Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Eswatini
Eswatini: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 16.75 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
16.75 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 9.1%
World rank
103rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
20.93 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2010
All-time low
15.33 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2016
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Eswatini, 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 Eswatini stood at 16.75 micrograms per cubic meter.
The figure is down 9.1% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Eswatini peaked at 20.93 micrograms per cubic meter in 2010 and was at its lowest, 15.33 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2016.
That places Eswatini 103rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Eswatini, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 19.7 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 19.87 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 19.88 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 19.89 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 19.9 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 20.25 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 19.91 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 19.92 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 19.92 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 19.93 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 19.77 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 17.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.5% |
| 2002 | 16.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 15.72 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.7% |
| 2004 | 16.48 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 17.71 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.4% |
| 2006 | 18.04 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 18.27 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 18.48 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 17.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 20.93 micrograms per cubic meter | +18.0% |
| 2011 | 17.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -16.4% |
| 2012 | 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 17.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.6% |
| 2014 | 15.91 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.9% |
| 2015 | 16.87 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 15.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.2% |
| 2017 | 16.47 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.5% |
| 2018 | 16.25 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 18.24 micrograms per cubic meter | +12.3% |
| 2020 | 16.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 17.88 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 18.42 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 16.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.1% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 16.75 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter, 64% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 16.75 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.49 micrograms per cubic meter, 61% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.7 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.61 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.72 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.77 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.33 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.93 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.74 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 100 Costa Rica 17.7 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 101 Guyana 16.95 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 102 Belize 16.76 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 104 Malawi 16.72 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 105 Mexico 16.61 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 106 Algeria 16.54 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Eswatini
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.321 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.02 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2772 % 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 -2.19 % 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 Eswatini?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Eswatini was 16.75 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 Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 20.93 micrograms per cubic meter in 2010.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.33 micrograms per cubic meter in 2016.
- How does Eswatini rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Eswatini ranks 103rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eswatini 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.