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 Hormozgan Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Hormozgan

Hormozgan faces significant air pollution challenges. 82% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.0 million across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 21.4µg/m³. That's 4.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 355 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 Hormozgan met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.6 years longer.

That's 3.1M years of life stolen from 2.0 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 Hormozgan. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Bastak
2.2 years lost
2.Hendorabi
2 years lost
3.Strait of Hormuz
1.9 years lost
4.Lavan
1.9 years lost
5.Kish
1.8 years lost
6.Bandar-e-Lengeh
1.7 years lost
7.Rudan
1.6 years lost
8.Qeshm
1.6 years lost
9.Bandar-e-Abbas
1.5 years lost
10.Minab
1.5 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

15-25 µg/m³

86.1%

1.7M

25-35 µg/m³

13.9%

272K

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 17 Districts in Hormozgan

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Bandar-e-Abbas	798K	20.6	1.5 years
Minab	359K	20.5	1.5 years
Bastak	272K	27.0	2.2 years
Qeshm	156K	21.6	1.6 years
Rudan	121K	21.6	1.6 years
Hajiabad	92K	16.9	1.2 years
Bandar-e-Jask	62K	15.7	1.1 years
Kish	48K	22.9	1.8 years
Bandar-e-Lengeh	34K	21.9	1.7 years
Sirri	7K	19.9	1.5 years
Lavan	7K	24.0	1.9 years
Strait of Hormuz	5K	24.2	1.9 years
Greater Farur	370	18.6	1.3 years
Hendorabi	207	25.5	2.0 years
Abu Musa	0	0.0	0.0 years
Greater Tonb	0	0.0	0.0 years
Lesser Tonb	0	0.0	0.0 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 Hormozgan is Injurious to Health.