Pakistan · Gilgit-Baltistan · 2 cities
Air quality in Gilgit-Baltistan today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now, Gilgit has the cleanest air of the 2 cities we track in Gilgit-Baltistan (AQI 21, Good), and Skardu the worst (AQI 44, Good). Skardu has the most tree cover, at 22.1% — #12 of 126 cities measured in Pakistan.
Every city is measured the same way, over the same 2 km around its center: the air quality right now, from ground stations where there are any, and its tree cover.
- cities tracked
- 2
- average tree cover
- 19.9%
- Pakistan: 12.5%
- worst air now: Skardu
- 44
- cleanest air now: Gilgit
- 21
Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf, refreshed hourly.
Gilgit-Baltistan
Air quality today across Gilgit-Baltistan, city by city
| Skardu | 44Good | 22.1% | 23.4K | #12 of 126 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilgit | 21Good | 17.6% | 39.0K | #20 of 126 |
Air quality is the US AQI from ground monitoring stations via OpenAQ where available, otherwise the Open-Meteo / CAMS model, refreshed hourly. Tree cover is measured within 2 km of each city center from Sentinel-2 imagery; the rank compares every city measured in Pakistan.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Gilgit-Baltistan lost?
Since 2001, Gilgit-Baltistan has lost about 125 hectares of forest (about 180 football pitches): under 1% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was logging (43%), after which forest can grow back. About 11 hectares (8.5%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 125 haabout 180 football pitches
- Share of its forest
- under 1%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 11 hadeforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | under 1 ha | 6 ha | 6 ha |
| 2002 | under 1 ha | 4 ha | 4 ha |
| 2003 | 7 ha | 14 ha | 21 ha |
| 2004 | under 1 ha | 7 ha | 7 ha |
| 2005 | under 1 ha | 8 ha | 8 ha |
| 2006 | under 1 ha | 13 ha | 13 ha |
| 2007 | under 1 ha | 6 ha | 6 ha |
| 2008 | under 1 ha | 16 ha | 16 ha |
| 2009 | under 1 ha | 16 ha | 16 ha |
| 2010 | under 1 ha | 8 ha | 8 ha |
| 2011 | under 1 ha | 6 ha | 6 ha |
| 2012 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2013 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2014 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2015 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2016 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2017 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2018 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2019 | under 1 ha | 2 ha | 2 ha |
| 2020 | under 1 ha | 1 ha | 2 ha |
| 2021 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | 2 ha |
| 2022 | under 1 ha | 1 ha | 2 ha |
| 2023 | under 1 ha | 4 ha | 4 ha |
| 2024 | 1 ha | 1 ha | 2 ha |
| 2025 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
The worst year was 2003, when about 21 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in Gilgit-Baltistan?
- Loggingcan grow back43% · 53 ha
- Wildfirescan grow back23% · 28 ha
- Mining and energycleared for good5.8% · 7 ha
Also: storms, floods and other natural causes, towns and roads, farms, pasture and plantations, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, Global Forest Change (GFC-2025-v1.13); causes: WRI/Google DeepMind drivers of forest loss; both CC BY 4.0, summed by Airleaf for each area. How it's measured
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