Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Belgium
Belgium: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8.45 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 16.1%
World rank
166th
of 200 countries
All-time high
22.63 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1991
All-time low
8.45 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Belgium, 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 Belgium stood at 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.1% on the previous year and down 46.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Belgium peaked at 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter in 1991 and was at its lowest, 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
Belgium ranks 166th of 200 countries on this measure, 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 Belgium, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 22.6 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 22.35 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 22.06 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 21.78 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 22.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 21.21 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.2% |
| 1997 | 20.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 20.64 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 20.35 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 19.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 18.25 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.6% |
| 2002 | 18.28 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 20.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +12.4% |
| 2004 | 18.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -11.3% |
| 2005 | 17.71 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 17.03 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 16.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 17.46 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 17.6 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 17.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 16.59 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 14.78 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.9% |
| 2013 | 15.68 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.1% |
| 2014 | 12.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.5% |
| 2015 | 12.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 12.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 11.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 12.21 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 10.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.4% |
| 2020 | 9.15 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.4% |
| 2021 | 10.73 micrograms per cubic meter | +17.3% |
| 2022 | 10.07 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter | -16.1% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 84% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter, 66% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.6 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.73 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 163 Germany 8.81 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 164 Portugal 8.77 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 165 Netherlands 8.59 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 167 Antigua and Barbuda 8.42 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 168 Switzerland 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 169 France 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Belgium
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.574 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.19 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5577 % 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 0.0605 % 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 Belgium?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Belgium was 8.45 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter in 1991.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Belgium rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Belgium ranks 166th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.