Breathing in Azuay is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 913 thousand people across 15 districts in Azuay. The average PM2.5 level is 14.5 µg/m³—2.9Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Azuay

Azuay faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 913 thousand across 15 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 14.5µg/m³. That's 2.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 241 cigarettes in a year.

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Life Expectancy Impact

If Azuay met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.92 years longer.

That's 840K years of life stolen from 913 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Azuay. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Camilo Ponce Enriquez
    1.4 years lost
  • 2.PucarĆ”
    1.2 years lost
  • 3.Santa Isabel
    1.2 years lost
  • 4.Girón
    1 years lost
  • 5.San Fernando
    0.9 years lost
  • 6.Cuenca
    0.9 years lost
  • 7.OƱa
    0.9 years lost
  • 8.Nabón
    0.9 years lost
  • 9.Paute
    0.9 years lost
  • 10.Sevilla de Oro
    0.9 years lost

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
92.7%
847K
15-25 µg/m³
7.3%
66K
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 15 Districts in Azuay

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Cuenca657K
14.3
0.9 years
Gualaceo53K
13.6
0.8 years
Sigsig33K
13.5
0.8 years
Camilo Ponce Enriquez32K
19.8
1.4 years
Paute31K
13.8
0.9 years
Santa Isabel24K
17.1
1.2 years
Nabón19K
14.1
0.9 years
Chordeleg16K
13.4
0.8 years
Girón14K
14.9
1.0 years
PucarƔ10K
17.2
1.2 years
Sevilla de Oro7K
13.7
0.9 years
San Fernando5K
14.3
0.9 years
OƱa4K
14.2
0.9 years
Guachapala4K
13.7
0.9 years
El Pan4K
13.4
0.8 years

Showing 15 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.