Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Switzerland
Switzerland: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Switzerland, 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 Switzerland is 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 18.2% on the previous year and down 37.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Switzerland peaked at 23.73 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Switzerland 168th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.73 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 12 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.18 micrograms per cubic meter | 14.96 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 165 Netherlands 8.59 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 166 Belgium 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 167 Antigua and Barbuda 8.42 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 169 France 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 170 Puerto Rico 7.84 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 171 Brunei 7.57 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Switzerland
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 42.99 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 4.77 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 4.05 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.2549 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 1.29 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0203 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 5.94 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0476 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0228 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 0.2474 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Switzerland?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Switzerland was 8.32 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 23.73 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Switzerland rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Switzerland ranks 168th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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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CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.