North Korea · South Pyongan · 7 cities
Air quality in South Pyongan today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now, Kangsŏn has the cleanest air of the 7 cities we track in South Pyongan (AQI 67, Moderate), and Kaech’ŏn the worst (AQI 152, Unhealthy). Kangsŏn has the most tree cover, at 33.2% — #2 of 27 cities measured in North Korea.
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 105
Average right now
Unhealthy for sensitive groups
- cities tracked
- 7
- average tree cover
- 18.6%
- North Korea: 18.5%
- worst air now: Kaech’ŏn
- 152
- cleanest air now: Kangsŏn
- 67
Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf, refreshed hourly.
South Pyongan · average AQI 105
Air quality today across South Pyongan, city by city
| Sunch’ŏn | 99Moderate | 18.6% | 31.7K | #12 of 27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaech’ŏn | 152Unhealthy | 14.2% | 81.1K | #15 of 27 |
| Tŏkch’ŏn | 111Unhealthy for sensitive groups | 12.1% | 71.9K | #19 of 27 |
| Paek'ak | 85Moderate | 4.9% | 78.9K | — |
| Chaeryŏng-ni | 143Unhealthy for sensitive groups | 15.8% | 36.0K | #14 of 27 |
| Kangsŏn | 67Moderate | 33.2% | — | #2 of 27 |
| P’yŏngsŏng | 78Moderate | 31.3% | — | #3 of 27 |
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 North Korea.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has South Pyongan lost?
Since 2001, South Pyongan has lost about 26,000 hectares of forest (about 36,000 football pitches): 6.2% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 6,180 hectares (24%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 26,000 haabout 36,000 football pitches
- Share of its forest
- 6.2%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 6,180 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 | 586 ha | 1,590 ha | 2,170 ha |
| 2002 | 159 ha | 462 ha | 621 ha |
| 2003 | 170 ha | 525 ha | 695 ha |
| 2004 | 325 ha | 881 ha | 1,210 ha |
| 2005 | 324 ha | 804 ha | 1,130 ha |
| 2006 | 423 ha | 1,510 ha | 1,940 ha |
| 2007 | 504 ha | 1,150 ha | 1,650 ha |
| 2008 | 511 ha | 1,320 ha | 1,830 ha |
| 2009 | 155 ha | 657 ha | 812 ha |
| 2010 | 364 ha | 923 ha | 1,290 ha |
| 2011 | 39 ha | 160 ha | 199 ha |
| 2012 | 1,200 ha | 1,520 ha | 2,720 ha |
| 2013 | 96 ha | 264 ha | 360 ha |
| 2014 | 197 ha | 431 ha | 628 ha |
| 2015 | 78 ha | 363 ha | 441 ha |
| 2016 | 88 ha | 599 ha | 687 ha |
| 2017 | 95 ha | 450 ha | 544 ha |
| 2018 | 63 ha | 433 ha | 496 ha |
| 2019 | 166 ha | 1,650 ha | 1,810 ha |
| 2020 | 173 ha | 1,250 ha | 1,430 ha |
| 2021 | 133 ha | 785 ha | 918 ha |
| 2022 | 147 ha | 558 ha | 705 ha |
| 2023 | 109 ha | 538 ha | 647 ha |
| 2024 | 39 ha | 501 ha | 540 ha |
| 2025 | 39 ha | 463 ha | 502 ha |
Forest loss is slowing down: about 662 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 993 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2012, when about 2,720 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in South Pyongan?
- Loggingcan grow back63% · 16,400 ha
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good23% · 5,970 ha
- Wildfirescan grow back11% · 2,980 ha
Also: mining and energy, towns and roads, storms, floods and other natural causes, 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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