Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Kenya
Kenya: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▲ Rising
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Kenya, 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
Kenya recorded 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter for exposure to air pollution from human sources in 2024. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.0% on the previous year and up 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Kenya peaked at 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.63 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1999.
That places Kenya 58th out of 240 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 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 | 9.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.63 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.6 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 17.3 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.87 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.74 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.6 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.28 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 55 Ghana 20.57 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 56 Chad 20.51 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 57 North Korea 20.47 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 59 Chile 20.1 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 59 Lebanon 20.1 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 61 Malawi 19.94 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Kenya
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 102.84 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 1.82 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 50.02 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 3.41 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 7.97 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0511 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 64.93 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0034 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0653 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 3.4 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in Kenya?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Kenya was 20.17 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.63 micrograms per cubic meter in 1999.
- How does Kenya rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Kenya ranks 58th out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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.