PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Italy
Italy: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Italy, 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 Italy stood at 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 12.0% on the previous year and down 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Italy peaked at 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Italy 123rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29.73 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.71 micrograms per cubic meter | 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.06 micrograms per cubic meter | 19.74 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.28 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.47 micrograms per cubic meter | 14.99 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.91 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.21 micrograms per cubic meter | 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.23 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 120 Moldova 14.95 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 121 Ukraine 14.85 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 122 Argentina 14.35 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 124 Namibia 14.23 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 125 Greece 14.12 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 126 Papua New Guinea 14.11 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for Italy
- Population in the largest city 10.6% (2025)
- Population density 199.46 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 11.51 million (2025)
- Population in largest city 4.35 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guidel 94.8% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Italy?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Italy was 14.29 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Italy rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- Italy ranks 123rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Italy 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.