Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 20.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nicaragua, 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 Nicaragua stood at 20.42 micrograms per cubic meter.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nicaragua peaked at 26.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003 and was at its lowest, 19.1 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2014.
That places Nicaragua 78th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 | 25.7 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.49 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.95 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.98 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.1 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.74 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.75 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 75 North Korea 21.78 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 76 Jamaica 21.65 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 77 Indonesia 20.84 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 79 Cote d'Ivoire 20.39 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 80 Kenya 20.25 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 81 Zambia 20.24 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Nicaragua
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 19.16 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 2.77 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 9.07 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.3791 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 0.0366 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0029 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 10.54 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0186 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0112 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.03 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nicaragua?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nicaragua was 20.42 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 Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 26.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 2014.
- How does Nicaragua rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Nicaragua ranks 78th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua 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.