Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Syria
Syria: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
32.06 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 9.4%
World rank
42nd
of 200 countries
All-time high
36.47 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2010
All-time low
27.89 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2000
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Syria, 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 Syria stood at 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter.
That represents a change of down 9.4% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Syria peaked at 36.47 micrograms per cubic meter in 2010 and was at its lowest, 27.89 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2000.
That places Syria 42nd out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Syria, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 31.32 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 31.77 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 31.43 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 31.09 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 30.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 30.06 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.0% |
| 1997 | 29.71 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 29.37 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 29.03 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 27.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 28.99 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 30.43 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 31.09 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 31.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 29.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 30.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 31.37 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 32.18 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 32.8 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 36.47 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 31.93 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.5% |
| 2012 | 33.19 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 34.23 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 30.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.8% |
| 2015 | 33.77 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 30.3 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.3% |
| 2017 | 31.4 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 31.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 33.37 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 31.57 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 30.57 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 35.37 micrograms per cubic meter | +15.7% |
| 2023 | 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.4% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for low income countries, which is 33.29 micrograms per cubic meter, 96% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter, 80% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 29.03 micrograms per cubic meter | 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.89 micrograms per cubic meter | 32.8 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.72 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 36.47 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.39 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.57 micrograms per cubic meter | 35.37 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Syria
- 39 Uzbekistan 32.77 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 40 Jordan 32.63 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 41 Guinea-Bissau 32.29 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 43 China 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 44 Gabon 31.32 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 45 Turkmenistan 31.25 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Syria
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2022)
- 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 3.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 1.39 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) -8.89 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Syria?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Syria was 32.06 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 Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 36.47 micrograms per cubic meter in 2010.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.89 micrograms per cubic meter in 2000.
- How does Syria rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Syria ranks 42nd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria 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.