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
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.
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
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 107.82 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 9.09 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 6.62 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.2815 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 2.68 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0377 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 11.74 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0561 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0383 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.98 Mt CO2e (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.
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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.