Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Laos
Laos: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 26.73 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▲ Rising
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Laos, 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 Laos stood at 26.73 micrograms per cubic meter.
That represents a change of down 9.8% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Laos peaked at 29.62 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023 and was at its lowest, 20.54 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1999.
That places Laos 32nd 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 | 22.88 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.54 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.21 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 24.28 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.19 micrograms per cubic meter | 29.4 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.02 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.96 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.98 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.28 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.5 micrograms per cubic meter | 29.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 29 Gabon 28.49 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 30 Guatemala 27.24 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 31 Armenia 26.79 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 33 Jordan 25.96 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 34 Tajikistan 25.95 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 35 Djibouti 25.47 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Laos
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 41.55 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 5.35 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 9.63 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.5411 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 1.65 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0059 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 12.32 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.005 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0081 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 0.4771 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in Laos?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Laos was 26.73 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 29.62 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.54 micrograms per cubic meter in 1999.
- How does Laos rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Laos ranks 32nd out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Laos 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.