Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita was 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
31.99 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
43rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
52.73 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2011
All-time low
31.9 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2022
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita in China, 1990–2023
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
China recorded 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter for exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 38.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 52.73 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011 and was at its lowest, 31.9 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2022.
That places China 43rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 43.06 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 42.84 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 43.07 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 43.29 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 43.52 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 42.86 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 43.97 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 44.19 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 44.41 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 44.64 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 45.3 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 45.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 46.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 45.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 45.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 46.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 49.95 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.3% |
| 2007 | 51.67 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 51.09 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 49.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 48.95 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 52.73 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 48.66 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.7% |
| 2013 | 51.75 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 52.51 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 49.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 45.28 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 43.09 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 38.51 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.6% |
| 2019 | 37.2 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 33.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.4% |
| 2021 | 31.92 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 31.9 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.77 micrograms per cubic meter, 3.3× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.58 micrograms per cubic meter | 42.84 micrograms per cubic meter | 44.64 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 45.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 51.67 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 37.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 52.73 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.37 micrograms per cubic meter | 31.9 micrograms per cubic meter | 33.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 40 Jordan 32.63 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 41 Guinea-Bissau 32.29 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 42 Syria 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 44 Gabon 31.32 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 45 Turkmenistan 31.25 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 46 Uganda 31.21 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More economy & growth data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.46 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0081 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 111.77 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 79.98 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 87.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0041 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 56.86 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 8.47 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita in China was 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, according to Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 52.73 micrograms per cubic meter in 2011.
- What is the lowest exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022.
- How does China rank for exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 43rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.