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.

Tunisia's Sousse Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Sousse

Sousse faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 715 thousand across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.8µg/m³. That's 1.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 146 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 Sousse met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.35 years longer.

That's 250K years of life stolen from 715 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 Sousse. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Sousse Médina
0.4 years lost
2.Sousse Sidi Abdelhamid
0.4 years lost
3.Sousse Jaouhara
0.4 years lost
4.Hammam Sousse
0.4 years lost
5.Sousse Riadh
0.4 years lost
6.Akouda
0.4 years lost
7.Sebkhit El Kabla
0.4 years lost
8.Sidi El Heni
0.4 years lost
9.Hergla
0.4 years lost
10.Kalaa Sghira
0.3 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

5-10 µg/m³

100%

715K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 17 Districts in Sousse

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Sousse Riadh	127K	9.2	0.4 years
M'Saken	119K	8.4	0.3 years
Sousse Jaouhara	68K	9.5	0.4 years
Sousse Médina	62K	9.6	0.4 years
Kalaa Kebira	53K	8.1	0.3 years
Enfidha	49K	8.2	0.3 years
Sousse Sidi Abdelhamid	49K	9.6	0.4 years
Hammam Sousse	39K	9.4	0.4 years
Bouficha	34K	8.3	0.3 years
Kalaa Sghira	27K	8.4	0.3 years
Akouda	22K	9.0	0.4 years
Sidi Bou Ali	22K	7.5	0.2 years
Sidi El Heni	15K	8.8	0.4 years
Kondar	12K	8.0	0.3 years
Hergla	10K	8.8	0.4 years
Sebkhit El Kabla	6K	8.9	0.4 years
Sebkhat Sidi El Hani	2K	7.6	0.3 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.

Breathing in Sousse is Injurious to Health.