Breathing in San`a' is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 3.0 million people across 16 districts in San`a'. The average PM2.5 level is 13.8 µg/m³—2.8× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in San`a'

San`a' faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.0 million across 16 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 13.8µg/m³. That's 2.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 229 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 San`a' met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.86 years longer.

That's 2.5M years of life stolen from 3.0 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 San`a'. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Sa'fan
    1.4 years lost
  • 2.Manakhah
    1.2 years lost
  • 3.Al Haymah Al Kharijiyah
    1.1 years lost
  • 4.Al Haymah Ad Dakhiliyah
    1 years lost
  • 5.Bilad Ar Rus
    0.9 years lost
  • 6.Al Husn
    0.9 years lost
  • 7.Sanhan
    0.9 years lost
  • 8.Bani Matar
    0.8 years lost
  • 9.Jihanah
    0.8 years lost
  • 10.Bani Hushaysh
    0.8 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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
89.9%
2.7M
15-25 µg/m³
10.1%
298K
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 16 Districts in San`a'

Complete air quality data for every district in San`a', sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Sanhan670K
14.3
0.9 years
Hamdan363K
12.9
0.8 years
Arhab351K
12.9
0.8 years
Bani Matar318K
13.7
0.8 years
Bani Hushaysh295K
13.5
0.8 years
Jihanah190K
13.6
0.8 years
Nihm135K
13.3
0.8 years
Manakhah97K
17.2
1.2 years
Al Haymah Ad Dakhiliyah95K
15.3
1.0 years
Al Husn91K
14.3
0.9 years
Bilad Ar Rus84K
14.6
0.9 years
Attyal81K
12.0
0.7 years
Al Haymah Al Kharijiyah71K
16.0
1.1 years
Khwlan62K
11.8
0.7 years
Sa'fan34K
19.2
1.4 years
Bani Dhabyan23K
12.0
0.7 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.