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.

Turkey's Ankara Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Ankara

Ankara faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.7 million across 24 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 18.2µg/m³. That's 3.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 302 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 Ankara met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.31 years longer.

That's 7.5M years of life stolen from 5.7 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 Ankara. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Beypazarı
1.6 years lost
2.Nallıhan
1.6 years lost
3.Altındağ
1.4 years lost
4.Çankaya
1.4 years lost
5.Güdül
1.4 years lost
6.Kalecik
1.4 years lost
7.Mamak
1.3 years lost
8.Elmadağ
1.3 years lost
9.Keçiören
1.3 years lost
10.Kazan
1.3 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

2.5%

143K

15-25 µg/m³

97.5%

5.6M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 24 Districts in Ankara

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Yenimahalle	1.6M	18.0	1.3 years
Çankaya	1.4M	19.0	1.4 years
Keçiören	570K	18.4	1.3 years
Altındağ	314K	19.1	1.4 years
Mamak	277K	18.8	1.3 years
Sincan	261K	16.9	1.2 years
Polatlı	229K	18.0	1.3 years
Çubuk	171K	18.2	1.3 years
Etimesgut	147K	15.0	1.0 years
Elmadağ	134K	18.5	1.3 years
Gölbaşı	103K	15.6	1.0 years
Kazan	86K	18.3	1.3 years
Beypazarı	59K	21.5	1.6 years
Haymana	56K	14.5	0.9 years
Nallıhan	41K	21.0	1.6 years
Şultan Koçhisar	39K	15.0	1.0 years
Kızılcahamam	39K	15.2	1.0 years
Ayaş	31K	17.9	1.3 years
Bala	24K	14.6	0.9 years
Kalecik	23K	18.8	1.4 years
Evren	15K	13.9	0.9 years
Güdül	14K	19.0	1.4 years
Çamlıdere	10K	14.3	0.9 years
Akyurt	7K	17.5	1.2 years

Showing 24 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Ankara is Injurious to Health.