Bangladesh Has the World's Worst Air Quality; What About Indonesia?

According to the latest 2021 World Air Quality Report from IQAir, Bangladesh has the worst air quality in the world, with a PM2.5 concentration reaching 76.9 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). This figure far exceeds the latest WHO clean air standard, which has a PM2.5 threshold of 5 µg/m³.

The higher the PM2.5 concentration, the more severe the air pollution is considered. Quoting the official website of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), particulate matter (PM2.5) refers to airborne particles smaller than 2.5 microns (micrometers).

PM2.5 poses the greatest health threat due to its small size, allowing it to remain suspended in the air for extended periods and be absorbed deep into the bloodstream when inhaled.

Chad was recorded as the second worst country globally in terms of air quality, with a PM2.5 concentration of 75.9 µg/m³. Following are Pakistan with 66.8 µg/m³, Tajikistan with 59.4 µg/m³, and India with 58.1 µg/m³.

Indonesia ranked 17th among countries with the worst air pollution globally, with a PM2.5 concentration of 34.3 µg/m³. With this concentration, Indonesia holds the unenviable position of having the worst air quality in Southeast Asia.

The IQAir report also shows that Indonesia's air quality in 2021 was better than in 2020, when the PM2.5 concentration reached 40.7 µg/m³.

Jakarta has the worst air quality domestically, with a PM2.5 concentration of 39.2 µg/m³. This figure places the Indonesian capital at 12th worst globally.