Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Turkey
Turkey: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 26.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
26.4 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 4.6%
World rank
59th
of 200 countries
All-time high
27.86 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2015
All-time low
24.79 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2009
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Turkey, 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 Turkey stood at 26.4 micrograms per cubic meter.
That represents a change of down 4.6% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Turkey peaked at 27.86 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015 and was at its lowest, 24.79 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2009.
Turkey ranks 59th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Turkey, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 25.13 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 25.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 25.2 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 25.27 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 25.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 25.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 25.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 25.57 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 25.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 25.72 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 25.88 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 26.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 27.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 25.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 25.29 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 24.86 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 25.54 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 26.02 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 25.83 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 24.79 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 27.4 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.5% |
| 2011 | 26.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 25.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 27.05 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 27.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 27.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 25.07 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.0% |
| 2017 | 26.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 26.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 26.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 25.17 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.4% |
| 2021 | 25.22 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 27.69 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.8% |
| 2023 | 26.4 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.6% |
Turkey compared with similar countries
- Turkey's 26.4 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Turkey's 26.4 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.12 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.72 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.71 micrograms per cubic meter | 24.79 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.59 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.12 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
- 56 Guinea 27.26 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 57 Lebanon 26.69 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 58 Lesotho 26.44 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 60 Bosnia and Herzegovina 26.09 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 61 Laos 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 62 Vietnam 24.78 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Turkey
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.74 % 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 0.6763 % 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 3.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- 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) 9.48 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Turkey?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Turkey was 26.4 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 Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 27.86 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.79 micrograms per cubic meter in 2009.
- How does Turkey rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Turkey ranks 59th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Turkey?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Turkey 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.