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 Ouargla Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Ouargla

Ouargla faces significant air pollution challenges. 0% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 739 thousand across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 3.5µg/m³. That's 0.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 58 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 Ouargla met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 years of life stolen from 739 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 Ouargla. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Sidi Slimane
0 years lost
2.Hassi Messaoud
0 years lost
3.Megarine
0 years lost
4.Taibet
0 years lost
5.Baladiet Amor
0 years lost
6.M'Naguer
0 years lost
7.Benaceur
0 years lost
8.Temacine
0 years lost
9.Tebesbest
0 years lost
10.Zaouia El Abidia
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%

739K

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Ouargla

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³
Ouargla	206K	2.9
Touggourt	101K	3.8
Hassi Messaoud	67K	4.2
Rouissat	55K	3.1
Nezla	40K	3.8
Tebesbest	37K	3.9
Temacine	27K	4.0
Taibet	25K	4.1
N'Goussa	22K	3.1
El Hadjira	21K	3.3
Baladiet Amor	20K	4.1
Zaouia El Abidia	20K	3.9
Megarine	18K	4.1
Ain Beida	16K	3.4
M'Naguer	12K	4.0
Sidi Slimane	12K	4.3
Benaceur	12K	4.0
El Allia	11K	3.4
Hassi Ben Abdellah	7K	3.8
Sidi Khouiled	6K	3.3
El Borma	3K	3.7

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Ouargla is Injurious to Health.