PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-1 value (% of total) by country
Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Target 1 (IT-1) is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 35 micrograms per cubic meter. The Air Quality...
Countries reporting
194
Highest
100.0%
Burundi
Lowest
0.0%
Zimbabwe
Median
0.0%
Years covered
28
1990–2017
Data points
2,328
What the numbers show
PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-1 value (% of total) is currently reported for 194 countries. The highest value is 100.0% in Burundi; the lowest is 0.0% in Zimbabwe.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.0%, and the mean is 24.3%.
Over the past decade 36 countries rose and 52 fell. The largest increase was in Cape Verde (up 1,208,510,000,000.0%), and the largest decrease in Albania (down 100.0%).
PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Ta: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bahrain | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Central African Republic | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Cameroon | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Congo | 100.0% | 2017 | up 12.2% | flat |
| 1 | Djibouti | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Eritrea | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Equatorial Guinea | 100.0% | 2017 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 1 | Iraq | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Libya | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mauritania | 100.0% | 2017 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 1 | Niger | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Qatar | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Rwanda | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sudan | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Sudan | 100.0% | 2017 | up 0.3% | flat |
| 1 | Chad | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uganda | 100.0% | 2017 | up 1.6% | flat |
| 1 | Yemen | 100.0% | 2017 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Egypt | 100.0% | 2017 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 22 | Gabon | 100.0% | 2017 | up 12.7% | flat |
| 23 | Nepal | 100.0% | 2017 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 24 | Bangladesh | 100.0% | 2017 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 25 | Kuwait | 99.9% | 2017 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 26 | Afghanistan | 99.7% | 2017 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 27 | Pakistan | 99.6% | 2017 | down 0.1% | flat |
| 28 | Oman | 98.9% | 2017 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 29 | United Arab Emirates | 98.3% | 2017 | up 13.7% | flat |
| 30 | Burkina Faso | 94.4% | 2017 | up 17.7% | falling |
| 31 | Turkey | 91.6% | 2017 | up 10.5% | flat |
| 32 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 89.6% | 2017 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 33 | Nigeria | 85.5% | 2017 | up 13.2% | falling |
| 34 | India | 84.8% | 2017 | down 5.0% | flat |
| 35 | Algeria | 84.4% | 2017 | up 120.6% | falling |
| 36 | Senegal | 83.8% | 2017 | up 50.5% | falling |
| 37 | China | 81.2% | 2017 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 38 | Tajikistan | 80.0% | 2017 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 39 | Ethiopia | 77.0% | 2017 | up 85.8% | rising |
| 40 | Tunisia | 77.0% | 2017 | up 160.1% | falling |
| 41 | Syria | 69.8% | 2017 | up 11.8% | falling |
| 42 | Mali | 64.2% | 2017 | up 35.9% | falling |
| 43 | Mongolia | 63.3% | 2017 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 44 | Bhutan | 54.9% | 2017 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 45 | Togo | 51.9% | 2017 | up 58.8% | volatile |
| 46 | Iran | 49.6% | 2017 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 47 | Benin | 45.2% | 2017 | up 26.9% | flat |
| 48 | Ghana | 45.1% | 2017 | up 504.5% | volatile |
| 49 | Myanmar | 42.9% | 2017 | down 52.3% | falling |
| 50 | Vietnam | 34.5% | 2017 | down 35.7% | falling |
| 51 | Armenia | 34.3% | 2017 | down 40.7% | falling |
| 52 | Cape Verde | 30.0% | 2017 | up 1,208,510,000,000.0% | volatile |
| 53 | Palestine | 29.7% | 2017 | up 70.4% | falling |
| 54 | Angola | 23.9% | 2017 | down 38.2% | falling |
| 55 | Morocco | 21.9% | 2017 | up 155.4% | volatile |
| 56 | North Macedonia | 21.2% | 2017 | down 52.4% | falling |
| 57 | Kenya | 20.8% | 2017 | up 113.6% | rising |
| 58 | Jordan | 19.8% | 2017 | up 13.0% | falling |
| 59 | Somalia | 19.7% | 2017 | up 101.6% | rising |
| 60 | North Korea | 19.3% | 2017 | down 77.8% | falling |
| 61 | Tanzania | 19.3% | 2017 | up 42.1% | rising |
| 62 | Uzbekistan | 18.0% | 2017 | down 48.8% | falling |
| 63 | Gambia | 17.2% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 64 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13.4% | 2017 | down 72.2% | falling |
| 65 | Kyrgyzstan | 12.6% | 2017 | down 63.1% | falling |
| 66 | Peru | 11.7% | 2017 | down 55.6% | falling |
| 67 | South Africa | 6.2% | 2017 | down 59.9% | falling |
| 68 | Israel | 6.1% | 2017 | up 30.2% | rising |
| 69 | Laos | 4.1% | 2017 | down 81.6% | volatile |
| 70 | Thailand | 3.2% | 2017 | down 87.1% | falling |
| 71 | Cote d'Ivoire | 2.8% | 2017 | up 63,668.1% | volatile |
| 72 | Brazil | 2.0% | 2017 | down 47.1% | falling |
| 73 | Belarus | 1.8% | 2017 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 74 | Mexico | 1.6% | 2017 | down 84.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1.3% | 2017 | down 5.3% | volatile |
| 76 | Turkmenistan | 0.8% | 2017 | down 45.1% | volatile |
| 77 | Russia | 0.8% | 2017 | down 49.4% | falling |
| 78 | Indonesia | 0.6% | 2017 | down 60.3% | falling |
| 79 | Azerbaijan | 0.6% | 2017 | up 22.6% | volatile |
| 80 | Poland | 0.4% | 2017 | down 96.6% | volatile |
| 81 | Chile | 0.3% | 2017 | down 86.3% | volatile |
| 82 | Montenegro | 0.3% | 2017 | down 80.9% | volatile |
| 83 | Serbia | 0.2% | 2017 | down 98.8% | volatile |
| 84 | Georgia | 0.2% | 2017 | down 3.3% | volatile |
| 85 | Lesotho | 0.1% | 2017 | down 4.9% | volatile |
| 86 | Greece | 0.1% | 2017 | up 97.7% | volatile |
| 87 | Bulgaria | 0.1% | 2017 | down 95.4% | volatile |
| 88 | Argentina | 0.1% | 2017 | down 96.8% | volatile |
| 89 | United States | 0.0% | 2017 | down 67.2% | volatile |
| 90 | Zambia | 0.0% | 2017 | down 89.6% | volatile |
| 91 | Lebanon | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Albania | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Andorra | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | American Samoa | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Australia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Austria | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Belgium | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Bahamas | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Belize | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Bermuda | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Bolivia | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Barbados | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Brunei | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Botswana | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Canada | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Switzerland | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Colombia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Comoros | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Costa Rica | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Cuba | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Cyprus | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Czechia | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Germany | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Dominica | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Denmark | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Dominican Republic | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Ecuador | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Spain | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Estonia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Finland | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Fiji | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | France | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Micronesia (country) | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | United Kingdom | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Guinea | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Grenada | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Greenland | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Guatemala | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Guam | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Guyana | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Honduras | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Croatia | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Haiti | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Hungary | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Ireland | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Iceland | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Italy | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Jamaica | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Japan | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Kazakhstan | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Cambodia | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Kiribati | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | South Korea | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Liberia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Saint Lucia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Sri Lanka | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Lithuania | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Luxembourg | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Latvia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Moldova | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Madagascar | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Maldives | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Marshall Islands | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Malta | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Northern Mariana Islands | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Mozambique | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Mauritius | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Malawi | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Malaysia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Namibia | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Nicaragua | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Netherlands | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Norway | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | New Zealand | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Panama | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Philippines | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Papua New Guinea | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Puerto Rico | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Portugal | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Paraguay | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Romania | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Singapore | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Solomon Islands | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Sierra Leone | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | El Salvador | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Suriname | 0.0% | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Slovakia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Slovenia | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Sweden | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Eswatini | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Seychelles | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | East Timor | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Tonga | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Ukraine | 0.0% | 2017 | — | volatile |
| 92 | Uruguay | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Venezuela | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | United States Virgin Islands | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Vanuatu | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Samoa | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 92 | Zimbabwe | 0.0% | 2017 | — | flat |
About this data
Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Target 1 (IT-1) is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 35 micrograms per cubic meter. The Air Quality Guideline (AQG) of 10 micrograms per cubic meter is recommended by the WHO as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.