List of countries by air pollution explained

The following list of countries by air pollution sorts the countries of the world according to their average measured concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) in micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3). The World Health Organization's recommended limit is 5 micrograms per cubic meter, although there are also various national guideline values, which are often much higher. Air pollution is among the biggest health problems of modern industrial society and is responsible for more than 10 percent of all deaths worldwide (nearly 4.5 million premature deaths in 2019), according to The Lancet. Air pollution can affect nearly every organ and system of the body, negatively affecting nature and humans alike. Air pollution is a particularly big problem in emerging and developing countries, where global environmental standards often cannot be met. The data in this list refers only to outdoor air quality and not indoor air quality, which caused an additional two million premature deaths in 2019.[1]

list (based on 2020 UChicago data)

All data are valid for the year 2020 and are taken from the Air Quality Life Index (ACLI) of the University of Chicago. In addition to particulate matter pollution, the modeled potential loss of life expectancy of the population due to particulate matter pollution is given.[2]

RankCountryparticulate matter (PM2.5)
in (μg/m3)
WHO-Guideline=5
Loss of life expectancy
(years)
176.90−6.93
255.80−4.98
347.13−4.13
444.17−3.84
534.20−2.86
632.95−2.74
731.76−2.62
831.63−2.61
931.47−2.59
1031.42−2.58
1129.19−2.37
1228.71−2.32
1328.61−2.31
1428.45−2.30
1528.00−2.25
1627.92−2.25
1727.25−2.18
1826.91−2.15
1826.91−2.15
2025.60−2.02
2124.37−1.90
2223.88−1.85
2323.82−1.84
2323.82−1.84
2523.78−1.84
2623.67−1.83
2723.66−1.83
2822.97−1.76
2922.94−1.76
3021.58−1.62
3021.58−1.56
3220.81−1.55
3320.64−1.53
3420.34−1.50
3520.33−1.53
3620.27−1.50
3719.61−1.43
3819.37−1.41
3919.12−1.38
4018.63−1.34
4118.60−1.33
4217.99−1.27
4317.90−1.26
4417.79−1.25
4517.71−1.25
4617.68−1.24
4717.66−1.24
4817.37−1.21
4917.34−1.21
5017.17−1.19
5116.99−1.17
5216.83−1.16
5316.71−1.15
5416.65−1.14
5516.61−1.14
5616.38−1.12
5716.36−1.11
5816.33−1.11
5916.23−1.10
6016.16−1.10
6115.93−1.07
6215.75−1.05
6315.44−1.02
6415.00−0.98
6514.98−0.98
6614.97−0.98
6714.96−0.98
6814.92−0.97
6914.80−0.96
7014.53−0.93
7114.29−0.91
7214.24−0.91
7314.14−0.90
7413.80−0.86
7513.75−0.86
7613.74−0.86
7713.32−0.82
7813.10−0.79
7912.88−0.77
8012.83−0.77
8112.81−0.77
8212.80−0.76
8312.76−0.76
8412.69−0.75
8512.68−0.75
8612.65−0.75
8712.43−0.73
8812.39−0.72
8912.33−0.72
9012.29−0.71
9112.08−0.69
9212.00−0.69
9311.87−0.67
9411.78−0.66
9511.73−0.66
9611.68−0.65
9611.68−0.65
9811.66−0.65
9911.57−0.65
10011.45−0.64
10111.44−0.63
10211.35−0.62
10311.18−0.61
10411.16−0.60
10511.11−0.60
10611.07−0.60
10711.06−0.59
10811.06−0.59
10910.90−0.58
11010.80−0.57
11110.70−0.56
11210.67−0.56
11310.63−0.55
11410.59−0.55
11510.42−0.53
11610.28−0.52
11610.28−0.52
11810.06−0.50
11910.04−0.50
1209.98−0.49
1219.95−0.50
1229.89−0.48
1239.70−0.46
1249.65−0.46
1259.50−0.40
1268.72−0.37
1278.70−0.36
1288.55−0.35
1298.42−0.34
1308.23−0.32
1318.04−0.30
1328.02−0.30
1337.91−0.28
1347.84−0.28
1357.82−0.28
1367.77−0.27
1377.76−0.27
1387.62−0.26
1407.43−0.25
1397.24−0.22
1417.20−0.22
1427.19−0.21
1437.05−0.21
1437.05−0.23
1456.96−0.20
1466.94−0.19
1476.78−0.17
1486.69−0.18
1496.67−0.17
1506.66−0.19
1516.50−0.15
1526.39−0.14
1536.07−0.11
1545.61−0.08
1555.55−0.06
1565.54−0.05
1575.51−0.07
1585.47−0.06
1585.47−0.05
1605.45−0.04
1615.30−0.07
1625.16−0.05
1635.02−0.03
1644.90−0.02
1654.66−0.07
1664.560.00
1674.56−0.02
1684.100.00
1693.790.00
1703.610.00
1713.430.00
1723.200.00
1733.070.00
1743.060.00
1752.850.00
1762.670.00
1772.250.00
1782.110.00
1792.040.00
1801.920.00
1811.910.00
1821.860.00
1831.780.00
1841.770.00
1851.760.00
1861.750.00
1871.520.00
1881.260.00
1891.030.00
1901.000.00
1910.900.00
1920.840.00
1930.810.00
1940.600.00
1950.560.00

IQAir List (2018−2023)

All data are valid for the year 2018-2022 and are taken from the IQAir 2022 World Air Quality Ranking[3] [4] [5] [6]

Note: This table is outdated. Please go to the 2024 list below this list or go to the UChicago reference directly.

List of Countries/Regions by particulate matter (PM2.5)
in (μg/m3)
RankCountry/Region202320222021202020192018Population
-Not ranked89.776.0------19,093,595 (2024 CIA estimate)
179.965.876.977.183.397.1169,828,911 (2022 Census)
280.149.7--39.6--43,533,592
370.966.85965.874.3231,402,117
466.649.839.746.859.81,463,265
663--------22,100,683
755.829.73438.3564,250,114
853.358.151.958.172.51,428,627,663 (2023 UN estimate)
946.529.1--18--109,262,178
104659.430.9----9,750,064
1145.93629.238.949.99,365,145
1244.644.1------45,657,202
1344--------13,461,888
1442.538.244.3----2,688,235
1541.532.723.322.1--35,950,396
1640.14639.244.554.130,034,989
1739.627.626.129.140.845,853,778
1836.934--21.444.8213,401,323
1933.627.840.634.6403,270,943
2033.542.829.941.234.334,915,100
2132.530.327.224.32587,923,432
2231.433.924.925.5--2,790,974
2331.323.914.720.127.1120,283,026
2431.150.843.533.2--6,691,800
2530.632.634.739.141.21,412,360,000
2630.434.340.751.742273,753,191
2730.225.926.930.3--32,833,031
2829.533.146.66258.53,347,782
2927.621.522.423.1--7,275,556
3027.224.72834.132.997,468,029
3125.625.430.632.435.52,065,092
3225--------2,341,179
3324.725.524.323.323.96,834,326
3424.6--------19,473,125
3524.325.929.431--53,798,084
3623.72120----28,915,653
3723.525.421.219.122.23,899,000
3823.529.617.923.32833,715,471
3923.422.71821.6--59,392,255
402331.121.923.629.819,000,988
4122.6--------2,615,199
4222.5--21.9----29,389,150
4322.221.719.322.624.919,493,184
4421.620.417----6,341,855
4521.12018.720.621.984,775,404
4620.717.422.425.23222,156,000
4720.4--11.2----16,876,720
482023--32.2--21,324,367
4919.519.318.92020.3126,705,138
50191918.422.5--10,641,221
5118.917.6------10,137,750
5218.915.218.517.114.959,109,668
5318.818.716.920.818.69,364,000
5418.619.519.220.2--17,109,746
5518.316.327.525.525.86,877,743
5618.319.119.524.82451,744,876
5718.120.221.424.326.471,601,103
5817.82020.221.2--44,177,969
5917.719.415.619.4--33,573,874
6017.215.315.818.318.619,119,880
61172120.420.1--3,708,610
6216.319.116.918.722.437,747,124
6315.714.115.614.613.951,516,562
6415.735.226.1----619,211
6515.614.815.819.717.61,244,188
6615.5----32.1--95,894,118
6715.41717.823.521.2686,607
6815.113.3------2,108,079
6914.915.612.817.614.6113,880,328
7014.714.72023.530.41,786,038
7114.51615.316.118.55,447,247
7214.515.915.420.320.27,413,100
7314.512.516----2,811,666
7414.2--------6,314,167
7513.413.912.314.420.210,505,772
7613.416.21517.218.523,816,775
7713.313.811.81914.85,453,566
7813.213.211.714.517.52,800,839
7912.6--------804,567
8012.615.514.314.616.89,709,891
8112.213.614.215.816.3214,326,223
8211.713.511.89.411518,536
8311.514.314.2----53,005,614
8411.511.411.112.313.267,749,632
8511.314.2------3,426,260
8611.212.39.39.911.4143,449,286
871111.39.710.911.717,533,044
881110.610.1111383,196,078
8910.910.710.49.710.347,415,750
9010.9--------521,457
9110.811.58.912.513.511,592,952
9210.611.410.912.2158,955,797
9310.211.8------10,278,345
9410.1--11.313.3--1,884,490
951010.8910.911.68,703,405
969.718.519.216.61443,792,855
979.19.19.811.412125,681,593
989--------4,351,267
998.910.39.699.1331,893,745
1008.9--------6,850,540
1018.98.88.310.510.867,326,569
1028.8111315.9--34,503,774
1038.69.69.49.6--5,856,733
1048.319.821.125.8--17,652,114
1058.37.2------39,039
1068.17.19.19.39.410,325,147
1077.97.88.210.4--5,153,957
1087.78.214.214.6--45,808,747
1097.588.610.69.55,033,165
1107.4999.611.2640,064
1117.48.57.37.77.938,246,108
1127.3--------12,079,472
1137--------612,985
11477.55.76.97.65,408,320
1156.26.656.67.410,415,811
1165.6--------400,031
1175.47.37.4----79,034
1185.17.1------1,525,663
11955.555.66.65,541,017
1204.95.95.96.27.21,330,932
1214.86.877.57.75,122,600
1224.34.83.710.213.73,263,584
1234.25.77.686.825,688,079
1243.85.5------124,610
125 New Caledonia3.53.83.7----271,030
1263.46.17.25.55372,520
1273.35.1------26,221
1283--------63,867
1292.94.53.73.5--105,870
1302.5--------304,032
1311.3--------170,534

External links

Notes and References

  1. Ritchie . Hannah . Roser . Max . 2013-11-16 . Indoor Air Pollution . Our World in Data.
  2. Web site: The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) . 2023-03-08 . AQLI . en.
  3. https://www.iqair.com/world-most-polluted-countries
  4. Web site: The Air Quality Life Index Linares (AQLI) . 2023-03-08 . AQLI . en.
  5. Web site: World's Most Polluted Countries in 2022 - PM2.5 Ranking IQAir . 2023-06-29 . www.iqair.com . en.
  6. .Web site: Most Polluted Countries 2023 . 2023-06-29 . worldpopulationreview.com.