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Air pollution, PM2.5

The UK ranks 12th of 28 on Air pollution, PM2.5 (2023)

The UK ranks 12th of 28 on Air pollution, PM2.5 in 2023: 9.5, unit micrograms per cubic metre (mean annual exposure), against an EU27 median of 10.7. Source: World Bank Indicators (WDI and WGI), EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3, snapshot of 6 November 2026.

Average annual exposure to fine particulate matter, a common air-pollution measure.

Caveat. Modelled estimates, lagged about two years. Values for small states are sensitive to the model's grid cells.

The UK

Air pollution, PM2.5

9.5micrograms per cubic metre (mean annual exposure)(2023)

12th of 28Moved down 4 places from 2016 to 2023.
EU27 median
10.7 micrograms per cubic metre (mean annual exposure)
UK minus EU27 median
−1.3 micrograms per cubic metre (mean annual exposure)

League table

Values in micrograms per cubic metre (mean annual exposure). Countries ranked by value, 1 = top of the table, 28 with a value.

Air pollution, PM2.5, 2023: league table of countries
1Finland4.62023
2Sweden5.32023
3Estonia5.92023
4Luxembourg7.42023
5Denmark7.52023
6Ireland7.52023
7France8.22023
8Belgium8.42023
9Netherlands8.62023
10Portugal8.82023
11Germany8.82023
12United KingdomUK9.52023
13Austria10.02023
14Spain10.12023
15Lithuania10.72023
16Malta10.82023
17Slovenia12.62023
18Czechia12.72023
19Latvia13.02023
20Hungary13.72023
21Slovakia13.72023
22Greece14.12023
23Italy14.32023
24Croatia15.82023
25Romania16.02023
26Cyprus16.12023Cyprus 2023: modelled PM2.5 steps down by about 5 units, unverified
27Poland16.52023
28Bulgaria19.72023

Trend, 2000 to 2023

Air pollution, PM2.5, 2000 to 2023Line chart, 2000 to 2023: the UK (heavy ink line), the EU27 aggregate (dashed dark line), Germany, France, Italy and Spain (solid lines), and reference countries (faint lines). Dotted segments are IMF projections and are not ranked. Shaded bands and markers show events.micrograms per cubic metre (mean annual exposure)102020002005201020152020123Italy14Japan11EU2711Spain10United Kingdom9Germany9Switzerland8France8United States7Canada7Australia6Norway6Air pollution, PM2.5, 2000 to 2023Line chart, 2000 to 2023: the UK (heavy ink line), the EU27 aggregate (dashed dark line), Germany, France, Italy and Spain (solid lines), and reference countries (faint lines). Dotted segments are IMF projections and are not ranked. Shaded bands and markers show events.micrograms per cubic metre (mean annual exposure)1020200020102020123ItalyJapanEU27SpainUnited KingdomGermanySwitzerlandFranceUnited StatesCanadaAustraliaNorway
  • Heavy ink line: United Kingdom
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Dashed dark line: EU27 aggregate
  • Thin grey lines, reference countries (not the big four): Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, United States
  • Shaded: 2008–09 financial crisis
  • Shaded: 2020–21 Covid-19 pandemic
  • Shaded: 2022–23 energy price shock
  • Marker 1: EU referendum (23 June 2016)
  • Marker 2: UK leaves the EU (31 January 2020)
  • Marker 3: Transition period ends; Trade and Cooperation Agreement in force (1 January 2021)
Trends show what happened, not why; Covid, energy prices and policy changes overlap the same years. Dotted lines are projections and are not ranked.

UK rank over time

Rank 1 is the top of the table; the line is drawn with rank 1 at the top. Each year is ranked on that year's values.

UK rank, 2000 to 2023: 10th to 12th7th10th12th20002005201020152020June 201612thUK rank, 2000 to 2023: 10th to 12th7th10th12th200020102020June 201612th

2000: 10th · 2023: 12th

Sources and method

Average annual exposure to fine particulate matter, a common air-pollution measure.

Source: World Bank Indicators (WDI and WGI) · series EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3· vintage 2026-10-08 · fetched 2026-11-06

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators / Worldwide Governance Indicators (CC BY 4.0); accessed 2026-11-06.

Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank open data default); WGI and some datasets carry their own terms in the Data Catalog metadata. Reuse with credit allowed, including derived figures.