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.

Belarus's Vitebsk Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Vitebsk

Vitebsk faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.2µg/m³. That's 1.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 153 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 Vitebsk met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.4 years longer.

That's 461K years of life stolen from 1.2 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 Vitebsk. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Polatsak
0.4 years lost
2.Arsha
0.4 years lost
3.Talachyn
0.4 years lost
4.Dubrowna
0.4 years lost
5.Rasony
0.4 years lost
6.Ushat
0.4 years lost
7.Syanno
0.4 years lost
8.Vitebsk
0.4 years lost
9.Lyepyel
0.4 years lost
10.Vyerkhnyazdvinsk
0.4 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%

1.2M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Vitebsk

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Vitebsk	406K	9.1	0.4 years
Polatsak	205K	9.6	0.4 years
Arsha	150K	9.3	0.4 years
Hlybokaye	36K	8.7	0.4 years
Pastavy	35K	8.4	0.3 years
Lyepyel	33K	9.1	0.4 years
Chashniki	29K	8.9	0.4 years
Braslaw	25K	8.8	0.4 years
Talachyn	25K	9.3	0.4 years
Haradok	23K	8.9	0.4 years
Dokshytsy	23K	8.7	0.4 years
Vyerkhnyazdvinsk	22K	9.0	0.4 years
Syanno	21K	9.1	0.4 years
Shumilina	19K	8.9	0.4 years
Myory	18K	9.0	0.4 years
Lyozna	17K	8.8	0.4 years
Sharkawshchyna	15K	8.8	0.4 years
Dubrowna	14K	9.3	0.4 years
Byeshankovichy	14K	9.0	0.4 years
Ushat	13K	9.2	0.4 years
Rasony	10K	9.3	0.4 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Vitebsk is Injurious to Health.