Exposure to outdoor air pollution by country
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.
Countries reporting
234
Highest
75.5 µg/m³
Qatar
Lowest
1.1 µg/m³
Greenland
Median
15.15 µg/m³
Years covered
27
1998–2024
Data points
6,507
What the numbers show
Exposure to outdoor air pollution is currently reported for 234 countries. The highest value is 75.5 µg/m³ in Qatar; the lowest is 1.1 µg/m³ in Greenland.
The median across all reporting countries is 15.15 µg/m³, and the mean is 18.56 µg/m³.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 69.
Over the past decade 112 countries rose and 119 fell. The largest increase was in Bolivia (up 64.4%), and the largest decrease in Northern Mariana Islands (down 44.4%).
Exposure to outdoor air pollution: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 75.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 2 | Bangladesh | 65 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 6.1% | rising |
| 3 | Kuwait | 57.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates | 55.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 5 | Pakistan | 53.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 6 | Cameroon | 51.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 7 | Saudi Arabia | 50.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.6% | rising |
| 8 | Nigeria | 50 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 5.0% | flat |
| 9 | Iraq | 48.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 10 | Bahrain | 48.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 11 | Niger | 47.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 1.4% | flat |
| 12 | India | 44.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 13.7% | rising |
| 13 | Rwanda | 41.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 0.5% | rising |
| 14 | Egypt | 41.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 15 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 41.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 16 | Nepal | 40.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 17 | Bolivia | 40.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 64.4% | rising |
| 18 | Burundi | 40.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 19 | Congo | 40.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 20 | Afghanistan | 40 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 21 | Chad | 39.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 22 | Mongolia | 38.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.8% | rising |
| 23 | Iran | 37.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 24 | Uganda | 37.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 25 | Senegal | 36.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 26 | Gambia | 35.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 3.2% | flat |
| 27 | Equatorial Guinea | 35.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 28 | Benin | 35.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 12.1% | flat |
| 29 | Mauritania | 35.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 3.5% | falling |
| 30 | Yemen | 35 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 6.4% | rising |
| 31 | Burkina Faso | 34.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 32 | Oman | 34.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 5.2% | rising |
| 33 | Jordan | 32.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 33 | Tajikistan | 32.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 15.2% | rising |
| 35 | Central African Republic | 32.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 2.4% | flat |
| 36 | Gabon | 32.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 23.4% | rising |
| 37 | Armenia | 31.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 38 | Honduras | 31.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 39 | China | 31.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 40.0% | flat |
| 40 | Myanmar | 31.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.7% | rising |
| 41 | Djibouti | 31.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 7.4% | flat |
| 42 | Mali | 31 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 9.9% | falling |
| 42 | Togo | 31 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 8.0% | falling |
| 44 | Syria | 30.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 45 | El Salvador | 30.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 46 | Uzbekistan | 30 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 47 | Turkmenistan | 29.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 5.8% | falling |
| 48 | Guinea-Bissau | 29 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.1% | falling |
| 49 | Sudan | 28.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 1.0% | flat |
| 50 | Ghana | 28.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 14.6% | flat |
| 51 | Guatemala | 27.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 14.5% | flat |
| 52 | Peru | 27.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 19.0% | rising |
| 53 | Laos | 27 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 6.6% | rising |
| 54 | Lebanon | 26.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 5.1% | flat |
| 55 | Angola | 26.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 31.8% | rising |
| 56 | Turkey | 25.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 56 | Vietnam | 25.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 7.6% | rising |
| 58 | Zambia | 25.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 20.4% | rising |
| 59 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 25.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 60 | Eritrea | 25 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 4.2% | flat |
| 61 | Bhutan | 24.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 19.3% | rising |
| 62 | Tanzania | 24.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 63 | Lesotho | 24.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 64 | South Africa | 24.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 65 | South Sudan | 24.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 2.4% | flat |
| 66 | Guinea | 23.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.6% | falling |
| 67 | Azerbaijan | 23.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 6.7% | flat |
| 68 | Thailand | 23.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 4.5% | rising |
| 69 | Chile | 23.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 69 | Palestine | 23.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 71 | Philippines | 23.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 72 | Kenya | 22 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 73 | Malawi | 21.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 16.6% | rising |
| 74 | Georgia | 21.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 75 | Paraguay | 21.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 52.1% | flat |
| 76 | North Korea | 21.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 23.2% | flat |
| 77 | South Korea | 21 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 13.2% | flat |
| 78 | Sri Lanka | 20.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 78 | North Macedonia | 20.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 17.5% | falling |
| 80 | Bulgaria | 20.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 81 | Nicaragua | 20.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 12.6% | flat |
| 82 | Israel | 20.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 83 | Costa Rica | 20.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 84 | Cote d'Ivoire | 20.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 14.1% | flat |
| 84 | Ethiopia | 20.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 6.9% | rising |
| 84 | Sierra Leone | 20.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 6.9% | falling |
| 84 | Tunisia | 20.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 20.2% | falling |
| 88 | Zimbabwe | 20.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 89 | Eswatini | 20 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 8.7% | flat |
| 90 | Macao | 19.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 38.6% | falling |
| 91 | Western Sahara | 19.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 25.8% | falling |
| 92 | Cambodia | 19 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 93 | Indonesia | 18.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 14.4% | rising |
| 94 | Mexico | 18.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 12.3% | falling |
| 95 | Ecuador | 17.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 96 | Jamaica | 17.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 96 | Serbia | 17.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 14.1% | falling |
| 98 | Morocco | 17.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 8.1% | flat |
| 99 | Liberia | 17.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 11.7% | flat |
| 99 | Montenegro | 17.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 101 | Libya | 17.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 6.9% | falling |
| 102 | Cape Verde | 17 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 39.3% | falling |
| 102 | Kyrgyzstan | 17 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.4% | flat |
| 102 | Mozambique | 17 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 20.6% | flat |
| 105 | Albania | 16.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.4% | falling |
| 106 | Botswana | 16.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 31.5% | flat |
| 107 | Cyprus | 16.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 107 | Taiwan | 16.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 109 | Kazakhstan | 16 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 1.2% | flat |
| 110 | Hong Kong | 15.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 110 | Venezuela | 15.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 112 | Poland | 15.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 35.0% | falling |
| 112 | Sao Tome and Principe | 15.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 36.8% | falling |
| 114 | Namibia | 15.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 24.0% | falling |
| 115 | Brazil | 15.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 23.4% | rising |
| 115 | Malaysia | 15.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 23.9% | rising |
| 117 | Italy | 15.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 118 | Colombia | 15.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 7.9% | rising |
| 118 | Greece | 15.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 120 | Cayman Islands | 15 µg/m³ | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 121 | Guyana | 14.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 122 | Panama | 14.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 2.0% | rising |
| 123 | Croatia | 14.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 14.6% | falling |
| 124 | Argentina | 14.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 3.6% | flat |
| 125 | Belize | 14.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 18.0% | falling |
| 125 | Algeria | 14.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 14.3% | flat |
| 127 | Romania | 14.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 128 | Ukraine | 14.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 129 | Haiti | 14 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 130 | Suriname | 13.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 130 | Slovenia | 13.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 8.2% | falling |
| 130 | Trinidad and Tobago | 13.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 130 | Vatican | 13.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 134 | Hungary | 13.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 31.3% | falling |
| 135 | Slovakia | 13.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 136 | Mauritius | 13 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 137 | Belarus | 12.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 137 | Russia | 12.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 1.6% | falling |
| 137 | San Marino | 12.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 1.5% | falling |
| 137 | French Guiana | 12.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 141 | Latvia | 12.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 30.2% | falling |
| 142 | Gibraltar | 12.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 142 | Moldova | 12.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 22.7% | falling |
| 144 | Dominican Republic | 12.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 145 | Singapore | 12.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 21.3% | rising |
| 146 | Czechia | 12.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 36.0% | falling |
| 147 | Curacao | 12 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 17.6% | rising |
| 148 | Uruguay | 11.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 4.0% | flat |
| 150 | Lithuania | 11.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 32.2% | falling |
| 150 | Madagascar | 11.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 152 | Somalia | 11.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 153 | Barbados | 11.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 16.7% | flat |
| 155 | Papua New Guinea | 11 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 156 | Aruba | 10.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 157 | East Timor | 10.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 158 | Monaco | 10.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 15.7% | falling |
| 158 | Maldives | 10.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 23.6% | falling |
| 160 | Grenada | 10.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 9.3% | flat |
| 161 | Comoros | 10.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 11.7% | rising |
| 161 | Japan | 10.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 19.8% | falling |
| 161 | Portugal | 10.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 164 | Saint Lucia | 10.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 19.5% | rising |
| 166 | Austria | 10.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 167 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 10.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 10.9% | flat |
| 168 | Spain | 10 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.0% | falling |
| 169 | Cuba | 9.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 4.2% | falling |
| 169 | Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba | 9.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 8.8% | flat |
| 172 | Falkland Islands | 9.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 173 | Netherlands | 9.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 30.9% | falling |
| 174 | Belgium | 9.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 27.9% | falling |
| 176 | Germany | 9.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 32.6% | falling |
| 176 | Dominica | 9.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 12.3% | flat |
| 178 | Switzerland | 9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 19.6% | falling |
| 178 | Denmark | 9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 19.6% | falling |
| 180 | Brunei | 8.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 9.2% | flat |
| 180 | France | 8.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 23.3% | falling |
| 182 | United Kingdom | 8.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 26.1% | falling |
| 183 | Andorra | 8.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 1.1% | falling |
| 184 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 8.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 21.7% | falling |
| 186 | Jersey | 8.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 20.6% | falling |
| 187 | Antigua and Barbuda | 7.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 188 | Montserrat | 7.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 1.3% | falling |
| 189 | United States | 7.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 190 | Guernsey | 7.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 20.4% | falling |
| 192 | Puerto Rico | 7.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 15.9% | rising |
| 193 | Canada | 7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 193 | New Zealand | 7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 193 | Solomon Islands | 7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 12.5% | rising |
| 196 | Seychelles | 6.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 6.8% | rising |
| 197 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 6.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 198 | Estonia | 6.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 32.3% | falling |
| 198 | Norway | 6.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 198 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 6.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 4.3% | falling |
| 201 | Saint Martin (French part) | 6.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 201 | Saint Barthelemy | 6.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 4.3% | falling |
| 203 | Isle of Man | 6.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 19.8% | falling |
| 204 | United States Virgin Islands | 6.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 10.9% | flat |
| 204 | Anguilla | 6.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 3.2% | falling |
| 206 | Vanuatu | 5.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 18.3% | rising |
| 207 | Fiji | 5.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 207 | Sweden | 5.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 207 | British Virgin Islands | 5.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 11.8% | falling |
| 210 | Australia | 5.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 210 | Finland | 5.4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 27.0% | falling |
| 212 | Bahamas | 5.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 8.3% | falling |
| 213 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 5.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 10.5% | flat |
| 214 | Reunion | 5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 13.8% | flat |
| 215 | New Caledonia | 4.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 7.5% | rising |
| 216 | Iceland | 4.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 217 | Tuvalu | 4.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 218 | Aland Islands | 4.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 37.7% | falling |
| 219 | Samoa | 4.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 219 | Saint Helena | 4.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 13.9% | flat |
| 221 | Faroe Islands | 4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 18.4% | falling |
| 221 | Tokelau | 4 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 7.0% | rising |
| 221 | Wallis and Futuna | 4 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 221 | Cocos Islands | 4 µg/m³ | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 225 | Bermuda | 3.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 226 | American Samoa | 3.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 226 | Nauru | 3.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 22.4% | rising |
| 226 | Tonga | 3.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 11.8% | falling |
| 229 | Kiribati | 3.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 14.0% | rising |
| 229 | Christmas Island | 3.7 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 38.3% | flat |
| 231 | French Polynesia | 3.6 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 5.3% | flat |
| 232 | Norfolk Island | 3.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 233 | Palau | 3.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 41.1% | flat |
| 233 | Cook Islands | 3.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 235 | Niue | 3.2 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 236 | Pitcairn | 3.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | up 6.9% | flat |
| 237 | Marshall Islands | 2.8 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 20.0% | rising |
| 238 | Micronesia (country) | 2.3 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 30.3% | flat |
| 239 | Guam | 1.9 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 44.1% | rising |
| 240 | Northern Mariana Islands | 1.5 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 44.4% | falling |
| 241 | Greenland | 1.1 µg/m³ | 2024 | down 38.9% | falling |
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.