World's Most Polluted Countries in 2021 - PM2.5 Ranking | IQAir (2024)

FAQs

Which country has the most air pollution 2021? ›

Bangladesh had an average PM2. 5 concentration of 76.9 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) in 2021, making it the most polluted country in the world.

Researchers from Yale University and Columbia University ranked the U.S. 24th out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index 2020, an analysis of 32 environmental performance indicators. Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland took the first three spots.

China, with more than 10,065 million tons of CO2 released.

The most polluted country in 2022 was Bangladesh. India was the 5th most polluted country in the world. Nepal and China were the 10th and 12th most polluted countries in the world respectively.

Vermont ranks first in the nation for low pollution. New Hampshire places second in this subcategory, followed by South Dakota, New Mexico and Wyoming. Learn more about the states with the least pollution below.

Is the US very polluted? ›

The study found that 4 in 10 people in the US – amounting to about 135 million people – currently live in places with unhealthy and polluted air.

Hawaii has, on average, the cleanest air in the USA overall. It has an AQI value of 21.2, which is in the healthy range set by the EPA. The American Lung Association ranks two cities in Hawaii in the top 25 cleanest US cities for year-round particle pollution.

Looking at emissions from countries from 1959 through 2020, the furthest Global Carbon Project goes back and beyond which some data gets less reliable, the United States, not China, is the biggest carbon polluter and it isn't that close.

The US military is the largest user of fossil fuels and energy in the US government. US military emissions are about 51 million metric tons, CO2 equivalent, annually in the last two years. This is a reduction from past military emissions, but still larger than the emissions of most countries.

US ranks 24th in the world on environmental performance | Environment | The Guardian.

Australia topped the list as the least polluted country in the world, with 7 cities in the top 25. Of the 25 least polluted cities in the world with the best air quality, Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Estonia) dominated the rankings with some of the cleanest air in the world in 2022.

The most polluted city in the world is a notable climber in Saudi Arabia, with Dammam averaging 124.11 micrograms of PM2.5 as it was ranked 11th last year. The number of Indian cities on the top 25 list decreased from 10 to 9 as one Chinese city joined the list.

1: Baku, Azerbaijan. Surrounded by Iran, Georgia, Russia and Armenia on the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan has long been an oil hub. As a consequence, Baku, the capital, suffers from life-threatening levels of air pollution emitted from oil drilling and shipping.

The photographer who goes under the pseudonym Seph Lawless is back at it again. This time he's toured Picher, Oklahoma — the most toxic city in America. What was once a vibrant mining city has been turned into a toxic ghost town through improper care and disposal of the 14,000 abandoned mine shafts in the region.

The EPA has declared Picher to be the most toxic city in the United States of America. It remains a ghost town, completely uninhabitable. Unrestricted excavation took place over the course of more than a century, damaging the homes and eventually polluting the air and water in Picher.

What is the most polluted city in the world 2022 rankings? ›

These laws not only help preserve the nation's natural resources, but they protect the public from harmful toxins and resulting health concerns. Hawaii is the top state for natural environment.

New York being the most populous city in the United States has relatively clean air on average. Thus, it is not the most polluted city in the world.

The most polluted country in 2022 was Bangladesh. India was the 5th most polluted country in the world. Nepal and China were the 10th and 12th most polluted countries in the world respectively.

By India Today Web Desk: In a row, for the fourth consecutive year, Delhi topped as the most polluted city in the world. The world air quality report, as per the state of global air (SoGA) initiative, has declared which cities have the most exposure to bad air quality.

Australia topped the list as the least polluted country in the world, with 7 cities in the top 25. Of the 25 least polluted cities in the world with the best air quality, Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Estonia) dominated the rankings with some of the cleanest air in the world in 2022.

Which country has the dirtiest air? ›

India. India the third-most polluted country in the world, with an average PM_2.5 concentration of 51.90. Of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, 21 of them are located in India.