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.

Afghanistan's Balkh Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Balkh

Balkh faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.1 million across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 28.5µg/m³. That's 5.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 473 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 Balkh met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.3 years longer.

That's 4.8M years of life stolen from 2.1 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 Balkh. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Kaldar
2.8 years lost
2.Nahri Shahi
2.6 years lost
3.Mazar-i-Sharif
2.5 years lost
4.Dawlat abad
2.5 years lost
5.Char Bolak
2.4 years lost
6.Balkh
2.4 years lost
7.Dihdadi
2.4 years lost
8.Khulm
2.3 years lost
9.Shortepa
2.3 years lost
10.Chimtal
2 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

10-15 µg/m³

5.4%

112K

15-25 µg/m³

7.9%

165K

25-35 µg/m³

86.7%

1.8M

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 14 Districts in Balkh

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Mazar-i-Sharif	686K	30.8	2.5 years
Nahri Shahi	296K	31.2	2.6 years
Dihdadi	192K	29.5	2.4 years
Balkh	142K	29.6	2.4 years
Dawlat abad	129K	30.5	2.5 years
Sholgara	117K	20.7	1.5 years
Kishindih	112K	14.6	0.9 years
Khulm	110K	28.4	2.3 years
Char Bolak	83K	29.7	2.4 years
Chimtal	59K	25.3	2.0 years
Kaldar	54K	33.2	2.8 years
Shortepa	48K	28.1	2.3 years
Charkint	41K	16.0	1.1 years
Marmul	7K	16.1	1.1 years

Showing 14 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Balkh is Injurious to Health.