Air pollution - Cities and FUAs

This dataset provides indicators of PM2.5, PM10 (particulate matter), ozone and nitrogen dioxide air pollution in FUAs and cities.

Data sources and methodology

Air pollution exposure is estimated using Plume Labs air pollution exposure grids for 3 air pollutants: nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matters (PM2.5) and coarse particulate matters (PM10). The OECD obtained this dataset thanks to the Development Data Partnership, a collaboration between international organisations and technology companies, facilitating the efficient and responsible use of third-party data in international development. Average population exposure to air pollution is estimated at the local scale by computing the population-weighted average air pollutant concentration, using the Global Human Settlement Layer population grid (GHS-POP). PlumeLabs is used as it provides global, harmonised air pollution grids ensuring international comparability, complete subnational coverage, and consistent measurement of multiple pollutants, including in areas where national monitoring networks are sparse or incomplete.

These estimates may differ from official subnational air quality statistics due to differences in methodological approaches, such as the use of modelled, top down pollution surfaces versus ground based monitoring networks, as well as variations in input data sources, spatial resolution, satellite retrieval methods, and the models used to simulate or interpolate pollutant concentrations.

Defining FUAs and cities

The OECD, in cooperation with the EU, has developed a harmonised definition of functional urban areas (FUAs) to capture the economic and functional reach of cities based on daily commuting patterns (OECD, 2012). FUAs consist of:

1. A city – defined by urban centres in the degree of urbanisation, adapted to the closest local administrative units to define a city.


2. A commuting zone – including all local areas where at least 15% of employed residents work in the city.

• Assigning municipalities surrounded by a single FUA to that FUA.


• Excluding non-contiguous municipalities.

The correspondence table between SAUs and FUAs/cities is available in parquet and csv format.

The definition identifies 1 272 FUAs and 1 269 cities in all OECD member countries except Costa Rica and four accession countries.

Cite this dataset

OECD Regions, cities and local areas database (Air pollution - Cities and FUAs), http://oe.cd/geostats

Further information

• OECD Local Data Portal


• OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance

For questions and/or comments, please email [email protected]