City, Turkey
Air quality in Istanbul
Severely polluted
The annual average PM2.5 in Istanbul was 50.5 µg/m³ in 2025, about 10.1 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Traffic and heating bring winter smog; wind from the Bosphorus usually clears it.
Key facts
- PM2.5: 50.5 µg/m³ yearly average (2025). Measured at Istanbul.
- PM10: 127.5 µg/m³ (2025).
- Nitrogen dioxide: 106.7 µg/m³ (2025), mostly from traffic.
- Worst months: Dec–Feb.
- Recent average: 27.6 µg/m³ over the last five years of measurements.
PM2.5 by year
| Year | Annual average |
|---|---|
| 2025 | |
| 2024 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 |
Air quality across Turkey
Quick answers
Is the air in Istanbul bad?
Severely polluted: 50.5 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average, 10.1× the WHO guideline. It's usually worst in Dec–Feb.
When is the air worst in Istanbul?
Traffic and heating bring winter smog; wind from the Bosphorus usually clears it.
How does Istanbul compare with the rest of Turkey?
People in Turkey breathe 26 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average (2023, World Bank/WHO), against 50.5 µg/m³ measured here.
More about Istanbul
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Sources
- WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
- WHO air quality guidelines (2021)
- Live air quality map (WAQI)
- Istanbul Metro
- Istanbul Airport
- Istanbul Public Transport (IETT)
Annual averages are measured values reported to the WHO; check a live map for today's air. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.