List of countries by air pollution
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]
2022 list (UChicago AQLI 2022)
All data are valid for the year 2022 and are taken from the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 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]
List (2018−2023)
All data are valid for the year 2018-2023 and are taken from the IQAir 2023 World Air Quality Ranking[3][4][5][6]
List of Countries/Regions by particulate matter (PM2.5) in (μg/m3)
Rank
|
Country/Region
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
Population
|
1
|
Bangladesh
|
97.1
|
83.3
|
77.1
|
76.9
|
65.8
|
79.9
|
173,562,364
|
2
|
Pakistan
|
74.3
|
65.8
|
59
|
66.8
|
70.9
|
73.7
|
231,402,117
|
3
|
India
|
72.5
|
58.1
|
51.9
|
58.1
|
53.3
|
54.4
|
1,407,563,842
|
4
|
Tajikistan
|
--
|
--
|
30.9
|
59.4
|
46
|
49
|
9,750,064
|
5
|
Burkina Faso
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
63
|
46.6
|
22,100,683
|
6
|
Iraq
|
--
|
39.6
|
--
|
49.7
|
80.1
|
43.8
|
43,533,592
|
7
|
United Arab Emirates
|
49.9
|
38.9
|
29.2
|
36
|
45.9
|
43
|
9,365,145
|
8
|
Nepal
|
54.1
|
44.5
|
39.2
|
46
|
40.1
|
42.4
|
30,034,989
|
9
|
Egypt
|
--
|
18
|
--
|
29.1
|
46.5
|
42.4
|
109,262,178
|
10
|
Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
--
|
32.1
|
--
|
--
|
15.5
|
40.8
|
95,894,118
|
11
|
Kuwait
|
56
|
38.3
|
34
|
29.7
|
55.8
|
39.9
|
4,250,114
|
12
|
Bahrain
|
59.8
|
46.8
|
39.7
|
49.8
|
66.6
|
39.2
|
1,463,265
|
13
|
Qatar
|
--
|
--
|
44.3
|
38.2
|
42.5
|
37.6
|
2,688,235
|
14
|
Indonesia
|
42
|
51.7
|
40.7
|
34.3
|
30.4
|
37.1
|
273,753,191
|
15
|
Rwanda
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
44
|
36.8
|
13,461,888
|
16
|
Zimbabwe
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
33.3
|
15,993,524
|
17
|
Ghana
|
--
|
30.3
|
26.9
|
25.9
|
30.2
|
33.2
|
32,833,031
|
18
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
--
|
33.2
|
43.5
|
50.8
|
31.1
|
33.1
|
6,691,800
|
19
|
China
|
41.2
|
39.1
|
34.7
|
32.6
|
30.6
|
32.5
|
1,412,360,000
|
20
|
Libya
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
30.4
|
6,735,277
|
21
|
Laos
|
--
|
23.1
|
22.4
|
21.5
|
27.6
|
29.6
|
7,275,556
|
22
|
Vietnam
|
32.9
|
34.1
|
28
|
24.7
|
27.2
|
29.6
|
97,468,029
|
23
|
Uzbekistan
|
34.3
|
41.2
|
29.9
|
42.8
|
33.5
|
28.6
|
34,915,100
|
24
|
Gambia
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
28.5
|
2,639,916
|
25
|
Myanmar
|
--
|
31
|
29.4
|
25.9
|
24.3
|
28.2
|
53,798,084
|
26
|
Senegal
|
--
|
--
|
11.2
|
--
|
20.4
|
28.2
|
16,876,720
|
27
|
Bosnia Herzegovina
|
40
|
34.6
|
40.6
|
27.8
|
33.6
|
27.5
|
3,270,943
|
28
|
Uganda
|
40.8
|
29.1
|
26.1
|
27.6
|
39.6
|
27.3
|
45,853,778
|
29
|
Ethiopia
|
27.1
|
20.1
|
14.7
|
23.9
|
31.3
|
27
|
120,283,026
|
30
|
Saudi Arabia
|
--
|
22.1
|
23.3
|
32.7
|
41.5
|
26.5
|
35,950,396
|
31
|
Armenia
|
--
|
25.5
|
24.9
|
33.9
|
31.4
|
26.4
|
2,790,974
|
32
|
North Macedonia
|
35.5
|
32.4
|
30.6
|
25.4
|
25.6
|
25.2
|
2,065,092
|
33
|
Zambia
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
24.6
|
24.1
|
19,473,125
|
34
|
Cameroon
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
24
|
27,198,628
|
35
|
Nigeria
|
44.8
|
21.4
|
--
|
34
|
36.9
|
23.9
|
213,401,323
|
36
|
Thailand
|
26.4
|
24.3
|
21.4
|
20.2
|
18.1
|
23.3
|
71,601,103
|
37
|
Cambodia
|
20.1
|
21.1
|
21.1
|
19.8
|
8.3
|
22.8
|
16,589,023
|
38
|
Malaysia
|
--
|
19.4
|
15.6
|
19.4
|
17.7
|
22.5
|
33,573,874
|
39
|
Mongolia
|
58.5
|
62
|
46.6
|
33.1
|
29.5
|
22.5
|
3,347,782
|
40
|
Kazakhstan
|
29.8
|
23.6
|
21.9
|
31.1
|
23
|
22.2
|
19,000,988
|
41
|
Montenegro
|
--
|
--
|
26.1
|
35.2
|
15.7
|
21.3
|
619,211
|
42
|
Madagascar
|
--
|
--
|
20
|
21
|
23.7
|
20.6
|
28,915,653
|
43
|
Serbia
|
23.9
|
23.3
|
24.3
|
25.5
|
24.7
|
20.5
|
6,834,326
|
44
|
Turkey
|
21.9
|
20.6
|
18.7
|
20
|
21.1
|
20.3
|
84,775,404
|
45
|
Taiwan
|
18.5
|
17.2
|
15
|
16.2
|
13.4
|
20.2
|
23,816,775
|
46
|
Mexico
|
20.3
|
20
|
18.9
|
19.3
|
19.5
|
20.1
|
126,705,138
|
47
|
South Africa
|
--
|
21.6
|
18
|
22.7
|
23.4
|
19.9
|
59,392,255
|
48
|
El Salvador
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
14.2
|
19.5
|
6,314,167
|
49
|
Sri Lanka
|
32
|
25.2
|
22.4
|
17.4
|
20.7
|
19.3
|
22,156,000
|
50
|
South Korea
|
24
|
24.8
|
19.5
|
19.1
|
18.3
|
19.2
|
51,744,876
|
51
|
Peru
|
28
|
23.3
|
17.9
|
29.6
|
23.5
|
18.8
|
33,715,471
|
52
|
Azerbaijan
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
17.6
|
18.9
|
18.8
|
10,137,750
|
53
|
Chile
|
24.9
|
22.6
|
19.3
|
21.7
|
22.2
|
18.8
|
19,493,184
|
54
|
Guatemala
|
--
|
20.2
|
19.2
|
19.5
|
18.6
|
18.7
|
17,109,746
|
55
|
Palestinian Territory
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
18.6
|
3,000,021
|
56
|
Israel
|
18.6
|
20.8
|
16.9
|
18.7
|
18.8
|
17.8
|
9,364,000
|
57
|
Greece
|
--
|
22.5
|
18.4
|
19
|
19
|
17.4
|
10,641,221
|
58
|
Guyana
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
12.6
|
17.1
|
804,567
|
59
|
Gabon
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
25
|
16.9
|
2,341,179
|
60
|
Albania
|
--
|
--
|
16
|
12.5
|
14.5
|
16.7
|
2,811,666
|
61
|
Ivory Coast
|
--
|
--
|
21.9
|
--
|
22.5
|
16.6
|
29,389,150
|
62
|
Georgia
|
--
|
20.1
|
20.4
|
21
|
17
|
16.4
|
3,708,610
|
63
|
Togo
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
16.3
|
8,644,829
|
64
|
Macao SAR
|
21.2
|
23.5
|
17.8
|
17
|
15.4
|
16.2
|
686,607
|
65
|
Moldova
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
22.6
|
15.7
|
2,615,199
|
66
|
Nicaragua
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
8.9
|
15.7
|
6,850,540
|
67
|
Romania
|
18.6
|
18.3
|
15.8
|
15.3
|
17.2
|
15.7
|
19,119,880
|
68
|
Hong Kong SAR
|
20.2
|
20.3
|
15.4
|
15.9
|
14.5
|
15.6
|
7,413,100
|
69
|
Maldives
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
10.9
|
15.3
|
521,457
|
70
|
Honduras
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
11.8
|
10.2
|
15.1
|
10,278,345
|
71
|
Italy
|
14.9
|
17.1
|
18.5
|
15.2
|
18.9
|
15
|
59,109,668
|
72
|
Slovenia
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
13.3
|
15.1
|
14.9
|
2,108,079
|
73
|
Cyprus
|
17.6
|
19.7
|
15.8
|
14.8
|
15.6
|
14.3
|
1,244,188
|
74
|
Poland
|
22.4
|
18.7
|
16.9
|
19.1
|
16.3
|
14.1
|
37,747,124
|
75
|
Colombia
|
13.9
|
14.6
|
15.6
|
14.1
|
15.7
|
14.1
|
51,516,562
|
76
|
Guinea
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
13.9
|
13,531,906
|
77
|
Croatia
|
22.2
|
19.1
|
21.2
|
25.4
|
23.5
|
13.8
|
3,899,000
|
78
|
Algeria
|
--
|
21.2
|
20.2
|
20
|
17.8
|
13.8
|
44,177,969
|
79
|
Philippines
|
14.6
|
17.6
|
12.8
|
15.6
|
14.9
|
13.5
|
113,880,328
|
80
|
Singapore
|
14.8
|
19
|
11.8
|
13.8
|
13.3
|
13.4
|
5,453,566
|
81
|
Bulgaria
|
25.8
|
25.5
|
27.5
|
16.3
|
18.3
|
13.2
|
6,877,743
|
82
|
Slovakia
|
18.5
|
16.1
|
15.3
|
16
|
14.5
|
13.1
|
5,447,247
|
83
|
Brazil
|
16.3
|
15.8
|
14.2
|
13.6
|
12.2
|
12.6
|
214,326,223
|
84
|
Bolivia
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
7.3
|
12.6
|
12,079,472
|
85
|
Kosovo
|
30.4
|
23.5
|
20
|
14.7
|
14.7
|
12.1
|
1,786,038
|
86
|
Malta
|
11
|
9.4
|
11.8
|
13.5
|
11.7
|
12
|
518,536
|
87
|
Hungary
|
16.8
|
14.6
|
14.3
|
15.5
|
12.6
|
12
|
9,709,891
|
88
|
Uruguay
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
14.2
|
11.3
|
11.7
|
3,426,260
|
89
|
Czech Republic
|
20.2
|
14.4
|
12.3
|
13.9
|
13.4
|
11.5
|
10,505,772
|
90
|
Kenya
|
--
|
--
|
14.2
|
14.3
|
11.5
|
10.6
|
53,005,614
|
91
|
Suriname
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
7
|
10.6
|
612,985
|
92
|
Lithuania
|
17.5
|
14.5
|
11.7
|
13.2
|
13.2
|
10.4
|
2,800,839
|
93
|
Canada
|
7.9
|
7.7
|
7.3
|
8.5
|
7.4
|
10.3
|
38,246,108
|
94
|
Russia
|
11.4
|
9.9
|
9.3
|
12.3
|
11.2
|
10
|
143,449,286
|
95
|
Spain
|
10.3
|
9.7
|
10.4
|
10.7
|
10.9
|
9.9
|
47,415,750
|
96
|
Japan
|
12
|
11.4
|
9.8
|
9.1
|
9.1
|
9.6
|
125,681,593
|
97
|
Panama
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
9
|
9.6
|
4,351,267
|
98
|
Austria
|
15
|
12.2
|
10.9
|
11.4
|
10.6
|
9.6
|
8,955,797
|
99
|
France
|
13.2
|
12.3
|
11.1
|
11.4
|
11.5
|
9.5
|
67,749,632
|
100
|
Belgium
|
13.5
|
12.5
|
8.9
|
11.5
|
10.8
|
9.4
|
11,592,952
|
101
|
Argentina
|
--
|
14.6
|
14.2
|
8.2
|
7.7
|
9.2
|
45,808,747
|
102
|
USA
|
9.1
|
9
|
9.6
|
10.3
|
8.9
|
9.1
|
331,893,745
|
103
|
Germany
|
13
|
11
|
10.1
|
10.6
|
11
|
9
|
83,196,078
|
104
|
Switzerland
|
11.6
|
10.9
|
9
|
10.8
|
10
|
8.9
|
8,703,405
|
105
|
Luxembourg
|
11.2
|
9.6
|
9
|
9
|
7.4
|
8.9
|
640,064
|
106
|
Netherlands
|
11.7
|
10.9
|
9.7
|
11.3
|
11
|
8.7
|
17,533,044
|
107
|
Ukraine
|
14
|
16.6
|
19.2
|
18.5
|
9.7
|
8.6
|
43,792,855
|
108
|
Belize
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
5.6
|
8.3
|
400,031
|
109
|
Latvia
|
--
|
13.3
|
11.3
|
--
|
10.1
|
8
|
1,884,490
|
110
|
Andorra
|
--
|
--
|
7.4
|
7.3
|
5.4
|
7.9
|
79,034
|
111
|
Angola
|
--
|
15.9
|
13
|
11
|
8.8
|
7.8
|
34,503,774
|
112
|
United Kingdom
|
10.8
|
10.5
|
8.3
|
8.8
|
8.9
|
7.7
|
67,326,569
|
113
|
Denmark
|
--
|
9.6
|
9.4
|
9.6
|
8.6
|
7.7
|
5,856,733
|
114
|
Anguilla
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
7.4
|
15,094
|
115
|
Ecuador
|
--
|
8.6
|
7.6
|
8.4
|
--
|
7.4
|
17,797,737
|
116
|
Liechtenstein
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
7.2
|
8.3
|
7.2
|
39,039
|
117
|
Jamaica
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
7.1
|
2,827,695
|
118
|
Portugal
|
9.4
|
9.3
|
9.1
|
7.1
|
8.1
|
6.8
|
10,325,147
|
119
|
Ireland
|
9.5
|
10.6
|
8.6
|
8
|
7.5
|
6.3
|
5,033,165
|
120
|
Norway
|
7.6
|
6.9
|
5.7
|
7.5
|
7
|
6.3
|
5,408,320
|
121
|
Costa Rica
|
--
|
10.4
|
8.2
|
7.8
|
7.9
|
6.1
|
5,153,957
|
122
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
7.1
|
5.1
|
5.8
|
1,525,663
|
123
|
Bahamas
|
--
|
3.3
|
--
|
5.5
|
--
|
5.2
|
407,906
|
124
|
Sweden
|
7.4
|
6.6
|
5
|
6.6
|
6.2
|
5.1
|
10,415,811
|
125
|
Finland
|
6.6
|
5.6
|
5
|
5.5
|
5
|
4.9
|
5,541,017
|
126
|
Estonia
|
7.2
|
6.2
|
5.9
|
5.9
|
4.9
|
4.7
|
1,330,932
|
127
|
Puerto Rico
|
13.7
|
10.2
|
3.7
|
4.8
|
4.3
|
4.5
|
3,263,584
|
128
|
Australia
|
6.8
|
8
|
7.6
|
5.7
|
4.2
|
4.5
|
25,688,079
|
129
|
New Zealand
|
7.7
|
7.5
|
7
|
6.8
|
4.8
|
4.3
|
5,122,600
|
130
|
Bermuda
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
3
|
4.1
|
63,867
|
131
|
Grenada
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
5.5
|
3.8
|
4.1
|
124,610
|
132
|
Iceland
|
5
|
5.5
|
7.2
|
6.1
|
3.4
|
4
|
372,520
|
133
|
Mauritius
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
3.5
|
1,266,060
|
134
|
French Polynesia
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
2.5
|
3.2
|
304,032
|
References
External links
|