Breathing in Okinawa is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.4 million people across 41 districts in Okinawa. The average PM2.5 level is 7.4 Āµg/mĀ³ā€”1.5Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Okinawa

Okinawa faces significant air pollution challenges. 98% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.4 million across 41 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.4Āµg/mĀ³. That's 1.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5Āµg/mĀ³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 123 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 Āµg/mĀ³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Okinawa met the WHO guideline of 5 Āµg/mĀ³, the average person would live 0.24 years longer.

That's 334K years of life stolen from 1.4 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 Okinawa. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Uruma
    0.3 years lost
  • 2.Okinawa
    0.3 years lost
  • 3.Aguni
    0.3 years lost
  • 4.Haebaru
    0.3 years lost
  • 5.Yonabaru
    0.3 years lost
  • 6.Kitanakagusuku
    0.3 years lost
  • 7.Tomigusuku
    0.3 years lost
  • 8.Nishihara
    0.3 years lost
  • 9.Ginowan
    0.3 years lost
  • 10.Yaese
    0.3 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 Āµg/mĀ³ā€”only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
5-10 Āµg/mĀ³
100%
1.4M
10-15 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
15-25 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
25-35 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
> 35 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
Districts

All 41 Districts in Okinawa

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 Āµg/mĀ³Years Lost
Naha316K
7.3
0.2 years
Okinawa137K
8.0
0.3 years
Urasoe116K
7.3
0.2 years
Uruma115K
8.0
0.3 years
Ginowan86K
7.7
0.3 years
Nago60K
6.9
0.2 years
Itoman54K
7.5
0.2 years
Miyakojima50K
6.5
0.1 years
Tomigusuku46K
7.8
0.3 years
Ishigaki43K
6.0
0.1 years
Nishihara42K
7.8
0.3 years
Haebaru42K
7.8
0.3 years
Yomitan38K
7.3
0.2 years
Nanjō37K
7.5
0.2 years
Yaese32K
7.7
0.3 years
Chatan26K
7.6
0.3 years
Nakagusuku25K
7.6
0.3 years
Yonabaru18K
7.8
0.3 years
Kitanakagusuku16K
7.8
0.3 years
Kadena15K
7.7
0.3 years
Kin13K
7.3
0.2 years
Motobu11K
6.7
0.2 years
Onna10K
7.1
0.2 years
Nakijin8K
6.6
0.2 years
Kumejima6K
6.8
0.2 years
Ginoza5K
7.2
0.2 years
Kunigami4K
6.5
0.1 years
Ie4K
6.7
0.2 years
Taketomi3K
6.4
0.1 years
Ōgimi2K
6.8
0.2 years
Minami Daito2K
6.0
0.1 years
Yonaguni2K
6.0
0.1 years
Higashi1K
6.8
0.2 years
Izena1K
7.1
0.2 years
Tarama1K
6.3
0.1 years
Iheya869
6.8
0.2 years
Tokashiki670
6.8
0.2 years
Aguni659
7.9
0.3 years
Zamami547
7.0
0.2 years
Tonaki165
7.6
0.3 years
Minamidaitō0
0.0
0.0 years

Showing 41 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 Āµg/mĀ³.