PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Malawi
Malawi: PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure was 16.72 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▬ Flat
PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Malawi, 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
Malawi recorded 16.72 micrograms per cubic meter for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in 2023.
That represents a change of down 17.1% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Malawi peaked at 21.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2008 and was at its lowest, 15.7 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021.
Malawi ranks 104th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.41 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.97 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 18.05 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.4 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.04 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.24 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.7 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.17 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 101 Guyana 16.95 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 102 Belize 16.76 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 103 Eswatini 16.75 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 105 Mexico 16.61 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 106 Algeria 16.54 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 107 Poland 16.52 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More urban development data for Malawi
- Population in the largest city 35.6% (2025)
- Population density 223.85 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.39 million (2025)
- Population in largest city 1.39 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 Malawi?
- Pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure in Malawi was 16.72 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 21.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2008.
- What is the lowest pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.7 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
- How does Malawi rank for pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure?
- Malawi ranks 104th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pm2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi 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.