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.

Colombia's Casanare Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Casanare

Casanare faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 375 thousand across 19 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17.4µg/m³. That's 3.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 289 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 Casanare met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.22 years longer.

That's 458K years of life stolen from 375 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 Casanare. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Orocué
1.4 years lost
2.Sácama
1.3 years lost
3.Maní
1.3 years lost
4.La Salina
1.3 years lost
5.Paz de Ariporo
1.3 years lost
6.Támara
1.3 years lost
7.Hato Corozal
1.3 years lost
8.Trinidad
1.3 years lost
9.Pore
1.3 years lost
10.Chámeza
1.3 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

100%

375K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 19 Districts in Casanare

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Yopal	151K	17.3	1.2 years
Aguazul	43K	17.1	1.2 years
Paz de Ariporo	25K	18.1	1.3 years
Tauramena	25K	17.0	1.2 years
Villanueva	24K	16.5	1.1 years
Monterrey	15K	16.5	1.1 years
Trinidad	14K	18.0	1.3 years
Hato Corozal	12K	18.0	1.3 years
Maní	11K	18.2	1.3 years
San Luis de Palenque	10K	17.6	1.2 years
Nunchía	9K	17.6	1.2 years
Orocué	8K	19.2	1.4 years
Pore	8K	17.9	1.3 years
Támara	7K	18.1	1.3 years
Recetor	5K	17.7	1.2 years
Sabanalarga	3K	16.6	1.1 years
Chámeza	3K	17.8	1.3 years
Sácama	2K	18.7	1.3 years
La Salina	1K	18.2	1.3 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 Casanare is Injurious to Health.