Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bahamas
Bahamas: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 5.28 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bahamas, 1990–2023
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
In 2023, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bahamas stood at 5.28 micrograms per cubic meter.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bahamas peaked at 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter in 1999 and was at its lowest, 4.91 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2013.
That places Bahamas 184th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bahamas, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.03 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 9.08 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 9.09 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 9.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 9.12 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 9.15 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 9.17 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 9.19 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 9.19 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 8.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 9.03 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 8.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 8.11 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 8.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 6.93 micrograms per cubic meter | -18.7% |
| 2007 | 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.6% |
| 2008 | 5.62 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 5.63 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 5.43 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 6.29 micrograms per cubic meter | +16.0% |
| 2012 | 6.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 4.91 micrograms per cubic meter | -19.9% |
| 2014 | 5.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 5.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 5.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 6.06 micrograms per cubic meter | +13.0% |
| 2018 | 5.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.2% |
| 2019 | 5.03 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.6% |
| 2020 | 5.25 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 5.76 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.7% |
| 2022 | 5.18 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.1% |
| 2023 | 5.28 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.0% |
Bahamas compared with similar countries
- Bahamas's 5.28 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 53% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Bahamas's 5.28 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15.33 micrograms per cubic meter, 34% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.03 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.19 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.52 micrograms per cubic meter | 4.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 6.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.37 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.18 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.76 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bahamas
- 181 Australia 6.41 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 182 Estonia 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 183 Norway 5.52 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 185 Sweden 5.26 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 186 Tuvalu 5.22 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 187 Palau 4.94 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Bahamas
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.18 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -8.33 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.262 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.27 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bahamas?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bahamas was 5.28 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, according to Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Bahamas?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter in 1999.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Bahamas?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.91 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013.
- How does Bahamas rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Bahamas ranks 184th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Bahamas?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bahamas data come from?
- The figures come from Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The average level of exposure of the population to suspended particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and damaging health. This is measured in micrograms per cubic meter.