This map shows the age-standardized mortality rate attributed to air pollution by countries. The rate is shown as deaths per 100,000 people. The global average is 95 deaths per 100,000 people. Any areas in the map above this rate are shown in red. 2016 figures for pollution-caused mortality rate are offered by the World Health Organization (WHO). Values are offered as a mean, upper value, lower value, and also offered as age standardized. Values are for deaths caused by all possible air pollution related diseases, for both sexes, and all age groups. For more information visit this page, and here for methodology. According to WHO, the world average was 95 deaths per 100,000 people.PM 2.5 is fine particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or less in diameter. These particles can cause the air to be hazy, and can get into human lungs and the bloodstream causing major health concerns. To learn more about PM 2.5 and its global/human impacts, visit this World Health Organization page about ambient air pollution.The PM 2.5 data in this map is aggregated from NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) gridded data into country boundaries, administrative 1 boundaries, and 50 km hex bins. The unit of measurement for PM 2.5 concentrations is micrograms per cubic meter. For full metadata and methodology documentation about the layer used in this map, visit this Living Atlas layer. For metadata and methodology about the data used to generate the layer, visit the NASA SEDAC gridded PM 2.5 documentation page or PDF.To learn the techniques used in the analysis that generated this layer, visit the Learn ArcGIS lesson Investigate Pollution Patterns with Space-Time Analysis by Esri's Kevin Bulter and Lynne Buie. Citations:van Donkelaar, A., R. V. Martin, M. Brauer, N. C. Hsu, R. A. Kahn, R. C. Levy, A. Lyapustin, A. M. Sayer, and D. M. Winker. 2018. Global Annual PM2.5 Grids from MODIS, MISR and SeaWiFS Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) with GWR, 1998-2016. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). https://doi.org/10.7927/H4ZK5DQS. Accessed 1 April 2020van Donkelaar, A., R. V. Martin, M. Brauer, N. C. Hsu, R. A. Kahn, R. C. Levy, A. Lyapustin, A. M. Sayer, and D. M. Winker. 2016. Global Estimates of Fine Particulate Matter Using a Combined Geophysical-Statistical Method with Information from Satellites. Environmental Science & Technology 50 (7): 3762-3772. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b05833.