Region, Portugal
Air quality in Algarve
Meets the WHO guideline
The annual average PM2.5 in Algarve was 2.9 µg/m³ in 2024, about 0.6 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Summer wildfire smoke can affect inland Algarve in July–September; check ipma.pt for fire alerts.
Key facts
- PM2.5: 2.9 µg/m³ yearly average (2024). Measured at Faro, 1 km away.
- PM10: 17.1 µg/m³ (2024).
- Nitrogen dioxide: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024), mostly from traffic.
- Recent average: 3.8 µg/m³ over the last five years of measurements.
PM2.5 by year
| Year | Annual average |
|---|---|
| 2024 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 |
Air quality across Portugal
| Place | PM2.5 | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Algarve | 2.9 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Faro | 2.9 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Madeira | 5 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Douro Valley | 5 µg/m³ | Meets the WHO guideline |
| Silver Coast | 6.4 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Sintra | 7.4 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Cascais | 7.4 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Azores | 7.4 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Porto | 8 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Lisbon | 9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
Quick answers
Is the air in Algarve bad?
Meets the WHO guideline: 2.9 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average, 0.6× the WHO guideline.
When is the air worst in Algarve?
Summer wildfire smoke can affect inland Algarve in July–September; check ipma.pt for fire alerts.
How does Algarve compare with the rest of Portugal?
People in Portugal breathe 9 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average (2023, World Bank/WHO), against 2.9 µg/m³ measured here.
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Sources
- WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
- WHO air quality guidelines (2021)
- Live air quality map (WAQI)
- CP Comboios de Portugal
- Faro Airport (ANA)
- Visit Algarve
- IPMA weather and fire alerts
Annual averages are measured values reported to the WHO; check a live map for today's air. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.