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.

Indonesia's Nusa Tenggara Timur Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Nusa Tenggara Timur

Nusa Tenggara Timur faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.4 million across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9µg/m³. That's 1.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 149 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 Nusa Tenggara Timur met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.4 years longer.

That's 2.1M years of life stolen from 5.4 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 Nusa Tenggara Timur. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Manggarai
0.5 years lost
2.Manggarai Timur
0.5 years lost
3.Alor
0.5 years lost
4.Timor Tengah Utara
0.5 years lost
5.Belu
0.5 years lost
6.Lembata
0.5 years lost
7.Flores Timur
0.5 years lost
8.Manggarai Barat
0.5 years lost
9.Ende
0.4 years lost
10.Ngada
0.4 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

85.8%

4.6M

10-15 µg/m³

14.2%

762K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Nusa Tenggara Timur

Complete air quality data for every district in Nusa Tenggara Timur, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Timor Tengah Selatan	485K	8.9	0.4 years
Kota Kupang	446K	8.6	0.4 years
Belu	413K	9.8	0.5 years
Kupang	372K	8.4	0.3 years
Sikka	314K	9.2	0.4 years
Sumba Barat Daya	313K	7.7	0.3 years
Manggarai Barat	292K	9.7	0.5 years
Manggarai	287K	10.6	0.5 years
Manggarai Timur	283K	10.5	0.5 years
Ende	269K	9.6	0.4 years
Flores Timur	263K	9.7	0.5 years
Timor Tengah Utara	252K	9.9	0.5 years
Sumba Timur	249K	6.8	0.2 years
Alor	192K	10.0	0.5 years
Ngada	165K	9.5	0.4 years
Nagekeo	162K	9.2	0.4 years
Sumba Barat	150K	8.2	0.3 years
Rote Ndao	142K	6.5	0.2 years
Lembata	127K	9.8	0.5 years
Sabu Raijua	89K	6.5	0.1 years
Sumba Tengah	88K	7.5	0.2 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Nusa Tenggara Timur is Injurious to Health.