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.

Bhutan's Punakha Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Punakha

Punakha faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 35 thousand across 11 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 29.3µg/m³. That's 5.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 486 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 Punakha met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.38 years longer.

That's 83K years of life stolen from 35 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 Punakha. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Barp
2.5 years lost
2.Dzomi
2.4 years lost
3.Guma
2.4 years lost
4.Chhubug
2.4 years lost
5.Lingmukha
2.3 years lost
6.Toewang
2.3 years lost
7.Kabisa
2.3 years lost
8.Talog
2.3 years lost
9.Shenga Bjemi
2.3 years lost
10.Goenshari
2.3 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

25-35 µg/m³

100%

35K

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 11 Districts in Punakha

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Guma	11K	29.8	2.4 years
Barp	7K	30.1	2.5 years
Kabisa	3K	28.4	2.3 years
Toepisa	3K	27.4	2.2 years
Dzomi	3K	29.8	2.4 years
Chhubug	2K	29.4	2.4 years
Toewang	2K	28.9	2.3 years
Talog	1K	28.4	2.3 years
Lingmukha	1K	28.9	2.3 years
Shenga Bjemi	1K	28.2	2.3 years
Goenshari	837	28.0	2.3 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 Punakha is Injurious to Health.