The Air Quality Index turns pollutant measurements into a readable scale: the higher the value, the greater the health burden. In cities, fine particles PM2.5 and PM10 are especially important: they are not always visible or noticeable by smell, but they can travel deep into the respiratory system and bloodstream, causing irritation, micro-inflammation, asthma flare-ups, and additional strain on the heart and blood vessels.
We show the index and city trends so everyday decisions become easier: when to ventilate, when to reduce physical activity, which route to choose, and when the problem is not just a passing smell or smoke, but sustained pollution.
Armenia still does not have reference-grade stations for measuring PM2.5 and PM10 particles. That is why we collect data from available networks: Yerevan Municipality installs high-quality optical sensors, while civic initiatives and independent projects add coverage where official measurements are missing.
AirQuality.am also collects data from state monitoring stations. They are important as an official source, but their measurements are published with a long delay and do not provide an operational picture of the city.
In a Sputnik Armenia article, staff from the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center explain how this process works: air passes through filters and tubes, then the samples are taken to a laboratory for analysis. As a result, the data usually describes the previous day rather than the current situation in the city.
The stations themselves are largely outdated: they measure total dust, but do not split it into PM2.5 and PM10 fractions. This means the data cannot be compared directly with modern air quality indexes. On the map, state stations are marked in blue, and you can inspect their readings separately. The list of these stations is available in the MeteoMonitoring.am source section.
µSv/h
We take background radiation data from GMCMap, an international sensor network based on Geiger counters. These measurements do not replace official radiation control, but they help track the current background and notice sharp deviations.
In Yerevan, the usual background often stays around 0.14-0.18 µSv/h. For comparison, in coastal New York or Paris, instruments may show only 0.05 µSv/h, while flat Berlin is around 0.08 µSv/h. Yerevan is much closer to Scandinavia or Asia: in Helsinki and Seoul, normal background is around the same 0.12-0.15 µSv/h, and in high-altitude Denver it can reach 0.22 µSv/h. Yerevan's background is explained by its elevation of about one kilometer above sea level and by the abundance of volcanic tuff and basalt around the city.
May 30 · Антон Власов, Сергей Кузнецов
Отчет AirQuality.am о зимнем качестве воздуха в Ереван. Данные по PM2.5, суточный ритм загрязнения, рост сети мониторинга и позиция городских властей.
More than 170 Clarity Node-S sensors were deployed in Yerevan to monitor air quality across the city, with a special focus on construction sites. The system tracks PM2.5 concentrations in real time and helps identify dust pollution associated with construction activities. Sensors have been installed in all 12 districts of the city, with at least two devices required at every major construction site. The data is used by the mayor's office and environmental agencies to ensure compliance with regulations, respond quickly to exceedances, and strengthen enforcement. The project has also increased transparency for residents, as air quality readings are available online.
Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan said that air pollution in the capital worsens during the cold season due to an inversion atmospheric layer, comparing the city to a "pot with a lid." According to him, this natural and climatic phenomenon cannot be eliminated, but the situation can be eased by reducing vehicle emissions and traffic congestion. He also noted that the problem affects not only Yerevan but other settlements in the Ararat Valley as well. The article mentions that Avinyan had previously linked air quality to emissions from neighboring countries. Environmentalist Kristina Vardanyan, for her part, had also spoken about deteriorating air quality and emphasized the role of trees as a natural filter.
According to an AirQuality report, last winter Yerevan residents breathed air with pollution levels above WHO standards for 138 out of 151 days. The Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeded 150 on 51 winter days, posing a direct threat to public health. The most severe period was from January 5 to February 3, when pollution intensified in the evenings. The main sources identified were inefficient household heating, garbage burning, and traffic congestion. The authors also point to the lack of a transparent response from the Yerevan municipality, despite the expansion of the sensor monitoring network.
Media Coverage of Air Quality in Armenia →
AirQuality.am publishes open air quality data so measurements can be checked, reused, and analyzed independently. The file exports include raw and processed data for stations, cities, and districts, suitable for research, journalism, visualizations, and long-term pollution analysis.
For apps, maps, and widgets, the API is usually more convenient: it can return the station list, current readings, and historical aggregates without downloading the full archive. Available requests and examples are described in the API documentation. When using the data, please keep a link to AirQuality.am as the source.
