Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Eswatini
Eswatini: Exposure to outdoor air pollution was 20 µg/m³ in 2024. ▬ Flat
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Eswatini, 1998–2024
Source: SatPM, Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in µg/m³.
Analysis
The most recent figure for exposure to outdoor air pollution in Eswatini is 20 µg/m³, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.4% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to outdoor air pollution in Eswatini peaked at 22 µg/m³ in 1998 and was at its lowest, 14.9 µg/m³, in 2003.
Eswatini ranks 89th of 241 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | µg/m³ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 22 µg/m³ | — |
| 1999 | 18.5 µg/m³ | -15.9% |
| 2000 | 15.8 µg/m³ | -14.6% |
| 2001 | 17 µg/m³ | +7.6% |
| 2002 | 15.7 µg/m³ | -7.6% |
| 2003 | 14.9 µg/m³ | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 16.3 µg/m³ | +9.4% |
| 2005 | 18.2 µg/m³ | +11.7% |
| 2006 | 15.6 µg/m³ | -14.3% |
| 2007 | 17.8 µg/m³ | +14.1% |
| 2008 | 18.4 µg/m³ | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 16.1 µg/m³ | -12.5% |
| 2010 | 18.1 µg/m³ | +12.4% |
| 2011 | 15.9 µg/m³ | -12.2% |
| 2012 | 17.9 µg/m³ | +12.6% |
| 2013 | 18.6 µg/m³ | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 18.4 µg/m³ | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 18.7 µg/m³ | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 15.2 µg/m³ | -18.7% |
| 2017 | 16.5 µg/m³ | +8.6% |
| 2018 | 18 µg/m³ | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 17.7 µg/m³ | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 16 µg/m³ | -9.6% |
| 2021 | 17.2 µg/m³ | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 19.2 µg/m³ | +11.6% |
| 2023 | 18.8 µg/m³ | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 20 µg/m³ | +6.4% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 20 µg/m³ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.7 µg/m³, 81% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 20 µg/m³ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.2 µg/m³, 79% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.25 µg/m³ | 18.5 µg/m³ | 22 µg/m³ | 2 |
| 2000s | 16.58 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 18.4 µg/m³ | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.5 µg/m³ | 15.2 µg/m³ | 18.7 µg/m³ | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.24 µg/m³ | 16 µg/m³ | 20 µg/m³ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More environment data for Eswatini
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.321 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.02 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2772 % 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 -2.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to outdoor air pollution in Eswatini?
- Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Eswatini was 20 µg/m³ in 2024, according to SatPM, Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to outdoor air pollution recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 22 µg/m³ in 1998.
- What is the lowest exposure to outdoor air pollution recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.9 µg/m³ in 2003.
- How does Eswatini rank for exposure to outdoor air pollution?
- Eswatini ranks 89th out of 241 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to outdoor air pollution rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from SatPM, Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to outdoor air pollution. 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.