand and Puerto Rico rank globally for exposure to outdoor air pollution?
- New Zealand ranks 193rd and Puerto Rico ranks 192nd 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.