Breathing in Kunar is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 388 thousand people across 12 districts in Kunar. The average PM2.5 level is 22.8 µg/m³—4.6Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Kunar

Kunar faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 388 thousand across 12 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 22.8µg/m³. That's 4.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 378 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 Kunar met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.74 years longer.

That's 675K years of life stolen from 388 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 10 most polluted districts in Kunar. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Khas Kunar
    2 years lost
  • 2.Nurgal
    1.9 years lost
  • 3.Chawkay
    1.9 years lost
  • 4.Narang Wa Badil
    1.9 years lost
  • 5.Sirkanay
    1.8 years lost
  • 6.Marwara
    1.7 years lost
  • 7.Asad abad
    1.7 years lost
  • 8.Nali
    1.6 years lost
  • 9.Bar Kunar
    1.6 years lost
  • 10.Dara-i-Pech
    1.6 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
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
90.3%
350K
25-35 µg/m³
9.7%
38K
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 12 Districts in Kunar

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Asad abad85K
22.0
1.7 years
Dara-i-Pech42K
21.4
1.6 years
Chawkay38K
24.9
1.9 years
Khas Kunar38K
25.3
2.0 years
Narang Wa Badil36K
23.9
1.9 years
Sirkanay28K
23.6
1.8 years
Nali25K
21.8
1.6 years
Bar Kunar25K
21.6
1.6 years
Nurgal19K
24.9
1.9 years
Marwara19K
22.0
1.7 years
Dangam19K
21.3
1.6 years
Chapa Dara16K
19.6
1.4 years

Showing 12 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.