Breathing in La Guajira is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.0 million people across 14 districts in La Guajira. The average PM2.5 level is 7.2 µg/m³—1.4× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in La Guajira

La Guajira faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.0 million across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.2µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 119 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 La Guajira met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.2 years longer.

That's 207K years of life stolen from 1.0 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 La Guajira. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.La Jagua del Pilar
    0.8 years lost
  • 2.Urumita
    0.8 years lost
  • 3.Villanueva
    0.7 years lost
  • 4.El Molino
    0.7 years lost
  • 5.Fonseca
    0.5 years lost
  • 6.Distracción
    0.5 years lost
  • 7.San Juan del Cesar
    0.5 years lost
  • 8.Barrancas
    0.5 years lost
  • 9.Dibulla
    0.4 years lost
  • 10.Hatonuevo
    0.4 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
91%
941K
10-15 µg/m³
9%
94K
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 14 Districts in La Guajira

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Riohacha288K
7.4
0.2 years
Uribía195K
5.0
0.0 years
Maicao190K
6.5
0.1 years
Manaure108K
5.2
0.0 years
San Juan del Cesar39K
9.8
0.5 years
Dibulla37K
8.7
0.4 years
Barrancas37K
9.8
0.5 years
Fonseca34K
10.5
0.5 years
Hatonuevo29K
8.6
0.4 years
Villanueva28K
12.4
0.7 years
Urumita19K
12.8
0.8 years
Distracción17K
9.9
0.5 years
El Molino9K
11.8
0.7 years
La Jagua del Pilar3K
13.0
0.8 years

Showing 14 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.