Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Tanzania
Tanzania: Exposure to outdoor air pollution was 24.6 µg/m³ in 2024. ▲ Rising
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Tanzania, 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
Tanzania recorded 24.6 µg/m³ for exposure to outdoor air pollution in 2024.
The figure is up 21.2% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to outdoor air pollution in Tanzania peaked at 25.2 µg/m³ in 2001 and was at its lowest, 12.4 µg/m³, in 1999.
Tanzania ranks 62nd of 241 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | µg/m³ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 15.4 µg/m³ | — |
| 1999 | 12.4 µg/m³ | -19.5% |
| 2000 | 22 µg/m³ | +77.4% |
| 2001 | 25.2 µg/m³ | +14.5% |
| 2002 | 19.8 µg/m³ | -21.4% |
| 2003 | 21.8 µg/m³ | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 22.3 µg/m³ | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 22.9 µg/m³ | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 20.3 µg/m³ | -11.4% |
| 2007 | 24.6 µg/m³ | +21.2% |
| 2008 | 23.4 µg/m³ | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 21.4 µg/m³ | -8.5% |
| 2010 | 22.9 µg/m³ | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 24.2 µg/m³ | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 24.1 µg/m³ | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.7 µg/m³ | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 22.5 µg/m³ | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 23.5 µg/m³ | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 21.8 µg/m³ | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 20.6 µg/m³ | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 21.6 µg/m³ | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 21.9 µg/m³ | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 22.7 µg/m³ | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 21.2 µg/m³ | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 22.5 µg/m³ | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 20.3 µg/m³ | -9.8% |
| 2024 | 24.6 µg/m³ | +21.2% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 24.6 µg/m³ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.7 µg/m³, 100% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 24.6 µg/m³ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.2 µg/m³, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Tanzania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +77.4% | 12.4 µg/m³ | 22 µg/m³ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.9 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.37 µg/m³ | 19.8 µg/m³ | 25.2 µg/m³ | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.68 µg/m³ | 20.6 µg/m³ | 24.2 µg/m³ | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.26 µg/m³ | 20.3 µg/m³ | 24.6 µg/m³ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
- 59 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25.2 µg/m³ compare
- 60 Eritrea 25 µg/m³ compare
- 61 Bhutan 24.7 µg/m³ compare
- 63 Lesotho 24.5 µg/m³ compare
- 64 South Africa 24.4 µg/m³ compare
- 65 South Sudan 24.1 µg/m³ compare
More environment data for Tanzania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.06 % 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 5.16 % 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to outdoor air pollution in Tanzania?
- Exposure to outdoor air pollution in Tanzania was 24.6 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 25.2 µg/m³ in 2001.
- What is the lowest exposure to outdoor air pollution recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4 µg/m³ in 1999.
- How does Tanzania rank for exposure to outdoor air pollution?
- Tanzania ranks 62nd out of 241 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to outdoor air pollution rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.