PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in OECD members
OECD members: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 12.02 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in OECD members, 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 OECD members stood at 12.02 micrograms per cubic meter. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.5% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in OECD members peaked at 19.78 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 12.02 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
OECD members ranks 42nd of 45 groups 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 OECD members, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 19.78 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 19.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 19.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 19.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 19.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 18.99 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 18.85 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 18.7 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 18.56 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 18.31 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 17.14 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 17.54 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 17.89 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 16.35 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 16.74 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 15.95 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 15.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 15.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 14.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 14.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 15.04 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 14.07 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 14.17 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 13.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 13.82 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 12.99 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 13.14 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 13.11 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 12.62 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 12.19 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 12.59 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 12.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 12.02 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.23 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.56 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.78 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.54 micrograms per cubic meter | 14.89 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.31 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.77 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.04 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.41 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.02 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 39 Uzbekistan 32.77 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 40 Jordan 32.63 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 41 Guinea-Bissau 32.29 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 42 Syrian Arab Republic 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 43 China (People’s Republic of) 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 44 Gabon 31.32 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 45 Turkmenistan 31.25 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for OECD members
- Population in the largest city 18.1% (2025)
- Population density 39.29 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 60.6% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in OECD members?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in OECD members was 12.02 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 OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 19.78 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.02 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does OECD members rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- OECD members ranks 42nd out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members 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.