Particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 was 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
22.68 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 5.6%
World rank
68th
of 200 countries
All-time high
34.1 micrograms per cubic meter
in 1990
All-time low
21.46 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2021
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 in Sri Lanka, 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, particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 in Sri Lanka stood at 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.6% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 in Sri Lanka peaked at 34.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990 and was at its lowest, 21.46 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021.
Sri Lanka ranks 68th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 34.1 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 33.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 33.08 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 32.99 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 32.9 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 31.11 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.4% |
| 1996 | 32.73 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 32.64 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 32.55 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 32.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 33.23 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 32.81 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 31.82 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 31.4 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 32.75 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 32.8 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 28.44 micrograms per cubic meter | -13.3% |
| 2007 | 26.34 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 26.66 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 26.93 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 27.41 micrograms per cubic meter | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 28.53 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 26.25 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.0% |
| 2013 | 26.16 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 25.01 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.3% |
| 2016 | 24.67 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.8% |
| 2017 | 24.32 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 28.69 micrograms per cubic meter | +18.0% |
| 2019 | 24 micrograms per cubic meter | -16.3% |
| 2020 | 22.42 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.6% |
| 2021 | 21.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 24.03 micrograms per cubic meter | +12.0% |
| 2023 | 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.51 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter is below the median for South Asia, which is 41.64 micrograms per cubic meter, 54% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 32.77 micrograms per cubic meter | 31.11 micrograms per cubic meter | 34.1 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.32 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.34 micrograms per cubic meter | 33.23 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.77 micrograms per cubic meter | 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter | 28.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.46 micrograms per cubic meter | 24.03 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 65 South Sudan 23.67 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 66 Thailand 23.49 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 67 Chile 23.1 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 69 Sierra Leone 22.46 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 70 Palestine 22.39 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 71 Philippines 22.21 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 in Sri Lanka?
- Particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 in Sri Lanka was 22.68 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 particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 34.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 1990.
- What is the lowest particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017?
- Sri Lanka ranks 68th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017 rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Particulate matter exposure in 1990 vs. 2017. 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
Population-weighted average level of exposure to concentrations of suspended particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter. Exposure is measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³).