Breathing in Oromia is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 44.1 million people across 17 districts in Oromia. The average PM2.5 level is 14 µg/m³—2.8× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Oromia

Oromia faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 44.1 million across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 14µg/m³. That's 2.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 232 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 Oromia met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.9 years longer.

That's 39.6M years of life stolen from 44.1 million 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 Oromia. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Debub Mirab Shewa
    1.3 years lost
  • 2.Misraq Shewa
    1.3 years lost
  • 3.Mirab Shewa
    1.1 years lost
  • 4.Jimma
    1.1 years lost
  • 5.North Shewa
    1 years lost
  • 6.Arsi
    1 years lost
  • 7.Ilubabor
    0.9 years lost
  • 8.Mirab Arsi
    0.9 years lost
  • 9.Kelem Wellega
    0.8 years lost
  • 10.Bale
    0.7 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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
11.8%
5.2M
10-15 µg/m³
47.2%
20.8M
15-25 µg/m³
41%
18.1M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 17 Districts in Oromia

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Jimma4.7M
16.3
1.1 years
Arsi4.2M
14.9
1.0 years
Misraq Harerge4.0M
9.2
0.4 years
Misraq Shewa3.9M
17.8
1.3 years
Mirab Shewa3.7M
16.3
1.1 years
Mirab Arsi3.3M
14.3
0.9 years
North Shewa3.1M
15.1
1.0 years
Debub Mirab Shewa2.6M
17.9
1.3 years
Mirab Welega2.1M
10.8
0.6 years
Misraq Wellega2.1M
12.0
0.7 years
Bale1.8M
12.3
0.7 years
Ilubabor1.8M
14.3
0.9 years
Mirab Hararghe1.8M
12.2
0.7 years
Guji1.7M
10.0
0.5 years
Kelem Wellega1.2M
12.8
0.8 years
Borena1.2M
9.9
0.5 years
Horo Guduru920K
11.7
0.7 years

Showing 17 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.