Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Laos
Laos: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Laos, 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
Laos recorded 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in 2023.
That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Laos peaked at 40.08 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 25.34 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2022.
Laos ranks 61st of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.75 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.7 micrograms per cubic meter | 40.08 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.47 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.5 micrograms per cubic meter | 38.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.02 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 31.34 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.34 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.05 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 58 Lesotho 26.44 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 59 Turkey 26.4 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 60 Bosnia and Herzegovina 26.09 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 62 Vietnam 24.78 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 63 Ethiopia 23.8 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 64 Azerbaijan 23.71 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Laos
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 41.55 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 5.35 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 9.63 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.5411 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 1.65 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0059 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 12.32 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.005 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0081 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 0.4771 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Laos?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Laos was 25.98 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 40.08 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.34 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022.
- How does Laos rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Laos ranks 61st out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos 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.