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 Licko-Senjska Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Licko-Senjska

Licko-Senjska faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 46 thousand across 12 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.7µg/m³. That's 1.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 161 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 Licko-Senjska met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.45 years longer.

That's 21K years of life stolen from 46 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 Licko-Senjska. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Donji Lapac
0.7 years lost
2.Novalja
0.5 years lost
3.Karlobag
0.5 years lost
4.Udbina
0.5 years lost
5.Senj
0.5 years lost
6.Lovinac
0.5 years lost
7.Plitvička Jezera
0.5 years lost
8.Vrhovine
0.5 years lost
9.Gospić
0.4 years lost
10.Otočac
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

57.9%

27K

10-15 µg/m³

42.1%

19K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 12 Districts in Licko-Senjska

Complete air quality data for every district in Licko-Senjska, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Gospić	12K	9.3	0.4 years
Otočac	9K	9.2	0.4 years
Senj	6K	10.3	0.5 years
Plitvička Jezera	5K	10.0	0.5 years
Novalja	3K	10.6	0.5 years
Brinje	3K	8.7	0.4 years
Donji Lapac	2K	11.7	0.7 years
Perušić	2K	9.1	0.4 years
Udbina	1K	10.3	0.5 years
Lovinac	1K	10.1	0.5 years
Karlobag	635	10.4	0.5 years
Vrhovine	576	9.6	0.5 years

Showing 12 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Licko-Senjska is Injurious to Health.