PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Upper middle income
Upper middle income: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 26.67 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Upper 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 Upper middle income stood at 26.67 micrograms per cubic meter.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Upper middle income peaked at 37.38 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011 and was at its lowest, 26.58 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021.
Upper middle income ranks 29th 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 Upper middle income, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 37.03 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 36.73 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 36.72 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 36.72 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 36.71 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 36.13 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 36.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 36.7 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 36.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 36.68 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 36.95 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 36.53 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 36.89 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 36.53 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 36.15 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 36.42 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 36.86 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 36.93 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 36.61 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 36.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 35.53 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 37.38 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 34.96 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 36.44 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 36.91 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 35.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 33.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.5% |
| 2017 | 31.77 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 29.9 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 29.61 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 27.27 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.9% |
| 2021 | 26.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 27.12 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 26.67 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.68 micrograms per cubic meter | 36.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.03 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.6 micrograms per cubic meter | 36.15 micrograms per cubic meter | 36.95 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 29.61 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.38 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.58 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.27 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Upper middle income
- 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
- 31 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 35.81 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 32 Burundi 35.69 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for Upper middle income
- Population in the largest city 12.3% (2025)
- Population density 68.84 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 96.4% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Upper middle income?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Upper middle income was 26.67 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 Upper middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 37.38 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in Upper middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.58 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
- How does Upper middle income rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- Upper middle income ranks 29th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in Upper middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Upper 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.
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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.