Concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa

South Africa: Concentrations of fine particulate matter was 25.59 in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
25.59
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
61st
of 184 countries
All-time high
25.59
in 2023
All-time low
21.97
in 2011
Years of data
14
2010–2023

Concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa, 2010–2023

01020302010201620232010: 22.12011: 222012: 222013: 22.22014: 22.32015: 22.92016: 22.82017: 23.52018: 23.82019: 24.42020: 24.52021: 24.42022: 252023: 25.6

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa is 25.59, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa peaked at 25.59 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 21.97, in 2011.

That places South Africa 61st out of 184 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in South Africa, 2010 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2010 22.07
2011 21.97 -0.4%
2012 22.03 +0.3%
2013 22.16 +0.6%
2014 22.3 +0.6%
2015 22.9 +2.7%
2016 22.8 -0.4%
2017 23.49 +3.0%
2018 23.8 +1.3%
2019 24.37 +2.4%
2020 24.53 +0.7%
2021 24.45 -0.3%
2022 25.02 +2.3%
2023 25.59 +2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 22.79 21.97 24.37 10
2020s 24.9 24.45 25.59 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 58 Uzbekistan 26.04 compare
  2. 59 North Korea 25.84 compare
  3. 60 El Salvador 25.75 compare
  4. 62 Thailand 25.51 compare
  5. 63 Azerbaijan 25.38 compare
  6. 64 North Macedonia 25.09 compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa?
Concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa was 25.59 in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest concentrations of fine particulate matter recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 25.59 in 2023.
What is the lowest concentrations of fine particulate matter recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 21.97 in 2011.
How does South Africa rank for concentrations of fine particulate matter?
South Africa ranks 61st out of 184 countries with data for 2023.
Is concentrations of fine particulate matter rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).

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Concentrations of fine particulate matter in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/concentrations-of-fine-particulate-matter-pm2-5/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
236 places, 3,304 data points, 2010–2023
Last refreshed