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 Laghouat Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Laghouat

Laghouat faces significant air pollution challenges. 0% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 632 thousand across 24 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 3.6µg/m³. That's 0.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 60 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 Laghouat met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 years of life stolen from 632 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 Laghouat. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.El Beidha
0 years lost
2.Ain Sidi Ali
0 years lost
3.Gueltat Sidi Saad
0 years lost
4.Sidi Bouzid
0 years lost
5.Hadj Mechri
0 years lost
6.Tadjemout
0 years lost
7.Oued Mora
0 years lost
8.Aflou
0 years lost
9.Tadjrouna
0 years lost
10.Kheneg
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

100%

632K

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 24 Districts in Laghouat

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³
Laghouat	214K	3.5
Aflou	106K	3.7
Tadjemout	41K	3.8
Hassi R'Mel	34K	3.5
Ksar Hirane	30K	3.5
Gueltat Sidi Saad	21K	4.2
Mekhareg	16K	3.5
Sidi Makhlouf	15K	3.5
El Beidha	15K	4.6
Kheneg	14K	3.5
Hassi Delaa	14K	3.1
Hadj Mechri	13K	3.9
Ain Madhi	12K	3.2
Sebgag	12K	3.4
Brida	11K	3.5
El Ghicha	11K	3.1
Oued Mora	10K	3.8
El Assafia	9K	3.3
Ain Sidi Ali	9K	4.4
Sidi Bouzid	8K	3.9
Tadjrouna	7K	3.6
Taouala	5K	3.4
Oued M'Zi	3K	3.3
El Haouaita	3K	3.5

Showing 24 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Laghouat is Injurious to Health.