Breathing in Mérida is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.0 million people across 23 districts in Mérida. The average PM2.5 level is 17.1 µg/m³—3.4× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Mérida

Mérida faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.0 million across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17.1µg/m³. That's 3.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 284 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 Mérida met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.19 years longer.

That's 1.2M 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 Mérida. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Alberto Adriani
    1.4 years lost
  • 2.Obispo Ramos de Lora
    1.3 years lost
  • 3.Tulio Febres Cordero
    1.3 years lost
  • 4.Julio César Salas
    1.3 years lost
  • 5.Padre Noguera
    1.3 years lost
  • 6.Rivas Davila
    1.3 years lost
  • 7.Sucre
    1.2 years lost
  • 8.Guaraque
    1.2 years lost
  • 9.Aricagua
    1.2 years lost
  • 10.Arzobispo Chacón
    1.2 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
3.9%
40K
15-25 µg/m³
96.1%
998K
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 23 Districts in Mérida

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Libertador271K
16.4
1.1 years
Campo Elías176K
16.8
1.2 years
Alberto Adriani157K
19.0
1.4 years
Tulio Febres Cordero58K
18.3
1.3 years
Caracciolo Parra Olmedo52K
17.4
1.2 years
Tovar47K
16.7
1.1 years
Sucre45K
17.8
1.2 years
Antonio Pinto Salinas29K
16.9
1.2 years
Obispo Ramos de Lora27K
18.6
1.3 years
Miranda25K
15.5
1.0 years
Rangel19K
14.6
0.9 years
Rivas Davila18K
17.8
1.3 years
Pueblo Llano16K
15.1
1.0 years
Andrés Bello15K
17.3
1.2 years
Arzobispo Chacón14K
17.4
1.2 years
Zea12K
17.3
1.2 years
Justo Briceño11K
13.4
0.8 years
Guaraque10K
17.6
1.2 years
Cardenal Quintero10K
14.6
0.9 years
Julio César Salas10K
18.0
1.3 years
Aricagua5K
17.6
1.2 years
Santos Marquina5K
15.9
1.1 years
Padre Noguera4K
17.9
1.3 years

Showing 23 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.