Breathing in Yunnan is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 48.7 million people across 16 districts in Yunnan. The average PM2.5 level is 21.6 µg/m³—4.3× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Yunnan

Yunnan faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 48.7 million across 16 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 21.6µg/m³. That's 4.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 358 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 Yunnan met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.61 years longer.

That's 78.4M years of life stolen from 48.7 million 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 Yunnan. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Dehong Dai and Jingpo
    2.7 years lost
  • 2.Xishuangbanna Dai
    2.2 years lost
  • 3.Honghe Hani and Yi
    1.9 years lost
  • 4.Pu'er
    1.9 years lost
  • 5.Zhaotong
    1.8 years lost
  • 6.Lincang
    1.7 years lost
  • 7.Kunming
    1.6 years lost
  • 8.Wenshan Zhuang and Miao
    1.6 years lost
  • 9.Baoshan
    1.6 years lost
  • 10.Yuxi
    1.5 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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
3.6%
1.7M
15-25 µg/m³
91.4%
44.5M
25-35 µg/m³
5.1%
2.5M
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 16 Districts in Yunnan

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Kunming6.8M
21.7
1.6 years
Qujing6.2M
20.0
1.5 years
Zhaotong5.6M
23.7
1.8 years
Honghe Hani and Yi4.8M
24.6
1.9 years
Wenshan Zhuang and Miao3.7M
21.4
1.6 years
Dali Bai3.7M
17.2
1.2 years
Chuxiong Yi2.8M
16.5
1.1 years
Pu'er2.7M
24.3
1.9 years
Baoshan2.7M
21.3
1.6 years
Lincang2.6M
22.8
1.7 years
Yuxi2.5M
20.8
1.5 years
Lijiang1.3M
14.8
1.0 years
Dehong Dai and Jingpo1.3M
32.9
2.7 years
Xishuangbanna Dai1.2M
27.9
2.2 years
Nujiang Lisu567K
16.6
1.1 years
Dêqên Tibetan417K
14.1
0.9 years

Showing 16 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.