Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Yemen
Yemen: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 46.84 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
46.84 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
15th
of 200 countries
All-time high
53.86 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2012
All-time low
37.05 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2002
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Yemen, 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 Yemen stood at 46.84 micrograms per cubic meter.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Yemen peaked at 53.86 micrograms per cubic meter in 2012 and was at its lowest, 37.05 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2002.
That places Yemen 15th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Yemen, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 44.76 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 42.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.1% |
| 1992 | 43.08 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 43.21 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 43.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 39.56 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.7% |
| 1996 | 43.62 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.3% |
| 1997 | 43.76 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 43.9 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 44.03 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 46.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 38.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.1% |
| 2002 | 37.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 39.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 38.99 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 39.77 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 39.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 40.8 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 41.66 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 41 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 41.21 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 48.38 micrograms per cubic meter | +17.4% |
| 2012 | 53.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.3% |
| 2013 | 51.87 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 42.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.6% |
| 2015 | 50.05 micrograms per cubic meter | +17.1% |
| 2016 | 46.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.9% |
| 2017 | 47.97 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 45.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 48.34 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 43.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.5% |
| 2021 | 41.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 47.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +12.9% |
| 2023 | 46.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 46.84 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for low income countries, which is 33.29 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 46.84 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 40.25 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.22 micrograms per cubic meter | 39.56 micrograms per cubic meter | 44.76 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.22 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.05 micrograms per cubic meter | 46.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.61 micrograms per cubic meter | 41.21 micrograms per cubic meter | 53.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 41.73 micrograms per cubic meter | 47.11 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More environment data for Yemen
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -36.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -31.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 43.43 % change on previous year (1998)
- Standard Deviation 0.393 °C (1998)
- Temperature change 1.37 °C (1998)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2018)
- 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 2.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Yemen?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Yemen was 46.84 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 53.86 micrograms per cubic meter in 2012.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.05 micrograms per cubic meter in 2002.
- How does Yemen rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Yemen ranks 15th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Yemen 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.