Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Poland
Poland: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 16.52 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
16.52 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
107th
of 200 countries
All-time high
32.34 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1990
All-time low
15.89 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2022
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Poland, 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
Poland recorded 16.52 micrograms per cubic meter for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and down 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Poland peaked at 32.34 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 15.89 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2022.
Poland ranks 107th 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.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Poland, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 32.34 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 31.98 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 31.34 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 30.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 30.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 29.98 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 28.76 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 28.11 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 27.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 26.82 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 25.88 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 25.76 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 29.93 micrograms per cubic meter | +16.2% |
| 2003 | 30.58 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 26.57 micrograms per cubic meter | -13.1% |
| 2005 | 27.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 26.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 24.34 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.7% |
| 2008 | 23.03 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 24.4 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 28.05 micrograms per cubic meter | +15.0% |
| 2011 | 25.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.9% |
| 2012 | 23.68 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.4% |
| 2013 | 22.88 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 23.61 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 21.6 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.5% |
| 2016 | 20.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 21.53 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 22.03 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 18.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.7% |
| 2020 | 16.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.3% |
| 2021 | 18.61 micrograms per cubic meter | +13.2% |
| 2022 | 15.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.6% |
| 2023 | 16.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.0% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 16.52 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.6× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Poland's 16.52 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29.75 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.82 micrograms per cubic meter | 32.34 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.03 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.58 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.83 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.05 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.87 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.89 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.61 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Poland
- 104 Malawi 16.72 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 105 Mexico 16.61 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 106 Algeria 16.54 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 108 Cyprus 16.07 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 109 Romania 16.01 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 110 Malaysia 15.87 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Poland
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.777 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.06 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.73 % 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 0.1029 % 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 -4.67 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Poland?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Poland was 16.52 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 Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 32.34 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.89 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022.
- How does Poland rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Poland ranks 107th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Poland 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.
Download this data
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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.