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 Sulawesi Selatan Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Sulawesi Selatan

Sulawesi Selatan faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 9.2 million across 24 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.3µg/m³. That's 3.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 254 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 Sulawesi Selatan met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.01 years longer.

That's 9.3M years of life stolen from 9.2 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 Sulawesi Selatan. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Palopo
1.8 years lost
2.Tana Toraja
1.6 years lost
3.Toraja Utara
1.6 years lost
4.Luwu
1.6 years lost
5.Enrekang
1.5 years lost
6.Luwu Utara
1.5 years lost
7.Luwu Timur
1.3 years lost
8.Pinrang
1.2 years lost
9.Sidenreng Rappang
1.2 years lost
10.Maros
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

1.3%

117K

10-15 µg/m³

69%

6.4M

15-25 µg/m³

29.7%

2.7M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 24 Districts in Sulawesi Selatan

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Makassar	1.4M	14.6	0.9 years
Bone	820K	12.0	0.7 years
Gowa	790K	14.7	0.9 years
Bulukumba	436K	12.4	0.7 years
Jeneponto	408K	11.8	0.7 years
Pinrang	408K	17.7	1.2 years
Maros	405K	14.9	1.0 years
Wajo	392K	14.6	0.9 years
Luwu	377K	21.0	1.6 years
Pangkajene Dan Kepulauan	344K	13.1	0.8 years
Luwu Utara	333K	19.9	1.5 years
Sidenreng Rappang	331K	17.3	1.2 years
Luwu Timur	305K	18.3	1.3 years
Takalar	300K	14.0	0.9 years
Tana Toraja	290K	21.4	1.6 years
Toraja Utara	270K	21.4	1.6 years
Sinjai	264K	12.7	0.8 years
Soppeng	243K	13.0	0.8 years
Enrekang	233K	19.9	1.5 years
Palopo	188K	23.6	1.8 years
Bantaeng	186K	13.4	0.8 years
Barru	177K	11.7	0.7 years
Parepare	145K	11.4	0.6 years
Kepulauan Selayar	117K	9.7	0.5 years

Showing 24 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Sulawesi Selatan is Injurious to Health.