Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 69.25 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
69.25 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 9.5%
World rank
3rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
79.3 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2018
All-time low
62.31 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1995
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bangladesh, 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 Bangladesh stood at 69.25 micrograms per cubic meter.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.5% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bangladesh peaked at 79.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018 and was at its lowest, 62.31 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1995.
Bangladesh ranks 3rd of 200 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64.65 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 63.87 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 63.87 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 63.86 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 63.86 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 62.31 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 63.85 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 63.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 63.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 63.83 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 64.6 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 64.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 65.24 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 64.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 63.99 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 65.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 63.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 62.68 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 65.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 70.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.3% |
| 2010 | 67.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 69.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 73.03 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 65.48 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.3% |
| 2014 | 68.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 65.52 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 64.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 63.83 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 79.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +24.2% |
| 2019 | 66.79 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.8% |
| 2020 | 72.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.0% |
| 2021 | 73.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 63.22 micrograms per cubic meter | -13.5% |
| 2023 | 69.25 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.5% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 69.25 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 69.25 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for South Asia, which is 41.64 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 63.78 micrograms per cubic meter | 62.31 micrograms per cubic meter | 64.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.96 micrograms per cubic meter | 62.68 micrograms per cubic meter | 70.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 63.83 micrograms per cubic meter | 79.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 63.22 micrograms per cubic meter | 73.11 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More environment data for Bangladesh
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.59 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.3 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.236 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.67 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.31 % 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 -2.43 % 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 Bangladesh?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bangladesh was 69.25 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 Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 79.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.31 micrograms per cubic meter in 1995.
- How does Bangladesh rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Bangladesh ranks 3rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh 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.