South Asia - Particle pollution

PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter)

The value for PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter) in South Asia was 82.87 as of 2017. As the graph below shows, over the past 27 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 90.57 in 2011 and a minimum value of 76.62 in 1990.

Definition: Population-weighted exposure to ambient PM2.5 pollution is defined as the average level of exposure of a nation's population to concentrations of suspended particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and causing severe health damage. Exposure is calculated by weighting mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 by population in both urban and rural areas.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 76.62
1995 77.85
2000 78.91
2005 84.33
2010 89.17
2011 90.57
2012 82.73
2013 84.69
2014 83.07
2015 82.72
2016 81.98
2017 82.87

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total)

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total) in South Asia was 99.32 as of 2017. Its highest value over the past 27 years was 100.00 in 2013, while its lowest value was 99.32 in 2017.

Definition: Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the WHO guideline value is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 10 micrograms per cubic meter, the guideline value recommended by the World Health Organization as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 100.00
1995 100.00
2000 100.00
2005 100.00
2010 100.00
2011 100.00
2012 100.00
2013 100.00
2014 99.97
2015 99.97
2016 99.60
2017 99.32

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Emissions