Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 23.8 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Ethiopia, 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 Ethiopia stood at 23.8 micrograms per cubic meter.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Ethiopia peaked at 25.23 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011 and was at its lowest, 18.41 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1995.
That places Ethiopia 63rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.43 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.41 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.31 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.05 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.01 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.09 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.77 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.23 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.76 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.53 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 60 Bosnia and Herzegovina 26.09 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 61 Laos 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 62 Vietnam 24.78 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 64 Azerbaijan 23.71 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 65 South Sudan 23.67 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 66 Thailand 23.49 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Ethiopia
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 192.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 1.46 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 87.11 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 12.61 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 18.3 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0131 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 131.63 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0409 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 13.56 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Ethiopia?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Ethiopia was 23.8 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.23 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.41 micrograms per cubic meter in 1995.
- How does Ethiopia rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Ethiopia ranks 63rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.