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.

Yemen's Al Bayda' Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Al Bayda'

Al Bayda' faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.3 million across 19 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 13.5µg/m³. That's 2.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 224 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 Al Bayda' met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.85 years longer.

That's 1.1M years of life stolen from 1.3 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 Al Bayda'. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Al A'rsh
1.2 years lost
2.Ar Ryashyyah
1.1 years lost
3.Al Quraishyah
1 years lost
4.Wald Rabi'
1 years lost
5.Sabah
1 years lost
6.Al Bayda City
0.8 years lost
7.Nati'
0.8 years lost
8.Na'man
0.7 years lost
9.Mukayras
0.7 years lost
10.Maswarah
0.7 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

63.3%

811K

15-25 µg/m³

36.7%

471K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 19 Districts in Al Bayda'

Complete air quality data for every district in Al Bayda', sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Al A'rsh	277K	16.9	1.2 years
As Sawma'ah	146K	11.7	0.7 years
Mukayras	107K	12.3	0.7 years
Al Quraishyah	92K	15.2	1.0 years
Al Bayda	87K	12.1	0.7 years
Dhi Na'im	62K	11.6	0.6 years
Ash Sharyah	58K	11.7	0.7 years
Sabah	57K	14.9	1.0 years
At Taffah	56K	11.2	0.6 years
Al Malagim	55K	11.3	0.6 years
Wald Rabi'	53K	15.2	1.0 years
As Sawadiyah	50K	11.2	0.6 years
Ar Ryashyyah	50K	15.7	1.1 years
Az Zahir	44K	11.3	0.6 years
Radman Al Awad	30K	11.3	0.6 years
Al Bayda City	29K	12.7	0.8 years
Maswarah	15K	12.3	0.7 years
Nati'	9K	12.7	0.8 years
Na'man	6K	12.5	0.7 years

Showing 19 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Al Bayda' is Injurious to Health.