Breathing in Kgalagadi is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 60 thousand people across 3 districts in Kgalagadi. The average PM2.5 level is 14.2 µg/m³—2.8Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Kgalagadi

Kgalagadi faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 60 thousand across 3 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 14.2µg/m³. That's 2.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 236 cigarettes in a year.

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Life Expectancy Impact

If Kgalagadi met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.88 years longer.

That's 53K years of life stolen from 60 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 3 most polluted districts in Kgalagadi. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Hukunsti
    1 years lost
  • 2.Tshabong
    0.8 years lost
  • 3.Gemsbok
    0.7 years lost

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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
60%
36K
15-25 µg/m³
40%
24K
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 3 Districts in Kgalagadi

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Tshabong36K
13.3
0.8 years
Hukunsti24K
15.7
1.0 years
Gemsbok195
12.1
0.7 years

Showing 3 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.