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.

Tajikistan's Khatlon Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Khatlon

Khatlon faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.7 million across 24 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 25µg/m³. That's 5.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 415 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 Khatlon met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.97 years longer.

That's 7.2M years of life stolen from 3.7 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 Khatlon. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Qumsangir
2.7 years lost
2.Nosir Khusrav
2.7 years lost
3.Jilikul
2.6 years lost
4.Qabodiyon
2.6 years lost
5.Shahrituz
2.6 years lost
6.Kolkhozobod
2.4 years lost
7.Panj
2.4 years lost
8.Farkhor
2.1 years lost
9.Vakhsh
2 years lost
10.Bokhtar
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

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

64.3%

2.3M

25-35 µg/m³

35.7%

1.3M

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 24 Districts in Khatlon

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Bokhtar	454K	24.9	2.0 years
Vose	265K	23.0	1.8 years
Yovon	241K	21.2	1.6 years
Kulob	230K	21.4	1.6 years
Jilikul	195K	31.6	2.6 years
Jomi	195K	22.9	1.8 years
Farkhor	189K	26.9	2.1 years
Shahrituz	188K	31.1	2.6 years
Khuroson	165K	22.3	1.7 years
Danghara	164K	21.5	1.6 years
Mir Said Ali Hamadoni	163K	23.8	1.8 years
Kolkhozobod	155K	29.2	2.4 years
Vakhsh	141K	25.4	2.0 years
Panj	131K	29.1	2.4 years
Nosir Khusrav	112K	32.2	2.7 years
Qumsangir	110K	32.7	2.7 years
Muminobod	106K	18.1	1.3 years
Qabodiyon	82K	31.5	2.6 years
Temurmalik	81K	20.9	1.6 years
Norak	69K	20.0	1.5 years
Khovaling	66K	18.6	1.3 years
Sarband	64K	23.5	1.8 years
Shurobod	51K	18.3	1.3 years
Baljuvon	37K	18.9	1.4 years

Showing 24 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Khatlon is Injurious to Health.