Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in India
India: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
54.05 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 6.7%
World rank
11th
of 200 countries
All-time high
56.68 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2018
All-time low
48 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1995
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in India, 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 India is 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 6.7% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in India peaked at 56.68 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018 and was at its lowest, 48 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1995.
India ranks 11th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in India, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51.2 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 50.17 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 50.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 50.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 50.03 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 48 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 49.95 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 49.9 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 49.86 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 49.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 50.76 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 50.45 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 51.25 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 52.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 50.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 51.34 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 49.25 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 49.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 51.27 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 52.26 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 51.72 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 55.03 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.4% |
| 2012 | 53.02 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 52.27 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 51.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 51.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 54.42 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 55.17 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 56.68 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 53.6 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 52.19 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 55.62 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.6% |
| 2022 | 50.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.9% |
| 2023 | 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for South Asia, which is 41.64 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 48 micrograms per cubic meter | 51.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 49.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 52.52 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.5 micrograms per cubic meter | 51.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 56.68 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 50.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 55.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 8 United Arab Emirates 57.19 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 9 Bahrain 56.57 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 10 Cameroon 55.6 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 12 Nepal 53.2 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 13 Iraq 49.47 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 14 Oman 46.86 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % 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 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in India?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in India was 54.05 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 56.68 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 48 micrograms per cubic meter in 1995.
- How does India rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- India ranks 11th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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.