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 Hajjah Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Hajjah

Hajjah faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 31 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 19.3µg/m³. That's 3.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 320 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 Hajjah met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.4 years longer.

That's 1.6M years of life stolen from 1.2 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 Hajjah. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Hayran
1.9 years lost
2.Harad
1.9 years lost
3.Abs
1.8 years lost
4.Midi
1.8 years lost
5.Mustaba
1.7 years lost
6.Aslem
1.6 years lost
7.Bakil Al Mir
1.6 years lost
8.Bani Qa'is
1.6 years lost
9.Ku'aydinah
1.5 years lost
10.Khayran Al Muharraq
1.4 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

2.4%

29K

15-25 µg/m³

97.6%

1.1M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 31 Districts in Hajjah

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Abs	166K	23.6	1.8 years
Harad	134K	24.6	1.9 years
Kushar	73K	17.4	1.2 years
Hajjah City	64K	15.6	1.0 years
Mabyan	57K	16.1	1.1 years
Aslem	49K	21.2	1.6 years
Al Mahabishah	42K	16.6	1.1 years
Kuhlan Affar	42K	15.0	1.0 years
Al Miftah	40K	16.5	1.1 years
Ash Shaghadirah	39K	17.1	1.2 years
Khayran Al Muharraq	37K	19.4	1.4 years
Kuhlan Ash Sharaf	33K	16.0	1.1 years
Washhah	33K	19.3	1.4 years
Mustaba	30K	22.4	1.7 years
Aflah Al Yaman	30K	17.5	1.2 years
Bani Al Awam	29K	14.3	0.9 years
Midi	25K	23.2	1.8 years
Qafl Shamer	25K	18.1	1.3 years
Ash Shahil	25K	17.8	1.3 years
Al Maghrabah	24K	16.7	1.1 years
Najrah	23K	16.0	1.1 years
Bani Qa'is	22K	20.9	1.6 years
Hajjah	22K	15.7	1.1 years
Aflah Ash Shawm	21K	17.1	1.2 years
Hayran	18K	24.9	1.9 years
Al Jamimah	18K	16.7	1.1 years
Qarah	15K	17.5	1.2 years
Sharas	13K	15.4	1.0 years
Ku'aydinah	12K	20.3	1.5 years
Bakil Al Mir	9K	21.1	1.6 years
Wadhrah	4K	18.3	1.3 years

Showing 31 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Hajjah is Injurious to Health.