Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in France
France: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in France, 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
The most recent figure for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in France is 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 20.8% on the previous year and down 42.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in France peaked at 19.61 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
France ranks 169th of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.99 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.61 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.83 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.46 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.87 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.33 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 166 Belgium 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 167 Antigua and Barbuda 8.42 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 168 Switzerland 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 170 Puerto Rico 7.84 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 171 Brunei 7.57 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for France
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 378.12 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 5.52 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 42.25 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 2.45 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 3.31 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.1015 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 66.98 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.1903 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1859 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 18.44 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in France?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in France was 8.23 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 19.61 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does France rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- France ranks 169th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France 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.