Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Iran
Iran: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
40.25 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 8.3%
World rank
23rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
43.9 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2022
All-time low
33.78 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Iran, 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 Iran is 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.3% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Iran peaked at 43.9 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022 and was at its lowest, 33.78 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1990.
That places Iran 23rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Iran, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 33.78 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 33.87 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 34.15 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 34.44 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 34.73 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 34.61 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 35.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 35.59 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 35.87 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 36.16 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 36.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 36.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 35.36 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 38.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.0% |
| 2004 | 34.96 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.3% |
| 2005 | 35.14 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 38.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.4% |
| 2007 | 40.88 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 42.1 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 42.92 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 43.28 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 42.45 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 40.62 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 39.8 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 39.64 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 40.8 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 39.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 40.09 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 41.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 39.36 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 38.76 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 41.09 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 43.9 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.3% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 34.85 micrograms per cubic meter | 33.78 micrograms per cubic meter | 36.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.15 micrograms per cubic meter | 34.96 micrograms per cubic meter | 42.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.75 micrograms per cubic meter | 39.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 43.28 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 41 micrograms per cubic meter | 38.76 micrograms per cubic meter | 43.9 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 20 Equatorial Guinea 42.22 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 21 Senegal 41.65 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 22 Djibouti 40.3 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 24 Benin 39.66 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 25 Gambia 38.27 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 26 Afghanistan 37.95 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Iran
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -30.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -21.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.4 % 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 1.9 % 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 -0.0807 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Iran?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Iran was 40.25 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 43.9 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.78 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- How does Iran rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Iran ranks 23rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.