PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Ireland
Ireland: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 7.51 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Ireland, 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 Ireland stood at 7.51 micrograms per cubic meter.
That represents a change of down 7.3% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Ireland peaked at 14.06 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003 and was at its lowest, 7.1 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2017.
Ireland ranks 172nd of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Ireland, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 13.5 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 13.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 13.39 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 13.27 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 13.15 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 13.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 12.91 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 12.79 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 12.67 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 12.54 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 12.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 11.4 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 11.67 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 14.06 micrograms per cubic meter | +20.5% |
| 2004 | 10.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -24.3% |
| 2005 | 11.66 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.5% |
| 2006 | 9.93 micrograms per cubic meter | -14.8% |
| 2007 | 9.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.1% |
| 2008 | 9.27 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 9.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 9.41 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 9.21 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 8.18 micrograms per cubic meter | -11.2% |
| 2013 | 9.12 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.5% |
| 2014 | 8.37 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.3% |
| 2015 | 7.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 7.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 7.1 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.7% |
| 2018 | 7.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.8% |
| 2019 | 8.58 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.1% |
| 2020 | 7.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.9% |
| 2021 | 8.09 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 8.1 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 7.51 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.1 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.54 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.51 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.08 micrograms per cubic meter | 14.06 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.34 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.1 micrograms per cubic meter | 9.41 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.88 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.51 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.1 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 169 France 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 170 Puerto Rico 7.84 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 171 Brunei Darussalam 7.57 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 173 Denmark 7.5 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 174 Luxembourg 7.43 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 175 Vanuatu 6.99 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for Ireland
- Population in the largest city 36.7% (2025)
- Population density 77.1 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2369 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.30 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 18.44 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.30 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 64.66 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Ireland?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Ireland was 7.51 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 14.06 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 2017.
- How does Ireland rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- Ireland ranks 172nd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland 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.