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.

Argentina's Córdoba Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Córdoba

Córdoba faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.0 million across 26 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.8µg/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 262 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 Córdoba met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.06 years longer.

That's 4.3M years of life stolen from 4.0 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 Córdoba. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Capital
1.4 years lost
2.San Javier
1.2 years lost
3.San Alberto
1 years lost
4.Cruz del Eje
1 years lost
5.Santa María
1 years lost
6.Sobremonte
1 years lost
7.Colón
1 years lost
8.Tulumba
1 years lost
9.Rió Primero
0.9 years lost
10.Pocho
0.9 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

1.9%

78K

10-15 µg/m³

49.2%

2.0M

15-25 µg/m³

48.9%

2.0M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 26 Districts in Córdoba

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Capital	1.6M	19.5	1.4 years
Rió Cuarto	295K	12.2	0.7 years
Colón	262K	15.0	1.0 years
San Justo	238K	12.9	0.8 years
Santa María	224K	15.1	1.0 years
General San Martín	163K	13.0	0.8 years
Punilla	159K	14.4	0.9 years
Tercero Arriba	126K	13.4	0.8 years
Unión	119K	11.9	0.7 years
Rió Segundo	118K	13.7	0.9 years
Marcos Juárez	117K	11.6	0.6 years
Rió Primero	102K	14.6	0.9 years
Calamuchita	80K	12.9	0.8 years
Juárez Celman	76K	11.2	0.6 years
Cruz del Eje	68K	15.4	1.0 years
San Javier	66K	16.9	1.2 years
San Alberto	44K	15.6	1.0 years
Totoral	42K	13.7	0.9 years
Presidente Roque Sáenz Peña	41K	9.9	0.5 years
Ischilín	38K	13.9	0.9 years
General Roca	37K	9.1	0.4 years
Tulumba	18K	14.9	1.0 years
Rió Seco	13K	13.8	0.9 years
Pocho	6K	14.4	0.9 years
Minas	5K	13.7	0.8 years
Sobremonte	5K	15.0	1.0 years

Showing 26 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Córdoba is Injurious to Health.