JAKARTA, October 2, 2026 — Jakarta’s air quality reached the unhealthy category on Friday morning, placing the Indonesian capital fourth among major cities with the poorest air quality worldwide, according to IQAir data reported by Tempo.
Jakarta Records Unhealthy Air Quality
At around 5:55 a.m. local time, Jakarta recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 169, according to IQAir. The reading fell within the “unhealthy” range under the US AQI scale.
Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, was identified as the main pollutant, with its concentration reaching approximately 87 micrograms per cubic metre.
Jakarta Among World’s Most Polluted Major Cities
The latest IQAir ranking placed Jakarta fourth among the world’s major cities with the highest pollution levels at the time of monitoring. Other cities ahead of Jakarta included Lahore, Manama and Kolkata in the cited ranking.
Air-quality rankings can change throughout the day because they are based on hourly monitoring data. IQAir’s live data for Jakarta also shows significant differences between monitoring stations across the city.
PM2.5 Remains a Key Concern
PM2.5 refers to extremely small airborne particles that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system. Jakarta’s official air-quality monitoring platform also recorded unhealthy conditions at some locations on October 1, although readings varied considerably between different parts of the capital.
The official Jakarta monitoring system showed that some areas had substantially cleaner air while others recorded unhealthy readings, highlighting the variation in pollution levels across the metropolitan area.
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Residents Advised to Limit Outdoor Activity
With the AQI in the unhealthy range, air-quality monitoring guidance recommends reducing prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity. IQAir’s Jakarta page also lists measures such as limiting outdoor exercise, keeping windows closed when pollution is high and using a mask outdoors.
The latest reading comes amid broader concerns about air pollution in Southeast Asia. IQAir has previously reported that smoke from forest and peatland fires in Indonesia contributed to deteriorating air quality in several cities across the region.
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