Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nauru
Nauru: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 4.84 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
4.84 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 10.9%
World rank
189th
of 200 countries
All-time high
6.85 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2015
All-time low
4.02 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2021
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nauru, 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
In 2023, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nauru stood at 4.84 micrograms per cubic meter.
That represents a change of up 10.9% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nauru peaked at 6.85 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015 and was at its lowest, 4.02 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021.
That places Nauru 189th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nauru, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.21 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 5.32 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 5.39 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 5.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 5.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 5.67 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 5.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 5.72 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 5.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 5.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 5.88 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 5.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 5.64 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 5.53 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 5.15 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.8% |
| 2005 | 5.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 5.17 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 4.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.9% |
| 2008 | 4.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 5.41 micrograms per cubic meter | +15.1% |
| 2010 | 5.06 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.4% |
| 2011 | 4.67 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 5.19 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.1% |
| 2013 | 5.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.5% |
| 2014 | 5.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 6.85 micrograms per cubic meter | +17.6% |
| 2016 | 4.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -31.5% |
| 2017 | 4.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 4.85 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 6.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +40.7% |
| 2020 | 4.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -37.2% |
| 2021 | 4.02 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 4.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.5% |
| 2023 | 4.84 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.9% |
Nauru compared with similar countries
- Nauru's 4.84 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 48% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Nauru's 4.84 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.77 micrograms per cubic meter, 50% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.56 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.21 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 4.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.88 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.43 micrograms per cubic meter | 4.58 micrograms per cubic meter | 6.85 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 4.02 micrograms per cubic meter | 4.84 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nauru
- 186 Tuvalu 5.22 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 187 Palau 4.94 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 188 Iceland 4.93 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 190 Tonga 4.69 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 191 Bermuda 4.63 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 192 Samoa 4.58 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Nauru
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (1992)
- Temperature change -0.737 °C (1993)
- Standard Deviation 0.589 °C (1992)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Share of GDP US$ 1.94 % (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$, 2015 2.44 million USD (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Share of GDP 2.35 % (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Share of GDP 1.94 % (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Annual growth 6.89 % (2024)
- Total fisheries production 87,348 metric tons (2024)
- Capture fisheries production 87,348 metric tons (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nauru?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nauru was 4.84 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 Nauru?
- The highest recorded value was 6.85 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Nauru?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.02 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
- How does Nauru rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Nauru ranks 189th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Nauru?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nauru 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.