Russia · Saratov Oblast · 3 cities
Air quality in Saratov Oblast today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now, Balakovo has the cleanest air of the 3 cities we track in Saratov Oblast (AQI 36, Good), and Saratov the worst (AQI 41, Good). Engels has the most tree cover, at 42.2% — #35 of 168 cities measured in Russia.
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.
AQI 38
Average right now
Good
- cities tracked
- 3
- average tree cover
- 37.1%
- Russia: 34.1%
- worst air now: Saratov
- 41
- cleanest air now: Balakovo
- 36
Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf, refreshed hourly.
Saratov Oblast · average AQI 38
Air quality today across Saratov Oblast, city by city
| Saratov | 41Good | 36.0% | — | #71 of 168 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balakovo | 36Good | 33.2% | — | #83 of 168 |
| Engels | 37Good | 42.2% | — | #35 of 168 |
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 Russia.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Saratov Oblast lost?
Since 2001, Saratov Oblast has lost about 12,900 hectares of forest (about 18,000 football pitches): 2% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was logging (43%), after which forest can grow back. About 809 hectares (6.3%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 12,900 haabout 18,000 football pitches
- Share of its forest
- 2%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 809 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 | 82 ha | 262 ha | 344 ha |
| 2002 | 54 ha | 358 ha | 412 ha |
| 2003 | 18 ha | 315 ha | 333 ha |
| 2004 | 40 ha | 549 ha | 589 ha |
| 2005 | 21 ha | 370 ha | 391 ha |
| 2006 | 55 ha | 852 ha | 907 ha |
| 2007 | 29 ha | 574 ha | 603 ha |
| 2008 | 14 ha | 516 ha | 530 ha |
| 2009 | 41 ha | 875 ha | 916 ha |
| 2010 | 40 ha | 850 ha | 890 ha |
| 2011 | 95 ha | 3,890 ha | 3,990 ha |
| 2012 | 16 ha | 385 ha | 401 ha |
| 2013 | 3 ha | 219 ha | 222 ha |
| 2014 | 1 ha | 106 ha | 107 ha |
| 2015 | 4 ha | 146 ha | 150 ha |
| 2016 | 23 ha | 289 ha | 312 ha |
| 2017 | 15 ha | 265 ha | 280 ha |
| 2018 | 12 ha | 198 ha | 210 ha |
| 2019 | 19 ha | 171 ha | 190 ha |
| 2020 | 21 ha | 194 ha | 215 ha |
| 2021 | 18 ha | 250 ha | 268 ha |
| 2022 | 7 ha | 83 ha | 90 ha |
| 2023 | 66 ha | 76 ha | 142 ha |
| 2024 | 104 ha | 50 ha | 154 ha |
| 2025 | 12 ha | 197 ha | 209 ha |
Forest loss is slowing down: about 173 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 241 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2011, when about 3,990 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
What is causing deforestation in Saratov Oblast?
- Loggingcan grow back43% · 5,530 ha
- Wildfirescan grow back33% · 4,180 ha
- Storms, floods and other natural causescan grow back9% · 1,160 ha
Also: farms, pasture and plantations, towns and roads, mining and energy, 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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