Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Portugal
Portugal: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas was 6.51 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Portugal, 2010–2023
Source: World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
The most recent figure for exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Portugal is 6.51 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is down 18.4% on the previous year and down 32.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Portugal peaked at 10.75 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011 and was at its lowest, 6.51 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Portugal 201st out of 226 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Portugal, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.66 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 2011 | 10.75 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 9.45 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.1% |
| 2013 | 9.63 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 7.98 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.1% |
| 2015 | 8.97 micrograms per cubic meter | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 9.21 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 9.67 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 8.02 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.1% |
| 2019 | 7.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 7.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 7.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 7.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.9% |
| 2023 | 6.51 micrograms per cubic meter | -18.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.75 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 6.51 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.98 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 198 Ireland 6.75 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 199 Marshall Islands 6.6 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 200 Vanuatu 6.59 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 202 American Samoa 6.36 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 203 Papua New Guinea 6.35 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 204 Iceland 6.31 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Portugal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.6043 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.5127 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.44 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.15 °C (2025)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Export quantity, annual growth rate -27.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Export quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Export quantity, per capita 0.0009 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Export value, annual growth rate -3.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Export 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 Portugal?
- Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Portugal was 6.51 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 10.75 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011.
- What is the lowest exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.51 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Portugal rank for exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas?
- Portugal ranks 201st out of 226 countries with data for 2023.
- Is exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal 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).