Breathing in Chiquimula is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 498 thousand people across 11 districts in Chiquimula. The average PM2.5 level is 27.4 µg/m³—5.5× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Chiquimula

Chiquimula faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 498 thousand across 11 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 27.4µg/m³. That's 5.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 455 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 Chiquimula met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.19 years longer.

That's 1.1M years of life stolen from 498 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 Chiquimula. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Concepción Las Minas
    2.6 years lost
  • 2.Esquipulas
    2.4 years lost
  • 3.Quezaltepeque
    2.3 years lost
  • 4.San Jacinto
    2.3 years lost
  • 5.Chiquimula
    2.2 years lost
  • 6.Olopa
    2.2 years lost
  • 7.Jocotán
    2.1 years lost
  • 8.San José La Arada
    2.1 years lost
  • 9.San Juan Ermita
    2.1 years lost
  • 10.Ipala
    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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
12.5%
62K
25-35 µg/m³
87.5%
436K
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 11 Districts in Chiquimula

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Chiquimula135K
27.9
2.2 years
Jocotán87K
26.4
2.1 years
Esquipulas63K
29.8
2.4 years
Camotán62K
25.0
2.0 years
Olopa32K
27.7
2.2 years
Quezaltepeque31K
28.4
2.3 years
Ipala26K
25.8
2.0 years
San Juan Ermita20K
25.9
2.1 years
San Jacinto15K
28.2
2.3 years
Concepción Las Minas15K
31.4
2.6 years
San José La Arada11K
26.2
2.1 years

Showing 11 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.