PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Belgium
Belgium: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Belgium, 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
Belgium recorded 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.1% on the previous year and down 46.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Belgium peaked at 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter in 1991 and was at its lowest, 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Belgium 166th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.6 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter | 10.73 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 163 Germany 8.81 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 164 Portugal 8.77 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 165 Netherlands 8.59 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 167 Antigua and Barbuda 8.42 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 168 Switzerland 8.32 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 169 France 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for Belgium
- Population in the largest city 20.5% (2025)
- Population density 386.3 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 3.21 million (2025)
- Population in largest city 2.14 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guidel 91.9% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Belgium?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Belgium was 8.45 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter in 1991.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.45 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Belgium rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- Belgium ranks 166th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium 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.