Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Portugal
Portugal: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 7.43 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▼ Falling
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Portugal, 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 Portugal stood at 7.43 micrograms per cubic meter.
The figure is up 17.7% on the previous year and up 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Portugal peaked at 12.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2005 and was at its lowest, 5.48 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2019.
That places Portugal 160th 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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 10.37 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1999 | 9.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.7% |
| 2000 | 9.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 9.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 9.59 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 9.37 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 8.1 micrograms per cubic meter | -13.6% |
| 2005 | 12.42 micrograms per cubic meter | +53.3% |
| 2006 | 9.88 micrograms per cubic meter | -20.5% |
| 2007 | 9.96 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 6.25 micrograms per cubic meter | -37.2% |
| 2009 | 7.05 micrograms per cubic meter | +12.8% |
| 2010 | 6.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 7.38 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.3% |
| 2012 | 6.6 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.6% |
| 2013 | 6.88 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 5.82 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.4% |
| 2015 | 7.15 micrograms per cubic meter | +22.9% |
| 2016 | 7.06 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 7.53 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 6.5 micrograms per cubic meter | -13.7% |
| 2019 | 5.48 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.7% |
| 2020 | 5.78 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.5% |
| 2021 | 6.08 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 6.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 6.31 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 7.43 micrograms per cubic meter | +17.7% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 7.43 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.08 micrograms per cubic meter, 92% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 7.43 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.25 micrograms per cubic meter, 66% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.37 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 9.14 micrograms per cubic meter | 6.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.72 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.53 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.78 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.43 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 157 Luxembourg 7.67 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 158 Spain 7.63 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 159 Mauritania 7.55 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 161 Maldives 7.17 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 162 Andorra 7.16 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 163 Comoros 7.15 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Portugal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.6043 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.5127 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.44 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.29 % 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 0.1607 % 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 Portugal?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Portugal was 7.43 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 12.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2005.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.48 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019.
- How does Portugal rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Portugal ranks 160th out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal 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.