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 Zadarska Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Zadarska

Zadarska faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 161 thousand across 32 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 10.8µg/m³. That's 2.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 179 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 Zadarska met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.57 years longer.

That's 92K years of life stolen from 161 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 Zadarska. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Povljane
0.8 years lost
2.Pag
0.7 years lost
3.Gračac
0.6 years lost
4.Jasenice
0.6 years lost
5.Privlaka
0.6 years lost
6.Starigrad
0.6 years lost
7.Vir
0.6 years lost
8.Lišane Ostrovičke
0.6 years lost
9.Pakoštane
0.6 years lost
10.Obrovac
0.6 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

5.7%

10-15 µg/m³

94.3%

152K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 32 Districts in Zadarska

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Zadar	67K	10.8	0.6 years
Benkovac	10K	10.6	0.5 years
Sali	7K	10.0	0.5 years
Biograd na Moru	6K	10.4	0.5 years
Poličnik	5K	10.1	0.5 years
Sukošan	5K	10.6	0.5 years
Nin	4K	10.7	0.6 years
Sveti Filip i Jakov	4K	10.1	0.5 years
Pag	4K	12.4	0.7 years
Pakoštane	4K	11.0	0.6 years
Gračac	4K	11.6	0.6 years
Obrovac	4K	11.0	0.6 years
Posedarje	3K	10.6	0.6 years
Bibinje	3K	10.9	0.6 years
Vir	3K	11.2	0.6 years
Ražanac	3K	11.0	0.6 years
Preko	2K	10.5	0.5 years
Zemunik Donji	2K	10.0	0.5 years
Novigrad	2K	10.8	0.6 years
Kali	2K	11.0	0.6 years
Pašman	2K	10.4	0.5 years
Stankovci	2K	10.7	0.6 years
Škabrnja	2K	10.1	0.5 years
Privlaka	2K	11.3	0.6 years
Polača	2K	10.6	0.5 years
Starigrad	2K	11.3	0.6 years
Jasenice	1K	11.4	0.6 years
Galovac	1K	9.9	0.5 years
Lišane Ostrovičke	632	11.0	0.6 years
Povljane	628	13.5	0.8 years
Tkon	621	9.6	0.4 years
Kukljica	14	10.9	0.6 years

Showing 32 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Zadarska is Injurious to Health.