Breathing in Santander is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 2.0 million people across 87 districts in Santander. The average PM2.5 level is 19.2 µg/m³—3.8× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Santander

Santander faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.0 million across 87 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 19.2µg/m³. That's 3.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 319 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 Santander met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.38 years longer.

That's 2.8M years of life stolen from 2.0 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 Santander. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Santa Helena del Opón
    1.6 years lost
  • 2.Landázuri
    1.6 years lost
  • 3.Barrancabermeja
    1.6 years lost
  • 4.Betulia
    1.5 years lost
  • 5.El Carmen de Chucurí
    1.5 years lost
  • 6.Lebríja
    1.5 years lost
  • 7.San Vicente de Chucurí
    1.5 years lost
  • 8.La Belleza
    1.5 years lost
  • 9.El Peñon
    1.5 years lost
  • 10.Puerto Wilches
    1.5 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
100%
2.0M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 87 Districts in Santander

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Bucaramanga506K
19.6
1.4 years
Floridablanca259K
19.3
1.4 years
Girón207K
19.6
1.4 years
Barrancabermeja185K
21.1
1.6 years
Piedecuesta162K
19.2
1.4 years
Cimitarra47K
19.3
1.4 years
San Gil44K
15.8
1.1 years
Lebríja41K
20.2
1.5 years
San Vicente de Chucurí34K
20.2
1.5 years
Puerto Wilches31K
19.9
1.5 years
Socorro30K
15.6
1.0 years
Barbosa29K
16.9
1.2 years
Rionegro25K
19.4
1.4 years
El Carmen de Chucurí20K
20.3
1.5 years
Málaga18K
18.3
1.3 years
Sabana de Torres17K
19.8
1.5 years
Vélez17K
18.3
1.3 years
Landázuri15K
21.4
1.6 years
Bolívar13K
19.6
1.4 years
Los Santos12K
17.7
1.2 years
Oiba12K
16.0
1.1 years
Curití12K
16.4
1.1 years
Sucre11K
19.6
1.4 years
Puente Nacional11K
17.3
1.2 years
El Playón11K
18.8
1.3 years
Mogotes11K
16.9
1.2 years
Charalá10K
16.6
1.1 years
Suaita10K
16.6
1.1 years
Zapatoca9K
18.3
1.3 years
La Belleza8K
20.1
1.5 years
Aratoca8K
17.3
1.2 years
Puerto Parra8K
18.6
1.3 years
San Andrés de Cuerquia8K
18.5
1.3 years
Coromoro7K
17.5
1.2 years
Simacota7K
17.9
1.3 years
Tona7K
18.1
1.3 years
Barichara7K
15.9
1.1 years
Pinchote7K
15.7
1.0 years
Florián6K
19.6
1.4 years
Guaca6K
18.6
1.3 years
Capitanejo6K
17.1
1.2 years
Cerrito5K
18.7
1.3 years
Albania5K
18.7
1.3 years
Villanueva5K
16.1
1.1 years
Chipatá5K
17.9
1.3 years
Gámbita5K
17.7
1.2 years
Matanza5K
18.6
1.3 years
Concepción5K
18.4
1.3 years
Betulia5K
20.7
1.5 years
Molagavita5K
17.9
1.3 years
Carcasí5K
18.6
1.3 years
La Paz5K
18.8
1.4 years
Onzaga5K
17.6
1.2 years
Ocamonte5K
16.4
1.1 years
Valle de San José4K
16.1
1.1 years
Guadalupe4K
16.3
1.1 years
Páramo4K
15.9
1.1 years
Santa Helena del Opón4K
21.4
1.6 years
San José de Miranda4K
17.9
1.3 years
San Benito4K
17.3
1.2 years
Güepsa4K
17.2
1.2 years
Palmar3K
15.8
1.1 years
Guavatá3K
17.5
1.2 years
Contratación3K
17.6
1.2 years
Jesús María3K
18.1
1.3 years
Encino3K
17.8
1.3 years
Enciso3K
17.9
1.3 years
Chimá3K
16.1
1.1 years
Suratá3K
18.5
1.3 years
Confines3K
15.8
1.1 years
El Peñon3K
20.0
1.5 years
Vetas2K
18.4
1.3 years
Charta2K
18.1
1.3 years
Cabrera2K
15.7
1.0 years
San Joaquín2K
17.5
1.2 years
Palmas del Socorro2K
15.7
1.0 years
Hato2K
16.1
1.1 years
Macaravita2K
18.0
1.3 years
California2K
18.6
1.3 years
Guapotá2K
15.7
1.0 years
San Miguel2K
18.0
1.3 years
El Guacamayo2K
18.7
1.3 years
Galán2K
16.5
1.1 years
Santa Bárbara2K
19.0
1.4 years
Cepitá2K
17.9
1.3 years
Aguada1K
17.5
1.2 years
Jordán859
16.5
1.1 years

Showing 87 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.