Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Cuba
Cuba: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 9.45 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
9.45 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
159th
of 200 countries
All-time high
11.92 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2000
All-time low
9.08 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2016
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Cuba, 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
Cuba recorded 9.45 micrograms per cubic meter for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Cuba peaked at 11.92 micrograms per cubic meter in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.08 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2016.
That places Cuba 159th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Cuba, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11.42 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 11.35 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 11.4 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 11.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 11.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 11.32 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 11.6 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 11.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 11.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 11.75 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 11.92 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 11.53 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 11.9 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 11.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 10.52 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 10.89 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 10.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 10.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 9.96 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 9.7 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 9.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.8% |
| 2012 | 9.31 micrograms per cubic meter | -11.3% |
| 2013 | 9.42 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 9.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 9.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 9.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 9.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 9.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 9.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 9.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.7% |
| 2021 | 9.83 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 9.41 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2023 | 9.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
Cuba compared with similar countries
- Cuba's 9.45 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 51% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Cuba's 9.45 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15.33 micrograms per cubic meter, 62% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.52 micrograms per cubic meter | 11.32 micrograms per cubic meter | 11.75 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.7 micrograms per cubic meter | 11.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.5 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.08 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.41 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.98 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
- 156 Austria 10.03 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 157 Solomon Islands 9.77 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 158 United Kingdom 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 160 Seychelles 9.26 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 161 Andorra 8.88 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 162 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.87 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Cuba
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.3 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.17 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.278 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.4 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2020)
- 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 -1.97 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Cuba?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Cuba was 9.45 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 Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 11.92 micrograms per cubic meter in 2000.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.08 micrograms per cubic meter in 2016.
- How does Cuba rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Cuba ranks 159th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cuba 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.