Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Belarus
Belarus: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 11.98 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
11.98 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
141st
of 200 countries
All-time high
32.66 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1990
All-time low
11.4 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2022
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Belarus, 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
Belarus recorded 11.98 micrograms per cubic meter for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in 2023.
The figure is up 5.2% on the previous year and down 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Belarus peaked at 32.66 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 11.4 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2022.
That places Belarus 141st out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Belarus, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 32.66 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 32.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 31.59 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 31.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 30.67 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 29.91 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 29.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 29.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 28.82 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 28.36 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 28.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 27.17 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 30.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 24.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -20.1% |
| 2004 | 23 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.7% |
| 2005 | 21.83 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 18.37 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.8% |
| 2007 | 17.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.7% |
| 2008 | 17.71 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 18.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 20.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.6% |
| 2011 | 17.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.1% |
| 2012 | 16.91 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 17.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.6% |
| 2014 | 18.39 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 15.5 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.7% |
| 2016 | 14.6 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 14.69 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 16.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.7% |
| 2019 | 13.35 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.1% |
| 2020 | 12.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 13.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.6% |
| 2022 | 11.4 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.8% |
| 2023 | 11.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.2% |
Belarus compared with similar countries
- Belarus's 11.98 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 65% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Belarus's 11.98 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter, 93% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 32.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.33 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.49 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.47 micrograms per cubic meter | 11.4 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belarus
- 138 Slovenia 12.56 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 139 Madagascar 12.39 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 140 East Timor 11.99 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 142 Russia 11.57 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 143 Dominica 11.52 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 144 Japan 11.45 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Belarus
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.1734 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.1993 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.869 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.57 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.6422 % 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 0.239 % 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 Belarus?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Belarus was 11.98 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 Belarus?
- The highest recorded value was 32.66 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Belarus?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022.
- How does Belarus rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Belarus ranks 141st out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Belarus?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belarus 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.