Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas was 50.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Afghanistan, 2010–2023
Source: World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
In 2023, exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Afghanistan stood at 50.42 micrograms per cubic meter. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is down 9.0% on the previous year and down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Afghanistan peaked at 77.97 micrograms per cubic meter in 2010 and was at its lowest, 50.42 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Afghanistan 7th out of 226 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77.97 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 2011 | 71.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 70.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 75.63 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.9% |
| 2014 | 72.8 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 73.05 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 76.91 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 73.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 72.5 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 61.39 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.3% |
| 2020 | 52.64 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.3% |
| 2021 | 56.73 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.8% |
| 2022 | 55.39 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 50.42 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 72.64 micrograms per cubic meter | 61.39 micrograms per cubic meter | 77.97 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.8 micrograms per cubic meter | 50.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 56.73 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More environment data for Afghanistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -19.95 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -17.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.547 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.96 °C (2025)
- Plywood and LVL — Import quantity, annual growth rate 355.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Plywood and LVL — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Plywood and LVL — Import quantity, per capita 0.0002 m3 per person (2024)
- Plywood and LVL — Import value, annual growth rate -76.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Plywood and LVL — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Afghanistan?
- Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Afghanistan was 50.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, according to World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 77.97 micrograms per cubic meter in 2010.
- What is the lowest exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Afghanistan rank for exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas?
- Afghanistan ranks 7th out of 226 countries with data for 2023.
- Is exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (population-weighted), by location (micrograms per cubic meter).