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.

Mongolia's Arhangay Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Arhangay

Arhangay faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 96 thousand across 19 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 6.9µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 114 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 Arhangay met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.19 years longer.

That's 18K years of life stolen from 96 thousand 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 Arhangay. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Khashaat
0.4 years lost
2.Ögii nuur
0.3 years lost
3.Ölziit
0.3 years lost
4.Khairkhan
0.3 years lost
5.Battsengel
0.2 years lost
6.Khotont
0.2 years lost
7.Tsetserleg
0.2 years lost
8.Erdenemandal
0.2 years lost
9.Erdenebulgan
0.2 years lost
10.Tsenkher
0.2 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

100%

96K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 19 Districts in Arhangay

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Erdenebulgan	23K	6.9	0.2 years
Tsenkher	6K	6.9	0.2 years
Tariat	6K	5.6	0.1 years
Öndör-Ulaan	6K	6.0	0.1 years
Ikh-Tamir	6K	6.7	0.2 years
Erdenemandal	6K	6.9	0.2 years
Tsetserleg	4K	7.1	0.2 years
Chuluut	4K	6.2	0.1 years
Battsengel	4K	7.4	0.2 years
Khotont	4K	7.3	0.2 years
Khairkhan	4K	7.8	0.3 years
Ölziit	4K	8.2	0.3 years
Jargalant	3K	6.2	0.1 years
Khashaat	3K	8.8	0.4 years
Khangai	3K	5.8	0.1 years
Ögii nuur	3K	8.6	0.3 years
Tüvshrüülekh	3K	6.8	0.2 years
Tsakhir	2K	5.5	0.1 years
Bulgan	1K	6.7	0.2 years

Showing 19 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Arhangay is Injurious to Health.