PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Malawi's Rumphi Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Rumphi

Rumphi faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 267 thousand across 11 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17.1µg/m³. That's 3.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 284 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Rumphi met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.18 years longer.

That's 314K years of life stolen from 267 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Rumphi. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.TA Mwamlowe
1.4 years lost
2.TA Katumbi
1.4 years lost
3.Nyika National Park - Rumphi
1.4 years lost
4.SC Mwalweni
1.3 years lost
5.SC Chapinduka
1.3 years lost
6.Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve - Rumph
1.3 years lost
7.SC Kachulu
1.2 years lost
8.SC Mwahenga
1.1 years lost
9.TA Chikulamayembe
1.1 years lost
10.Rumphi Boma
1.1 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

100%

267K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 11 Districts in Rumphi

Complete air quality data for every district in Rumphi, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
TA Chikulamayembe	94K	16.5	1.1 years
SC Mwankhunikira	36K	16.1	1.1 years
SC Mwalweni	31K	18.6	1.3 years
Rumphi Boma	29K	16.1	1.1 years
SC Mwahenga	18K	16.6	1.1 years
TA Katumbi	14K	19.2	1.4 years
Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve - Rumph	13K	18.0	1.3 years
SC Kachulu	11K	17.4	1.2 years
TA Mwamlowe	11K	19.6	1.4 years
Nyika National Park - Rumphi	7K	19.0	1.4 years
SC Chapinduka	3K	18.3	1.3 years

Showing 11 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Rumphi is Injurious to Health.