Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ghana
Ghana: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 20.57 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
20.57 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 9.9%
World rank
55th
of 240 countries
All-time high
22.3 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2008
All-time low
15.8 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1999
Years of data
27
1998–2024
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ghana, 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
Ghana recorded 20.57 micrograms per cubic meter for exposure to air pollution from human sources in 2024.
The figure is up 9.9% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ghana peaked at 22.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2008 and was at its lowest, 15.8 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1999.
Ghana ranks 55th of 240 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ghana, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 17.07 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1999 | 15.8 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 19.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +22.5% |
| 2001 | 18.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 19.68 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 20.16 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 20.64 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 21.63 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 20.07 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.2% |
| 2007 | 20.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 22.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 20.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.8% |
| 2010 | 20.41 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 20.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 17.67 micrograms per cubic meter | -13.8% |
| 2013 | 18.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 17.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 18.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 19.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 19.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 17.76 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.0% |
| 2019 | 18.81 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 17.98 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.1% |
| 2022 | 19.64 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.2% |
| 2023 | 18.71 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 20.57 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.9% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 20.57 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 20.57 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.28 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.8 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 20.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 19 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.51 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.98 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.57 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 52 South Africa 21.6 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 53 South Sudan 20.89 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 54 Paraguay 20.65 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 56 Chad 20.51 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 57 North Korea 20.47 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 58 Kenya 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Ghana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -13.57 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -11.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.26 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.34 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.72 % 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 0.8796 % 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 Ghana?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ghana was 20.57 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 22.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2008.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.8 micrograms per cubic meter in 1999.
- How does Ghana rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Ghana ranks 55th out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ghana 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.