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.

Peru's Cusco Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Cusco

Cusco faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.3 million across 13 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 26µg/m³. That's 5.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 431 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 Cusco met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.04 years longer.

That's 2.7M years of life stolen from 1.3 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 Cusco. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.La Convención
2.5 years lost
2.Calca
2.3 years lost
3.Paucartambo
2.3 years lost
4.Urubamba
2.2 years lost
5.Cusco
2.1 years lost
6.Anta
2.1 years lost
7.Quispicanchi
2 years lost
8.Paruro
1.8 years lost
9.Acomayo
1.8 years lost
10.Canchis
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

15-25 µg/m³

24.9%

333K

25-35 µg/m³

75.1%

1.0M

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 13 Districts in Cusco

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Cusco	495K	26.8	2.1 years
La Convención	164K	30.8	2.5 years
Canchis	106K	22.0	1.7 years
Quispicanchi	97K	25.9	2.0 years
Chumbivilcas	74K	19.8	1.4 years
Calca	69K	28.2	2.3 years
Urubamba	67K	27.4	2.2 years
Espinar	64K	19.6	1.4 years
Anta	62K	26.4	2.1 years
Paucartambo	48K	28.1	2.3 years
Canas	36K	21.4	1.6 years
Paruro	28K	23.7	1.8 years
Acomayo	25K	23.1	1.8 years

Showing 13 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Cusco is Injurious to Health.