PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 27.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in East Asia & Pacific, 1990–2023
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 (GBD 2023) Air Pollution Exposure Estimates and Risk Curves 1990-2023, GBD Collaborator Network. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
In 2023, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in East Asia & Pacific stood at 27.3 micrograms per cubic meter.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 40.86 micrograms per cubic meter in 2014 and was at its lowest, 27.27 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021.
That places East Asia & Pacific 27th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 37.79 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 37.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 37.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 37.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 37.58 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 36.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 37.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 37.68 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 37.71 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 37.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 38.15 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 37.96 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 38.4 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 37.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 37.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 38.31 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 39.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 40.29 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 39.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 39.27 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 37.95 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 40.5 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 37.83 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.6% |
| 2013 | 39.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 40.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 38.97 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 35.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 33.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 31.39 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.3% |
| 2019 | 31.19 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 28.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 27.27 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 27.31 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 27.3 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 37.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 36.85 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.79 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.78 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 40.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 31.19 micrograms per cubic meter | 40.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.51 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.27 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 24 Benin 39.66 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 25 Gambia 38.27 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 26 Afghanistan 37.95 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 27 Sudan 37.61 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 28 Burkina Faso 37.32 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 29 Congo 36.54 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 30 Rwanda 36.01 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for East Asia & Pacific
- Population in the largest city 11.3% (2025)
- Population density 97.52 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 96.9% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in East Asia & Pacific?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in East Asia & Pacific was 27.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, according to Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 (GBD 2023) Air Pollution Exposure Estimates and Risk Curves 1990-2023, GBD Collaborator Network.
- What is the highest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 40.86 micrograms per cubic meter in 2014.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.27 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 27th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific data come from?
- The figures come from Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 (GBD 2023) Air Pollution Exposure Estimates and Risk Curves 1990-2023, GBD Collaborator Network, published as part of PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population-weighted exposure to ambient PM2.5 pollution is defined as the average level of exposure of a nation's population to concentrations of suspended particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and causing severe health damage. Exposure is calculated by weighting mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 by population in both urban and rural areas.