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.

Iran's Esfahan Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Esfahan

Esfahan faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.6 million across 16 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 20.7µg/m³. That's 4.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 343 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 Esfahan met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.55 years longer.

That's 8.7M years of life stolen from 5.6 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 Esfahan. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Tiran and Karvan
1.8 years lost
2.Falavarjan
1.7 years lost
3.Khomeynishahr
1.4 years lost
4.Golpayegan
1.4 years lost
5.Borkhar and Meymeh
1.4 years lost
6.Mobarakeh
1.4 years lost
7.Lanjan
1.3 years lost
8.Kashan
1.3 years lost
9.Khansar
1.3 years lost
10.Fereydunshahr
1.1 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

2.2%

122K

15-25 µg/m³

97.8%

5.5M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 16 Districts in Esfahan

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Tiran and Karvan	2.5M	22.9	1.8 years
Falavarjan	563K	22.3	1.7 years
Kashan	529K	18.3	1.3 years
Borkhar and Meymeh	470K	19.4	1.4 years
Khomeynishahr	386K	19.6	1.4 years
Lanjan	273K	18.6	1.3 years
Lower Semirom/Dehaghan	249K	16.1	1.1 years
Mobarakeh	130K	19.4	1.4 years
Chadegan	121K	16.3	1.1 years
Golpayegan	94K	19.4	1.4 years
Semirom	76K	15.4	1.0 years
Nayin	67K	13.8	0.9 years
Natanz	55K	14.9	1.0 years
Ardestan	46K	15.1	1.0 years
Fereydunshahr	36K	16.3	1.1 years
Khansar	32K	18.3	1.3 years

Showing 16 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Esfahan is Injurious to Health.