Breathing in Sumatera Utara is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 15.2 million people across 33 districts in Sumatera Utara. The average PM2.5 level is 25.9 µg/m³—5.2× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Sumatera Utara

Sumatera Utara faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 15.2 million across 33 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 25.9µg/m³. That's 5.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 430 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 Utara met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.04 years longer.

That's 31.0M years of life stolen from 15.2 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 Sumatera Utara. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Kota Medan
    3 years lost
  • 2.Deli Serdang
    2.9 years lost
  • 3.Kota Binjai
    2.7 years lost
  • 4.Serdang Bedagai
    2.3 years lost
  • 5.Tebingtinggi
    2.3 years lost
  • 6.Langkat
    2.3 years lost
  • 7.Pematangsiantar
    2.2 years lost
  • 8.Karo
    2.2 years lost
  • 9.Simalungun
    2.1 years lost
  • 10.Toba Samosir
    1.9 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
5.8%
879K
10-15 µg/m³
2.9%
448K
15-25 µg/m³
35.7%
5.4M
25-35 µg/m³
39%
5.9M
> 35 µg/m³
16.6%
2.5M
Districts

All 33 Districts in Sumatera Utara

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Kota Medan2.5M
36.0
3.0 years
Deli Serdang2.0M
34.7
2.9 years
Langkat1.1M
28.1
2.3 years
Simalungun1.0M
26.8
2.1 years
Asahan796K
22.5
1.7 years
Serdang Bedagai678K
28.9
2.3 years
Labuhanbatu499K
18.9
1.4 years
Mandailing Natal483K
15.9
1.1 years
Batu Bara422K
23.8
1.8 years
Karo419K
26.9
2.2 years
Labuhanbatu Utara394K
20.8
1.5 years
Nias Selatan366K
8.8
0.4 years
Tapanuli Tengah364K
14.6
0.9 years
Tapanuli Utara332K
20.7
1.5 years
Labuhanbatu Selatan325K
16.9
1.2 years
Dairi316K
20.8
1.5 years
Tapanuli Selatan307K
18.1
1.3 years
Kota Binjai302K
32.7
2.7 years
Pematangsiantar277K
27.9
2.2 years
Padang Lawas275K
18.1
1.3 years
Padang Lawas Utara270K
18.4
1.3 years
Padangsidimpuan233K
18.1
1.3 years
Humbang Hasundutan208K
19.4
1.4 years
Toba Samosir195K
24.8
1.9 years
Kota Tanjungbalai182K
21.2
1.6 years
Tebingtinggi179K
28.4
2.3 years
Nias Utara148K
8.8
0.4 years
Nias144K
9.2
0.4 years
Gunungsitoli131K
9.3
0.4 years
Samosir122K
24.5
1.9 years
Nias Barat89K
9.4
0.4 years
Sibolga84K
14.6
0.9 years
Pakpak Barat53K
16.4
1.1 years

Showing 33 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.