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.

North Korea's P'yŏngan-namdo Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in P'yŏngan-namdo

P'yŏngan-namdo faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.4 million across 29 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 21.2µg/m³. That's 4.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 352 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 P'yŏngan-namdo met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.6 years longer.

That's 7.0M years of life stolen from 4.4 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 P'yŏngan-namdo. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Ch'ŏllima
2 years lost
2.Taedong
1.8 years lost
3.Ch'ŏngnam
1.8 years lost
4.Daean
1.8 years lost
5.Kangsŏ
1.8 years lost
6.Sunch'ŏn
1.7 years lost
7.Mundŏk
1.7 years lost
8.Ryonggang
1.7 years lost
9.Sukch'ŏn
1.7 years lost
10.Hanggu
1.7 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

10-15 µg/m³

0.7%

31K

15-25 µg/m³

96.6%

4.2M

25-35 µg/m³

2.7%

119K

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 29 Districts in P'yŏngan-namdo

Complete air quality data for every district in P'yŏngan-namdo, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
P'yŏngsŏng	399K	21.0	1.6 years
Sunch'ŏn	373K	22.6	1.7 years
Hanggu	290K	21.9	1.7 years
Kaech'ŏn	268K	20.9	1.6 years
Tŏkch'ŏn	261K	20.0	1.5 years
Kangsŏ	232K	23.5	1.8 years
Pukch'ang	203K	20.9	1.6 years
Sukch'ŏn	194K	21.9	1.7 years
Sŏngch'ŏn	191K	20.3	1.5 years
P'yŏngwŏn	185K	21.2	1.6 years
Mundŏk	182K	22.4	1.7 years
Anju	178K	21.4	1.6 years
Jungsan	176K	20.5	1.5 years
Ŭnsan	165K	21.4	1.6 years
Onch'ŏn	147K	21.2	1.6 years
Taedong	120K	23.8	1.8 years
Ch'ŏllima	119K	25.1	2.0 years
Ryonggang	101K	22.0	1.7 years
Haichang	86K	15.7	1.1 years
Waudo	85K	20.5	1.5 years
Ŭnjŏng	74K	20.9	1.6 years
Yangdŏk	66K	15.1	1.0 years
Daean	65K	23.6	1.8 years
Sinyang	47K	16.4	1.1 years
Maengsan	42K	17.4	1.2 years
Tŭkchang	38K	20.0	1.5 years
Nyongwon	37K	16.9	1.2 years
Ch'ŏngnam	35K	23.7	1.8 years
Taehŭng	31K	13.5	0.8 years

Showing 29 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in P'yŏngan-namdo is Injurious to Health.