Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Mauritania
Mauritania: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
46.5 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
16th
of 200 countries
All-time high
54.1 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2012
All-time low
41.94 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2001
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Mauritania, 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 Mauritania is 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Mauritania peaked at 54.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 2012 and was at its lowest, 41.94 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2001.
Mauritania ranks 16th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 48.13 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 48.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 49 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 49.46 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 49.92 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 50.28 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 50.83 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 51.28 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 51.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 52.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 52.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 41.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -20.4% |
| 2002 | 45.92 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.5% |
| 2003 | 46.1 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 45.68 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 46.22 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 46.48 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 48.1 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 48.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 44.56 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 47.61 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 49.02 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 54.1 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.4% |
| 2013 | 42.78 micrograms per cubic meter | -20.9% |
| 2014 | 43.95 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 53.02 micrograms per cubic meter | +20.6% |
| 2016 | 47.91 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.6% |
| 2017 | 50.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 46.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 43.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 45.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 48.99 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.8% |
| 2022 | 45.04 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.2% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.49 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 50.14 micrograms per cubic meter | 48.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 52.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.61 micrograms per cubic meter | 41.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 52.7 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.9 micrograms per cubic meter | 42.78 micrograms per cubic meter | 54.1 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.49 micrograms per cubic meter | 45.04 micrograms per cubic meter | 48.99 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More environment data for Mauritania
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.465 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.85 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.9 % 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 0.4893 % 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 0.0349 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Mauritania?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Mauritania was 46.5 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 54.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 2012.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.94 micrograms per cubic meter in 2001.
- How does Mauritania rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Mauritania ranks 16th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.