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 Sumatera Barat Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Sumatera Barat

Sumatera Barat faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.7 million across 20 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17.5µg/m³. That's 3.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 290 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 Sumatera Barat met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.21 years longer.

That's 6.9M years of life stolen from 5.7 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 Sumatera Barat. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Payakumbuh
1.7 years lost
2.Tanah Datar
1.7 years lost
3.Lima Puluh Kota
1.6 years lost
4.Bukittinggi
1.6 years lost
5.Padang Panjang
1.6 years lost
6.Danau
1.5 years lost
7.Sawahlunto
1.4 years lost
8.Kota Solok
1.4 years lost
9.Agam
1.3 years lost
10.Pasaman
1.3 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

1.4%

81K

10-15 µg/m³

16.7%

948K

15-25 µg/m³

81.9%

4.7M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 20 Districts in Sumatera Barat

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Padang	933K	16.6	1.1 years
Agam	551K	18.6	1.3 years
Pesisir Selatan	505K	13.4	0.8 years
Lima Puluh Kota	444K	21.3	1.6 years
Pasaman Barat	443K	14.9	1.0 years
Padang Pariaman	428K	16.6	1.1 years
Solok	406K	17.9	1.3 years
Tanah Datar	372K	22.0	1.7 years
Pasaman	303K	18.6	1.3 years
Dharmasraya	243K	15.7	1.0 years
Sijunjung	229K	18.1	1.3 years
Solok Selatan	181K	15.4	1.0 years
Payakumbuh	144K	22.1	1.7 years
Bukittinggi	125K	21.3	1.6 years
Pariaman	93K	15.2	1.0 years
Kepulauan Mentawai	81K	7.2	0.2 years
Kota Solok	76K	19.1	1.4 years
Sawahlunto	67K	19.6	1.4 years
Padang Panjang	58K	21.0	1.6 years
Danau	7K	20.0	1.5 years

Showing 20 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Sumatera Barat is Injurious to Health.