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 Huila Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Huila

Huila faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 37 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 14.8µg/m³. That's 3.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 246 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 Huila met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.95 years longer.

That's 1.1M 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 Huila. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Colombia
1.1 years lost
2.Villavieja
1.1 years lost
3.Baraya
1.1 years lost
4.Santa María
1 years lost
5.Tello
1 years lost
6.Aipe
1 years lost
7.Neiva
1 years lost
8.Iquira
1 years lost
9.Palermo
1 years lost
10.Rivera
1 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

56.1%

666K

15-25 µg/m³

43.9%

521K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 37 Districts in Huila

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Neiva	338K	15.4	1.0 years
Pitalito	133K	13.8	0.9 years
Garzón	95K	14.7	0.9 years
La Plata	66K	14.5	0.9 years
Acevedo	36K	14.3	0.9 years
Gigante	35K	14.8	1.0 years
Palermo	34K	15.2	1.0 years
Campoalegre	34K	14.9	1.0 years
San Agustín	33K	13.2	0.8 years
Isnos	28K	13.4	0.8 years
Algeciras	24K	15.0	1.0 years
Guadalupe	23K	14.6	0.9 years
Aipe	22K	15.6	1.0 years
Suazá	21K	14.6	0.9 years
Timaná	20K	14.2	0.9 years
Rivera	19K	15.1	1.0 years
Tarquí	18K	14.3	0.9 years
Tello	15K	15.7	1.0 years
La Argentina	15K	14.0	0.9 years
Oporapa	14K	13.9	0.9 years
Villavieja	14K	16.0	1.1 years
Pital	14K	14.6	0.9 years
Iquira	13K	15.4	1.0 years
Colombia	13K	16.4	1.1 years
Palestina	12K	13.8	0.9 years
Saladoblanco	12K	13.6	0.8 years
Santa María	12K	15.7	1.0 years
Baraya	9K	15.9	1.1 years
Yaguará	9K	14.8	1.0 years
Tesalia	9K	14.7	1.0 years
Agrado	9K	14.6	0.9 years
Teruel	9K	14.8	1.0 years
Hobo	7K	14.8	1.0 years
Nátaga	6K	15.0	1.0 years
Paicol	6K	14.7	0.9 years
Altamira	5K	14.4	0.9 years
Elías	4K	14.0	0.9 years

Showing 37 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Huila is Injurious to Health.