How does Malawi rank for exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita?

Malawi ranks 104th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.

Is exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita 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, 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.

Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita in Malawi

Name: Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita in Malawi
Creator: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Malawi: Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita was 16.72 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)

16.72 micrograms per cubic meter

Change on year

down 17.1%

World rank

104th

of 200 countries

All-time high

21.42 micrograms per cubic meter

in 2008

All-time low

15.7 micrograms per cubic meter

in 2021

Years of data

1990–2023

Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita in Malawi, 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

In 2023, exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita in Malawi stood at 16.72 micrograms per cubic meter.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.1% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita 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

See the full ranking of 200 places →

More economy & growth data for Malawi

External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP -18.1% (2025)
Inflation of consumer prices 28.4% (2025)
GDP per capita 548.16 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
Share of manufacturing in gross domestic product (GDP) 11.0% (2024)
Gross domestic product (GDP) 12.18 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
GDP per capita in international and market dollars 548.16 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
DEC alternative conversion factor 1,751 LCU per US$ (2025)
Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 1.46 trillion current LCU (2025)
Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 835.90 million current US$ (2025)
Taxes less subsidies on products 1.83 trillion current LCU (2025)

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita in Malawi?: Exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita in Malawi was 16.72 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 Malawi?: The highest recorded value was 21.42 micrograms per cubic meter in 2008.
What is the lowest exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?: The lowest recorded value was 15.7 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
How does Malawi rank for exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita?: Malawi ranks 104th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
Is exposure to pm2.5 air pollution vs. gdp per capita 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, 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution vs. GDP per capita
Unit: micrograms per cubic meter
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 200 places, 6,800 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.