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 Istanbul Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Istanbul

Istanbul faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 15.0 million across 39 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 16.2µg/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 269 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 Istanbul met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.1 years longer.

That's 16.5M years of life stolen from 15.0 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 Istanbul. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Adalar
1.3 years lost
2.Fatih
1.3 years lost
3.Kartal
1.2 years lost
4.Bakırköy
1.2 years lost
5.Maltepe
1.2 years lost
6.Beyoğlu
1.2 years lost
7.Zeytinburnu
1.2 years lost
8.Güngören
1.2 years lost
9.Bahçelievler
1.2 years lost
10.Tuzla
1.2 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

10.6%

1.6M

15-25 µg/m³

89.4%

13.4M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 39 Districts in Istanbul

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Pendik	678K	16.4	1.1 years
Beşiktaş	639K	15.7	1.0 years
Küçükçekmece	609K	16.7	1.1 years
Maltepe	603K	17.5	1.2 years
Bakırköy	579K	17.5	1.2 years
Eyüp	577K	15.8	1.1 years
Fatih	569K	18.0	1.3 years
Kadıköy	555K	16.3	1.1 years
Kartal	550K	17.6	1.2 years
Avcılar	538K	15.9	1.1 years
Esenyurt	523K	15.5	1.0 years
Sarıyer	490K	13.7	0.9 years
Bahçelievler	472K	17.2	1.2 years
Zeytinburnu	444K	17.4	1.2 years
Büyükçekmece	418K	16.2	1.1 years
Basaksehir	418K	16.3	1.1 years
Bağcılar	417K	16.6	1.1 years
Atasehir	417K	16.3	1.1 years
Ümraniye	408K	15.6	1.0 years
Şişli	390K	15.8	1.1 years
Tuzla	387K	17.0	1.2 years
Beykoz	349K	13.4	0.8 years
Sancaktepe	337K	15.7	1.0 years
Esenler	336K	16.9	1.2 years
Beyoğlu	329K	17.4	1.2 years
Gaziosmanpaşa	323K	16.3	1.1 years
Sultangazi	308K	16.2	1.1 years
Beylikduzu	302K	15.5	1.0 years
Arnavutkoy	297K	14.7	1.0 years
Kağıthane	288K	16.3	1.1 years
Üsküdar	267K	15.5	1.0 years
Sultanbeyli	259K	15.8	1.1 years
Güngören	254K	17.3	1.2 years
Bayrampaşa	189K	16.9	1.2 years
Silivri	174K	14.3	0.9 years
Çekmekoy	124K	14.0	0.9 years
Çatalca	96K	13.2	0.8 years
Şile	64K	12.3	0.7 years
Adalar	20K	18.0	1.3 years

Showing 39 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Istanbul is Injurious to Health.