Breathing in Izmir is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 4.3 million people across 28 districts in Izmir. The average PM2.5 level is 23.2 µg/m³—4.6× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Izmir

Izmir faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.3 million across 28 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 23.2µg/m³. That's 4.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 385 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 Izmir met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.77 years longer.

That's 7.7M years of life stolen from 4.3 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 Izmir. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Tire
    2.2 years lost
  • 2.Ödemiş
    2.2 years lost
  • 3.Bayındır
    2.2 years lost
  • 4.Torbalı
    2.1 years lost
  • 5.Karşıyaka
    2 years lost
  • 6.Kemalpaşa
    2 years lost
  • 7.Bornova
    2 years lost
  • 8.Beydağ
    1.9 years lost
  • 9.Selçuk
    1.8 years lost
  • 10.Çiğli
    1.8 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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
1%
44K
15-25 µg/m³
61%
2.6M
25-35 µg/m³
38%
1.6M
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 28 Districts in Izmir

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Konak1.0M
22.9
1.7 years
Karşıyaka585K
25.2
2.0 years
Bornova501K
25.2
2.0 years
Buca228K
22.8
1.7 years
Çiğli189K
23.3
1.8 years
Torbalı179K
26.3
2.1 years
Menemen174K
22.1
1.7 years
Ödemiş145K
27.6
2.2 years
Balçova145K
22.6
1.7 years
Menderes129K
21.5
1.6 years
Gaziemir129K
21.4
1.6 years
Bergama119K
18.4
1.3 years
Kemalpaşa94K
25.2
2.0 years
Tire93K
27.6
2.2 years
Aliağa76K
19.4
1.4 years
Urla68K
16.1
1.1 years
Narlıdere66K
19.9
1.5 years
Kiraz57K
20.6
1.5 years
Bayındır52K
27.4
2.2 years
Seferihisar46K
17.4
1.2 years
Çeşme44K
14.4
0.9 years
Kınık41K
20.7
1.5 years
Dikili38K
16.1
1.1 years
Foça36K
17.5
1.2 years
Güzelbahçe36K
17.9
1.3 years
Selçuk33K
23.7
1.8 years
Beydağ18K
24.5
1.9 years
Karaburun12K
15.3
1.0 years

Showing 28 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.