Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Switzerland
Switzerland: Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas was 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Switzerland, 2010–2023
Source: World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter for exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is down 9.0% on the previous year and down 28.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Switzerland peaked at 13.06 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011 and was at its lowest, 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
Switzerland ranks 178th of 226 countries on this measure, 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 Switzerland, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.85 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 2011 | 13.06 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 11.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.6% |
| 2013 | 11.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 10.62 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 10.69 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 9.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.0% |
| 2017 | 9.72 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 10.07 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 9.01 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.5% |
| 2020 | 8.3 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.9% |
| 2021 | 8.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 9.04 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.01 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.06 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.59 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.04 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 175 Guernsey 8.3 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 176 Spain 8.27 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 176 United States Virgin Islands 8.27 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 179 Bahamas 8.13 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 180 Mauritius 8.07 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 181 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 8.04 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Switzerland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2925 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.4333 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.458 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.33 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate -3.96 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.0576 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate -8.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — 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 Switzerland?
- Exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas in Switzerland was 8.23 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 13.06 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011.
- What is the lowest exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Switzerland rank for exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas?
- Switzerland ranks 178th out of 226 countries with data for 2023.
- Is exposure to outdoor air pollution in urban areas rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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).