Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Estonia
Estonia: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Estonia, 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 Estonia stood at 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 10.8% on the previous year and down 29.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Estonia peaked at 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Estonia 182nd 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 Estonia, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 19.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 18.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 18.64 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 18.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 18.43 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 17.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 17.42 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 17.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 16.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 16.31 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 15.59 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.4% |
| 2002 | 17.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.0% |
| 2003 | 14.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.8% |
| 2004 | 13.53 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 13.18 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 11.32 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.1% |
| 2007 | 10.32 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.8% |
| 2008 | 9.88 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 10.47 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.7% |
| 2011 | 8.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -18.1% |
| 2012 | 8.67 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 8.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 9.37 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.0% |
| 2015 | 7.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -22.2% |
| 2016 | 6.97 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 6.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.5% |
| 2018 | 8.14 micrograms per cubic meter | +30.5% |
| 2019 | 6.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -20.3% |
| 2020 | 6.38 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 7.22 micrograms per cubic meter | +13.1% |
| 2022 | 6.63 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.2% |
| 2023 | 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.8% |
Estonia compared with similar countries
- Estonia's 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 59% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Estonia's 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter, 46% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Estonia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +30.5% | 6.24 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.14 micrograms per cubic meter |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 6.24 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.47 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.54 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.22 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
- 179 Canada 6.55 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 180 Fiji 6.45 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 181 Australia 6.41 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 183 Norway 5.52 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 184 Bahamas 5.28 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 185 Sweden 5.26 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Estonia
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.899 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.78 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -5.71 % 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 -0.0832 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Estonia?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Estonia was 5.92 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 Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.92 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Estonia rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Estonia ranks 182nd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Estonia 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.