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.

Algeria's Biskra Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Biskra

Biskra faces significant air pollution challenges. 55% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 978 thousand across 33 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 4.9µg/m³. That's 1.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 81 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 Biskra met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 years of life stolen from 978 thousand 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 Biskra. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.El Ouitaya
0.1 years lost
2.El Hadjab
0 years lost
3.Mekhadma
0 years lost
4.M'Lili
0 years lost
5.Khenguet Sidi Nadji
0 years lost
6.Ourlal
0 years lost
7.Bouchakroune
0 years lost
8.Zeribet El Oued
0 years lost
9.El Feidh
0 years lost
10.Oumache
0 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

34.6%

339K

5-10 µg/m³

65.4%

639K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 33 Districts in Biskra

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Biskra	304K	5.2	0.0 years
Ouled Djellal	78K	4.1	0.0 years
Tolga	73K	5.0	0.0 years
Sidi Khaled	60K	4.3	0.0 years
Sidi Okba	44K	5.2	0.0 years
Daoussen	36K	4.7	0.0 years
Zeribet El Oued	28K	5.4	0.0 years
Lioua	27K	5.2	0.0 years
El Ghrous	22K	4.7	0.0 years
El Feidh	21K	5.3	0.0 years
Djamora	19K	4.3	0.0 years
Foughala	18K	4.8	0.0 years
Bordj Ben Azzouz	18K	4.7	0.0 years
Bouchakroune	17K	5.4	0.0 years
Ain Naga	17K	5.1	0.0 years
El Kentara	16K	4.8	0.0 years
Mechouneche	15K	4.1	0.0 years
Chetma	15K	5.2	0.0 years
El Ouitaya	15K	5.6	0.1 years
El Hadjab	15K	5.5	0.0 years
Lichana	15K	5.3	0.0 years
M_Ziraa	12K	5.0	0.0 years
Oumache	12K	5.3	0.0 years
Besbes	11K	3.3	0.0 years
Chouaiba\|Ouled Rahma	10K	4.2	0.0 years
Ourlal	10K	5.4	0.0 years
Branis	8K	4.9	0.0 years
M'Lili	8K	5.4	0.0 years
Ras Miaad\|Ouled Sassi	8K	3.5	0.0 years
El Haouch	7K	5.1	0.0 years
Mekhadma	7K	5.5	0.0 years
Ain Zaatout	7K	4.0	0.0 years
Khenguet Sidi Nadji	4K	5.4	0.0 years

Showing 33 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Biskra is Injurious to Health.