Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 19.14 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▼ Falling
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Bulgaria, 1998–2024
Source: Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
In 2024, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Bulgaria stood at 19.14 micrograms per cubic meter.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.2% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Bulgaria peaked at 30.11 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011 and was at its lowest, 15.55 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021.
That places Bulgaria 64th out of 240 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 26.6 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1999 | 23.98 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 25.97 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.3% |
| 2001 | 26.02 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 26.16 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 26.68 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 24.18 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.4% |
| 2005 | 25.33 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 28.84 micrograms per cubic meter | +13.9% |
| 2007 | 26.79 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.1% |
| 2008 | 25.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 23.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.0% |
| 2010 | 21.17 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.0% |
| 2011 | 30.11 micrograms per cubic meter | +42.2% |
| 2012 | 24.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -17.2% |
| 2013 | 21.87 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.2% |
| 2014 | 22.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 20.31 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.9% |
| 2016 | 19.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 20.64 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 20.41 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 19.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 17.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.9% |
| 2021 | 15.55 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.2% |
| 2022 | 16.8 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.0% |
| 2023 | 16.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 19.14 micrograms per cubic meter | +17.2% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 19.14 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.08 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.4× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 19.14 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.25 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.7× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.98 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.6 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 25.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.84 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.06 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.23 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.11 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.99 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.14 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 61 Malawi 19.94 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 62 South Korea 19.59 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 63 North Macedonia 19.42 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 65 Turkmenistan 19.03 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 66 Zimbabwe 18.9 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 67 Philippines 18.36 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Bulgaria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.573 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -6.02 % 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 -0.7509 % 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 exposure to air pollution from human sources in Bulgaria?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Bulgaria was 19.14 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, according to Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 30.11 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.55 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
- How does Bulgaria rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Bulgaria ranks 64th out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to air pollution from human sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual population-weighted average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can pose significant health risks. This data excludes natural sources of PM2.5, such as dust and sea salt, to focus on human-caused pollution.