Exposure to outdoor air pollution in French Polynesia
French Polynesia: Exposure to outdoor air pollution was 3.6 µg/m³ in 2024. ▬ Flat
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in French Polynesia, 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
French Polynesia recorded 3.6 µg/m³ for exposure to outdoor air pollution in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to outdoor air pollution in French Polynesia peaked at 4 µg/m³ in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.1 µg/m³, in 1999.
That places French Polynesia 231st out of 241 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in French Polynesia, year by year
| Year | µg/m³ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 3.5 µg/m³ | — |
| 1999 | 3.1 µg/m³ | -11.4% |
| 2000 | 3.2 µg/m³ | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 4 µg/m³ | +25.0% |
| 2002 | 3.6 µg/m³ | -10.0% |
| 2003 | 3.7 µg/m³ | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 3.5 µg/m³ | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 3.8 µg/m³ | +8.6% |
| 2006 | 3.6 µg/m³ | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 3.9 µg/m³ | +8.3% |
| 2008 | 3.1 µg/m³ | -20.5% |
| 2009 | 3.3 µg/m³ | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 3.7 µg/m³ | +12.1% |
| 2011 | 3.4 µg/m³ | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 3.1 µg/m³ | -8.8% |
| 2013 | 3.4 µg/m³ | +9.7% |
| 2014 | 3.8 µg/m³ | +11.8% |
| 2015 | 3.7 µg/m³ | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 3.3 µg/m³ | -10.8% |
| 2017 | 3.4 µg/m³ | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 3.8 µg/m³ | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 3.6 µg/m³ | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 3.5 µg/m³ | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 3.1 µg/m³ | -11.4% |
| 2022 | 3.9 µg/m³ | +25.8% |
| 2023 | 3.7 µg/m³ | -5.1% |
| 2024 | 3.6 µg/m³ | -2.7% |
French Polynesia compared with similar countries
- French Polynesia's 3.6 µg/m³ is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.3 µg/m³, 35% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- French Polynesia's 3.6 µg/m³ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.9 µg/m³, 40% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.3 µg/m³ | 3.1 µg/m³ | 3.5 µg/m³ | 2 |
| 2000s | 3.57 µg/m³ | 3.1 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.52 µg/m³ | 3.1 µg/m³ | 3.8 µg/m³ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.56 µg/m³ | 3.1 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ | 5 |
Countries ranked near French Polynesia
- 229 Christmas Island 3.7 µg/m³ compare
- 229 Kiribati 3.7 µg/m³ compare
- 232 Norfolk Island 3.5 µg/m³ compare
- 233 Cook Islands 3.3 µg/m³ compare
- 233 Palau 3.3 µg/m³ compare
More environment data for French Polynesia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.42 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.27 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.863 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 4.57 % 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 1.08 % 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 outdoor air pollution in French Polynesia?
- Exposure to outdoor air pollution in French Polynesia was 3.6 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 French Polynesia?
- The highest recorded value was 4 µg/m³ in 2001.
- What is the lowest exposure to outdoor air pollution recorded in French Polynesia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1 µg/m³ in 1999.
- How does French Polynesia rank for exposure to outdoor air pollution?
- French Polynesia ranks 231st out of 241 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to outdoor air pollution rising or falling in French Polynesia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this French Polynesia 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.