Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bhutan
Bhutan: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 30.07 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
30.07 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 17.2%
World rank
49th
of 200 countries
All-time high
35.65 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2009
All-time low
25.66 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2022
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bhutan, 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
The most recent figure for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bhutan is 30.07 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 17.2% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bhutan peaked at 35.65 micrograms per cubic meter in 2009 and was at its lowest, 25.66 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2022.
Bhutan ranks 49th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 29.92 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 29.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 29.62 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 29.75 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 29.88 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 28.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 30.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 30.26 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 30.39 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 30.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 31.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 30.31 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 30.84 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 31.64 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 31.52 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 31.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 30.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 30.06 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 31.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 35.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +12.0% |
| 2010 | 30.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.0% |
| 2011 | 31.4 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 32.69 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 28.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.9% |
| 2014 | 32.48 micrograms per cubic meter | +14.0% |
| 2015 | 32.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 29.87 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.4% |
| 2017 | 30.73 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 33.64 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.5% |
| 2019 | 31.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 32.1 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 32.48 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 25.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -21.0% |
| 2023 | 30.07 micrograms per cubic meter | +17.2% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 30.07 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 30.07 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for South Asia, which is 41.64 micrograms per cubic meter, 72% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29.89 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.89 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.52 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.53 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.06 micrograms per cubic meter | 35.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.49 micrograms per cubic meter | 33.64 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.08 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 32.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 46 Uganda 31.21 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 47 Peru 31.09 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 48 Honduras 30.72 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 50 Guatemala 29.68 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 51 El Salvador 29.59 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 52 Armenia 28.55 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Bhutan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.2782 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.5977 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.257 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.08 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.487 % 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 -5.53 % 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 Bhutan?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Bhutan was 30.07 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 35.65 micrograms per cubic meter in 2009.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.66 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022.
- How does Bhutan rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Bhutan ranks 49th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.