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 Papua Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Papua

Papua faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.4 million across 29 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.1µg/m³. That's 3.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 251 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 Papua met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.99 years longer.

That's 4.3M years of life stolen from 4.4 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 Papua. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Yalimo
1.4 years lost
2.Jayawijaya
1.3 years lost
3.Yahukimo
1.3 years lost
4.Pegunungan Bintang
1.3 years lost
5.Paniai
1.2 years lost
6.Dogiyai
1.2 years lost
7.Mamberamo Tengah
1.2 years lost
8.Deiyai
1.2 years lost
9.Lanny Jaya
1.2 years lost
10.Intan Jaya
1.2 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

3.3%

145K

10-15 µg/m³

28.8%

1.3M

15-25 µg/m³

67.8%

3.0M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 29 Districts in Papua

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Kota Jayapura	369K	10.3	0.5 years
Mimika	367K	16.0	1.1 years
Yahukimo	363K	18.5	1.3 years
Jayawijaya	279K	18.6	1.3 years
Tolikara	245K	16.3	1.1 years
Puncak Jaya	232K	15.9	1.1 years
Paniai	224K	17.5	1.2 years
Merauke	220K	11.1	0.6 years
Lanny Jaya	203K	17.3	1.2 years
Nabire	177K	16.0	1.1 years
Jayapura	172K	11.1	0.6 years
Intan Jaya	136K	16.8	1.2 years
Biak Numfor	128K	8.3	0.3 years
Dogiyai	121K	17.4	1.2 years
Puncak	119K	16.4	1.1 years
Mappi	114K	12.5	0.7 years
Asmat	113K	12.5	0.7 years
Nduga	110K	16.4	1.1 years
Yalimo	105K	18.9	1.4 years
Kepulauan Yapen	98K	10.2	0.5 years
Pegunungan Bintang	81K	18.3	1.3 years
Boven Digoel	79K	16.5	1.1 years
Keerom	62K	12.0	0.7 years
Deiyai	58K	17.3	1.2 years
Mamberamo Tengah	52K	17.4	1.2 years
Sarmi	39K	10.6	0.6 years
Mamberamo Raya	37K	13.3	0.8 years
Waropen	31K	13.4	0.8 years
Supiori	17K	7.3	0.2 years

Showing 29 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Papua is Injurious to Health.