PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 37.06 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Low & middle income, 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 Low & middle income stood at 37.06 micrograms per cubic meter.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Low & middle income peaked at 42.32 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011 and was at its lowest, 36.69 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2022.
Low & middle income ranks 14th of 45 groups on this measure, 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 Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 41.16 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 40.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 40.68 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 40.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 40.72 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 39.67 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 40.76 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 40.78 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 40.8 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 40.82 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 41.38 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 40.78 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 41.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 41.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 41.04 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 40.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 40.56 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 40.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 41.08 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 40.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 40.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 42.32 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 40.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 40.75 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 40.65 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 41.37 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 40.22 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 39.57 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 39.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 37.71 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 36.7 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 37.34 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 36.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 37.06 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 39.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 41.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.97 micrograms per cubic meter | 40.56 micrograms per cubic meter | 41.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.32 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.71 micrograms per cubic meter | 42.32 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.95 micrograms per cubic meter | 36.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.34 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
- 11 India 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 12 Nepal 53.2 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 13 Iraq 49.47 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 14 Oman 46.86 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 15 Yemen 46.84 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 16 Mauritania 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 17 Egypt 43.15 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for Low & middle income
- Population in the largest city 15.3% (2025)
- Population density 85.33 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 98.3% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Low & middle income?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Low & middle income was 37.06 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 Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 42.32 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.69 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022.
- How does Low & middle income rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- Low & middle income ranks 14th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.