Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 20.19 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
20.19 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 10.4%
World rank
82nd
of 200 countries
All-time high
26.3 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2000
All-time low
15.4 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2009
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Cape Verde, 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 Cape Verde stood at 20.19 micrograms per cubic meter.
The figure is up 10.4% on the previous year and up 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Cape Verde peaked at 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.4 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2009.
Cape Verde ranks 82nd of 200 countries on this measure, 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 Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 23.52 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 23.38 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 23.66 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 23.94 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 24.22 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 23.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 24.77 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 25.05 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 25.33 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 25.61 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 19.55 micrograms per cubic meter | -25.6% |
| 2002 | 21.56 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 18.27 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.3% |
| 2004 | 20.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.1% |
| 2005 | 19.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 19.42 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 20.27 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 20.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 15.4 micrograms per cubic meter | -23.5% |
| 2010 | 15.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 19.56 micrograms per cubic meter | +25.8% |
| 2012 | 24.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +23.2% |
| 2013 | 17.01 micrograms per cubic meter | -29.4% |
| 2014 | 16.04 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 25.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +59.0% |
| 2016 | 20.61 micrograms per cubic meter | -19.2% |
| 2017 | 24.38 micrograms per cubic meter | +18.3% |
| 2018 | 16.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -30.6% |
| 2019 | 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 20.33 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 19.09 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 18.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 20.19 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.4% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's 20.19 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's 20.19 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.49 micrograms per cubic meter, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.31 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.61 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.1 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.4 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.82 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.51 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.47 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.33 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cape Verde
- 79 Cote d'Ivoire 20.39 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 80 Kenya 20.25 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 81 Zambia 20.24 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 83 Tanzania 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 84 Kyrgyzstan 20.12 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 85 Libya 20.01 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Cape Verde
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.35 % 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 1.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Cape Verde?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Cape Verde was 20.19 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 Cape Verde?
- The highest recorded value was 26.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2000.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Cape Verde?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2009.
- How does Cape Verde rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Cape Verde ranks 82nd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Cape Verde?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cape Verde 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.