Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
21.81 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
74th
of 200 countries
All-time high
35.69 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1990
All-time low
21.81 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in North Macedonia, 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 North Macedonia is 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and down 23.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in North Macedonia peaked at 35.69 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places North Macedonia 74th 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.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 35.69 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 35.03 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 34.62 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 34.21 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 33.8 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 32.9 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 32.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 32.57 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 32.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 31.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 31.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 30.09 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 32.6 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 35.07 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.6% |
| 2004 | 31.09 micrograms per cubic meter | -11.3% |
| 2005 | 31.31 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 30.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 29.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 28.57 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 27.37 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 26.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 30.01 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.5% |
| 2012 | 28.78 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 28.51 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 25.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.7% |
| 2015 | 26.84 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 24.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.5% |
| 2017 | 24.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 25.45 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 23.55 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 22.51 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.4% |
| 2021 | 22.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 22.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
North Macedonia compared with similar countries
- North Macedonia's 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- North Macedonia's 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.7× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.57 micrograms per cubic meter | 31.74 micrograms per cubic meter | 35.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.71 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.37 micrograms per cubic meter | 35.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.01 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.24 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.51 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
- 71 Philippines 22.21 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 72 Israel 21.9 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 73 South Korea 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 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
More environment data for North Macedonia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.21 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 3.08 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.483 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.22 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -7.16 % 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 -10.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in North Macedonia?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in North Macedonia was 21.81 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 North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 35.69 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does North Macedonia rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- North Macedonia ranks 74th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.