Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Cook Islands
Cook Islands: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 1.14 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▲ Rising
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Cook Islands, 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
Cook Islands recorded 1.14 micrograms per cubic meter for exposure to air pollution from human sources in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.2% on the previous year and down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Cook Islands peaked at 1.29 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.79 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1998.
That places Cook Islands 232nd out of 240 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.85 micrograms per cubic meter | 0.79 micrograms per cubic meter | 0.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.03 micrograms per cubic meter | 0.97 micrograms per cubic meter | 1.09 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.12 micrograms per cubic meter | 1 micrograms per cubic meter | 1.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 0.98 micrograms per cubic meter | 1.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cook Islands
- 229 French Polynesia 1.28 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 229 Nauru 1.28 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 231 American Samoa 1.21 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 233 Tokelau 1.1 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 234 Niue 1.04 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 235 Kiribati 1.03 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Cook Islands
- Forest area 15,590 hectares (2025)
- Share of global forest area 0.0% (2025)
- Annual change in forest area 0 hectares (2025)
- Annual change in forest area as a share of forest area 0.0% (2025)
- Annual change in forest area vs. GDP per capita 0.0% (2025)
- Change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods 0 hectares (2025)
- Emissions of air pollutants 616.51 tonnes (2022)
- Exposure to outdoor air pollution 3.3 µg/m³ (2024)
- Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population 99.5% (2024)
- Share of urban population using at least basic water services 99.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in Cook Islands?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Cook Islands was 1.14 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 Cook Islands?
- The highest recorded value was 1.29 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Cook Islands?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.79 micrograms per cubic meter in 1998.
- How does Cook Islands rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Cook Islands ranks 232nd out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Cook Islands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cook Islands 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.