Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
9.46 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 5.5%
World rank
158th
of 200 countries
All-time high
20.16 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1991
All-time low
9.46 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in United Kingdom, 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
United Kingdom recorded 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.5% on the previous year and down 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in United Kingdom peaked at 20.16 micrograms per cubic meter in 1991 and was at its lowest, 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places United Kingdom 158th 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.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.11 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 20.16 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 19.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 19.72 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 19.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 19.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 19.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 18.83 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 18.6 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 18.38 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 17.88 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 15.8 micrograms per cubic meter | -11.6% |
| 2002 | 16.39 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +18.1% |
| 2004 | 15.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -19.5% |
| 2005 | 16.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 13.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -16.5% |
| 2007 | 12.14 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.8% |
| 2008 | 11.99 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 11.99 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 12.54 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 13.02 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 11.18 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.1% |
| 2013 | 12.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.8% |
| 2014 | 12.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter | -13.6% |
| 2016 | 10.66 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 10.37 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 10.61 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 10.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 9.52 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 10 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 10.02 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 94% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter, 73% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.41 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 11.99 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.02 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.75 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.02 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 155 Spain 10.08 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 156 Austria 10.03 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 157 Solomon Islands 9.77 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 159 Cuba 9.45 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 160 Seychelles 9.26 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 161 Andorra 8.88 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.9496 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) -2.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1556 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in United Kingdom?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in United Kingdom was 9.46 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 20.16 micrograms per cubic meter in 1991.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does United Kingdom rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- United Kingdom ranks 158th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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
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.