Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Uruguay
Uruguay: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
10.85 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 7.9%
World rank
149th
of 200 countries
All-time high
13.33 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1990
All-time low
10.85 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Uruguay, 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 Uruguay is 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 7.9% on the previous year and down 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Uruguay peaked at 13.33 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Uruguay 149th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 13.33 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 13.22 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 13.18 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 13.14 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 13.1 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 12.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 13.01 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 12.97 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 12.93 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 12.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 12.92 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 12.54 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 12.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 12.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 11.86 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 11.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 12.47 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 12.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 13.03 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 13.04 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 11.67 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.5% |
| 2011 | 12.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 11.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 11.76 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 11.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 11.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 11.01 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 10.93 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 10.87 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 11.18 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 11.94 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 11.15 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 11.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.9% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.1× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15.33 micrograms per cubic meter, 71% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.89 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.33 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.53 micrograms per cubic meter | 11.49 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.04 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.41 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.87 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.43 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter | 11.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 146 Maldives 11.16 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 147 Grenada 11.03 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 148 Barbados 10.91 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 150 Malta 10.81 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 151 Lithuania 10.75 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 152 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10.6 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Uruguay
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.58 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.3 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.385 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.622 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.96 % 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 3.64 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Uruguay?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Uruguay was 10.85 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 13.33 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.85 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Uruguay rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Uruguay ranks 149th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.