PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in India
India: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in India, 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
India recorded 54.05 micrograms per cubic meter for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in 2023.
That represents a change of up 6.7% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in India peaked at 56.68 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018 and was at its lowest, 48 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1995.
That places India 11th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 48 micrograms per cubic meter | 51.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 49.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 52.52 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.5 micrograms per cubic meter | 51.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 56.68 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 50.66 micrograms per cubic meter | 55.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 8 United Arab Emirates 57.19 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 9 Bahrain 56.57 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 10 Cameroon 55.6 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
More urban development data for India
- Population in the largest city 6.6% (2025)
- Population density 483.68 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 248.30 million (2025)
- Population in largest city 34.67 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guidel 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in India?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in India was 54.05 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 56.68 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 48 micrograms per cubic meter in 1995.
- How does India rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- India ranks 11th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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.