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 Vukovarsko-Srijemska Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Vukovarsko-Srijemska

Vukovarsko-Srijemska faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 154 thousand across 30 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.9µg/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 264 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 Vukovarsko-Srijemska met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.05 years longer.

That's 162K years of life stolen from 154 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 Vukovarsko-Srijemska. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Gunja
1.7 years lost
2.Drenovci
1.5 years lost
3.Bošnjaci
1.3 years lost
4.Vrbanja
1.3 years lost
5.Županja
1.3 years lost
6.Babina Greda
1.2 years lost
7.Gradište
1.2 years lost
8.Cerna
1.2 years lost
9.Andrijaševci
1.1 years lost
10.Privlaka
1.1 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

34.7%

54K

15-25 µg/m³

65.3%

101K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 30 Districts in Vukovarsko-Srijemska

Complete air quality data for every district in Vukovarsko-Srijemska, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Vinkovci	34K	15.5	1.0 years
Vukovar	25K	14.7	0.9 years
Županja	10K	18.4	1.3 years
Ivankovo	7K	16.0	1.1 years
Nuštar	6K	14.6	0.9 years
Ilok	6K	14.0	0.9 years
Otok	6K	16.0	1.1 years
Drenovci	5K	20.7	1.5 years
Cerna	4K	16.7	1.2 years
Trpinja	4K	13.6	0.8 years
Bošnjaci	4K	18.7	1.3 years
Nijemci	4K	15.4	1.0 years
Stari Jankovci	4K	15.3	1.0 years
Andrijaševci	3K	16.4	1.1 years
Stari Mikanovci	3K	15.4	1.0 years
Vrbanja	3K	18.5	1.3 years
Babina Greda	3K	17.5	1.2 years
Markušica	3K	14.9	1.0 years
Gunja	3K	22.0	1.7 years
Gradište	2K	17.2	1.2 years
Privlaka	2K	16.4	1.1 years
Bogdanovci	2K	14.6	0.9 years
Vođinci	2K	15.8	1.1 years
Tovarnik	2K	14.4	0.9 years
Tordinci	1K	14.4	0.9 years
Borovo	1K	14.1	0.9 years
Tompojevci	1K	14.3	0.9 years
Jarmina	1K	15.5	1.0 years
Negoslavci	1K	14.5	0.9 years
Lovas	997	14.2	0.9 years

Showing 30 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Vukovarsko-Srijemska is Injurious to Health.