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 Dzavhan Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Dzavhan

Dzavhan faces significant air pollution challenges. 48% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 74 thousand across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 5µg/m³. That's 1.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 83 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 Dzavhan met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.03 years longer.

That's 2K years of life stolen from 74 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 Dzavhan. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Aldarkhaan
0.1 years lost
2.Otgon
0.1 years lost
3.Zavkhanmandal
0 years lost
4.Tsagaankhairkhan
0 years lost
5.Erdenekhairkhan
0 years lost
6.Shilüüstei
0 years lost
7.Yaruu
0 years lost
8.Tsagaanchuluut
0 years lost
9.Dörvöljin
0 years lost
10.Ikh-Uul
0 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

44.2%

32K

5-10 µg/m³

55.8%

41K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 23 Districts in Dzavhan

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Aldarkhaan	20K	5.8	0.1 years
Tosontsengel	10K	4.6	0.0 years
Ikh-Uul	6K	5.1	0.0 years
Telmen	3K	4.2	0.0 years
Bayantes	3K	4.3	0.0 years
Tes	3K	4.3	0.0 years
Otgon	3K	5.6	0.1 years
Ider	2K	4.5	0.0 years
Dörvöljin	2K	5.2	0.0 years
Bayankhairkhan	2K	4.0	0.0 years
Songino	2K	4.3	0.0 years
Yaruu	2K	5.3	0.0 years
Tüdevtei	2K	4.4	0.0 years
Erdenekhairkhan	2K	5.4	0.0 years
Nömrög	2K	4.4	0.0 years
Shilüüstei	2K	5.3	0.0 years
Santmargats	2K	5.0	0.0 years
Urgamal	1K	5.0	0.0 years
Tsagaanchuluut	1K	5.2	0.0 years
Tsagaankhairkhan	1K	5.5	0.0 years
Tsetsen-Uul	1K	4.8	0.0 years
Zavkhanmandal	1K	5.5	0.0 years
Asgat	481	4.2	0.0 years

Showing 23 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Dzavhan is Injurious to Health.