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.

Croatia's Istarska Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Istarska

Istarska faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 199 thousand across 40 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.6µg/m³. That's 1.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 159 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 Istarska met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.46 years longer.

That's 92K years of life stolen from 199 thousand 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 Istarska. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Umag
0.6 years lost
2.Novigrad
0.6 years lost
3.Vrsar
0.6 years lost
4.Rovinj
0.5 years lost
5.Poreč
0.5 years lost
6.Premantura
0.5 years lost
7.Medulin
0.5 years lost
8.Brtonigla
0.5 years lost
9.Pula
0.5 years lost
10.Ližnjan
0.4 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

76.9%

153K

10-15 µg/m³

23.1%

46K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 40 Districts in Istarska

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Pula	55K	9.8	0.5 years
Poreč	18K	10.0	0.5 years
Umag	12K	11.1	0.6 years
Labin	11K	9.3	0.4 years
Rovinj	10K	10.2	0.5 years
Pazin	9K	8.7	0.4 years
Vodnjan	7K	8.8	0.4 years
Buzet	6K	9.2	0.4 years
Medulin	5K	9.9	0.5 years
Ližnjan	5K	9.6	0.4 years
Marčana	4K	8.8	0.4 years
Buje	4K	9.5	0.4 years
Žminj	4K	8.4	0.3 years
Fažana	4K	9.3	0.4 years
Kršan	3K	9.3	0.4 years
Novigrad	3K	10.8	0.6 years
Sveta Nedelja	3K	8.7	0.4 years
Raša	3K	9.4	0.4 years
Barban	3K	8.3	0.3 years
Svetvinčenat	3K	8.3	0.3 years
Višnjan	2K	8.8	0.4 years
Vrsar	2K	10.7	0.6 years
Tinjan	2K	8.4	0.3 years
Pićan	2K	9.0	0.4 years
Bale	2K	9.0	0.4 years
Kaštelir-Labinci	2K	9.1	0.4 years
Kanfanar	2K	8.6	0.4 years
Karojba	2K	8.7	0.4 years
Cerovlje	2K	8.9	0.4 years
Brtonigla	1K	9.9	0.5 years
Gračišće	1K	8.4	0.3 years
Sveti Lovreč	1K	8.9	0.4 years
Vižinada	1K	8.8	0.4 years
Premantura	1K	10.0	0.5 years
Sveti Petar u Šumi	1K	8.2	0.3 years
Motovun	1K	9.1	0.4 years
Lupoglav	924	9.3	0.4 years
Grožnjan	869	9.2	0.4 years
Oprtalj	828	9.0	0.4 years
Lanišće	232	9.5	0.4 years

Showing 40 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Istarska is Injurious to Health.