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The world's countries with the most and least polluted cities




The World Health Organisation tracks the level of pollution in cities, but it is more difficult to determine the world’s countries with the most and least polluted cities on average. The WHO measures the average concentration of particle matter (PM) in micrograms per cubic metre of air. The particles are produced by combustion, including motor vehicles, power plants, forest fires, and industrial processes.

Pinpointing the most polluted cities is relatively easy, but measuring the pollution of countries is a little more problematic. The WHO tracks air quality at 1,622 locations in 92 countries - but all are urban areas. So while Pakistan, Egypt and Mongolia are among the most polluted countries, this only refers to pollution in its cities. Air quality in the Karakoram mountain range or the Gobi Desert will, of course, be more pristine. Similarly, Russia appears to be among the worst performing countries, but its ranking is based only on air quality in Moscow.    

The website aqicn.org analyzed 2014 WHO data to produce a mapping of pollution in countries. It shows countries according to the average concentration of PM 2.5 particles in its cities, with figures weighted according to the population of each city. Therefore, if a country's largest city has good air quality, but a handful of small cities have bad air quality, it will perform better overall.

Pakistan's urban areas are, on average, the world's most polluted, followed by Qatar and Afghanistan (top photograph). Europe's most polluted cities are found in Turkey, Bulgaria, and Serbia.

The 20 countries with the most polluted urban areas 

Pakistan - average PM 2.5 concentration: 115.7
Qatar - 92.4
Afghanistan - 86
Bangladesh - 83.3
Egypt - 73
UAE - 64
Mongolia - 61.8
India - 60.6
Bahrain - 56.1
Nepal - 50
Ghana - 49
Jordan - 48
China - 41.4
Senegal - 40
Turkey - 39.1
Bulgaria - 38.6
Mauritius - 38.1
Peru - 38
Serbia - 35.8
Iran - 34.2

Of the 92 countries to feature, Australia has the least polluted urban areas, followed by Brunei and New Zealand. Estonia is Europe's top performing nation, followed by Finland and Iceland. Britain was 21st out of the 92 countries for air quality.

The 20 countries with the least polluted urban areas

Australia - average PM 2.5 concentration: 5.7
Brunei - 6.6
New Zealand - 6.8
Estonia - 7.2
Finland - 7.3
Canada - 7.5
Iceland - 8.2
Sweden - 8.7
Ireland - 8.8
Liberia - 9.3
Japan - 10
Bhutan - 10
Norway - 10.9
Malta - 12
Portugal - 12.3
Spain - 12.4
United States - 12.9
Monaco - 13
Malaysia - 13.2
Luxembourg – 14



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/most-polluted-countries/

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).


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