Air Pollution by Country
The Air Pollution by Country ranking compares nations by year-over-year changes in PM2.5 exposure, ranking higher those with the largest reductions to highlight progress in air quality, public health, and environmental protection.
Ranking summary
Afghanistan tops the rankings in Air Pollution, recording a drop from 58.33 to 46.09. Bhutan follows with a reduction from 30.05 to 23.95, while Nepal rounds out the top three, falling from 57.28 to 45.72.- Across all 192 countries, the average year-over-year change was -1.01% with a median change of -1.15%.
- Overall, 111 countries improved in this area while 81 worsened. Click on a country to open the full country scorecard and see how it performs across a range of key indicators.
| Rank | Country | Most Recent Year | Previous Year | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Afghanistan | 46.09 (2020) | 58.33 (2019) | -20.99% |
| 2 |  Bhutan | 23.95 (2020) | 30.05 (2019) | -20.32% |
| 3 |  Nepal | 45.72 (2020) | 57.28 (2019) | -20.17% |
| 4 |  India | 48.40 (2020) | 59.89 (2019) | -19.20% |
| 5 |  Egypt | 54.86 (2020) | 67.75 (2019) | -19.03% |
| 6 |  Singapore | 13.87 (2020) | 17.08 (2019) | -18.78% |
| 7 |  Pakistan | 43.00 (2020) | 52.86 (2019) | -18.65% |
| 8 |  Yemen | 34.83 (2020) | 41.64 (2019) | -16.35% |
| 9 |  Bangladesh | 42.38 (2020) | 50.37 (2019) | -15.85% |
| 10 |  United Arab Emirates | 36.31 (2020) | 41.96 (2019) | -13.47% |
| 11 |  New Zealand | 6.49 (2020) | 7.42 (2019) | -12.62% |
| 12 |  Oman | 39.58 (2020) | 44.90 (2019) | -11.84% |
| 13 |  Sudan | 45.84 (2020) | 51.94 (2019) | -11.75% |
| 14 |  Australia | 8.25 (2020) | 9.33 (2019) | -11.56% |
| 15 |  Eswatini | 18.78 (2020) | 21.17 (2019) | -11.26% |
| 16 |  Eritrea | 32.35 (2020) | 36.27 (2019) | -10.79% |
| 17 |  Estonia | 6.15 (2020) | 6.85 (2019) | -10.21% |
| 18 |  Lithuania | 9.22 (2020) | 10.25 (2019) | -10.03% |
| 19 |  Cyprus | 13.51 (2020) | 15.01 (2019) | -9.98% |
| 20 |  Seychelles | 8.50 (2020) | 9.43 (2019) | -9.90% |
| 21 |  Libya | 32.97 (2020) | 36.48 (2019) | -9.63% |
| 22 |  Djibouti | 35.92 (2020) | 39.72 (2019) | -9.56% |
| 23 |  Saudi Arabia | 53.15 (2020) | 58.62 (2019) | -9.34% |
| 24 |  Malaysia | 16.19 (2020) | 17.82 (2019) | -9.12% |
| 25 |  Finland | 4.90 (2020) | 5.38 (2019) | -9.00% |
| 26 |  Suriname | 27.31 (2020) | 29.99 (2019) | -8.95% |
| 27 |  Kyrgyzstan | 24.38 (2020) | 26.76 (2019) | -8.89% |
| 28 |  Türkiye | 21.61 (2020) | 23.70 (2019) | -8.79% |
| 29 |  Tajikistan | 37.05 (2020) | 40.29 (2019) | -8.03% |
| 30 |  Indonesia | 17.88 (2020) | 19.43 (2019) | -7.96% |
| 31 |  Jordan | 28.77 (2020) | 31.26 (2019) | -7.95% |
| 32 |  South Sudan | 30.74 (2020) | 33.36 (2019) | -7.86% |
| 33 |  China | 34.81 (2020) | 37.55 (2019) | -7.29% |
| 34 |  Peru | 27.04 (2020) | 29.11 (2019) | -7.13% |
| 35 |  Sweden | 5.64 (2020) | 6.07 (2019) | -7.12% |
| 36 |  Latvia | 11.60 (2020) | 12.49 (2019) | -7.09% |
| 37 |  Malta | 11.72 (2020) | 12.59 (2019) | -6.89% |
| 38 |  Iceland | 5.11 (2020) | 5.48 (2019) | -6.86% |
| 39 |  Syria | 24.71 (2020) | 26.47 (2019) | -6.67% |
| 40 |  Lebanon | 19.23 (2020) | 20.60 (2019) | -6.63% |
| 41 |  Qatar | 75.66 (2020) | 81.01 (2019) | -6.60% |
| 42 |  Bolivia | 22.88 (2020) | 24.49 (2019) | -6.56% |
| 43 |  Belarus | 14.61 (2020) | 15.62 (2019) | -6.46% |
| 44 |  Moldova | 14.76 (2020) | 15.77 (2019) | -6.44% |
| 45 |  Armenia | 30.58 (2020) | 32.66 (2019) | -6.37% |
| 46 |  Uzbekistan | 31.96 (2020) | 34.13 (2019) | -6.37% |
| 47 |  Ecuador | 16.66 (2020) | 17.77 (2019) | -6.26% |
| 48 |  Philippines | 20.29 (2020) | 21.53 (2019) | -5.74% |
| 49 |  Denmark | 9.07 (2020) | 9.61 (2019) | -5.64% |
| 50 |  Palau | 7.33 (2020) | 7.75 (2019) | -5.40% |
| 51 |  Chad | 49.14 (2020) | 51.87 (2019) | -5.26% |
| 52 |  Norway | 6.06 (2020) | 6.38 (2019) | -5.09% |
| 53 |  Iran | 32.29 (2020) | 34.02 (2019) | -5.08% |
| 54 |  Israel | 18.60 (2020) | 19.56 (2019) | -4.90% |
| 55 |  Ethiopia | 27.31 (2020) | 28.69 (2019) | -4.82% |
| 56 |  Austria | 10.93 (2020) | 11.47 (2019) | -4.63% |
| 57 |  Mongolia | 29.66 (2020) | 31.08 (2019) | -4.60% |
| 58 |  Brunei | 7.60 (2020) | 7.95 (2019) | -4.39% |
| 59 |  Ukraine | 14.90 (2020) | 15.58 (2019) | -4.36% |
| 60 |  Poland | 17.96 (2020) | 18.77 (2019) | -4.33% |
| 61 |  Netherlands | 10.89 (2020) | 11.36 (2019) | -4.18% |
| 62 |  Switzerland | 9.06 (2020) | 9.45 (2019) | -4.12% |
| 63 |  Kazakhstan | 20.03 (2020) | 20.86 (2019) | -3.97% |
| 64 |  North Korea | 29.93 (2020) | 31.12 (2019) | -3.84% |
| 65 |  Fiji | 12.42 (2020) | 12.91 (2019) | -3.82% |
| 66 |  Greece | 14.41 (2020) | 14.94 (2019) | -3.57% |
| 67 |  Panama | 11.47 (2020) | 11.88 (2019) | -3.48% |
| 68 |  Russia | 11.27 (2020) | 11.68 (2019) | -3.47% |
| 69 |  Hungary | 14.14 (2020) | 14.64 (2019) | -3.45% |
| 70 |  Germany | 10.29 (2020) | 10.64 (2019) | -3.29% |
| 71 |  Georgia | 17.04 (2020) | 17.62 (2019) | -3.26% |
| 72 |  Turkmenistan | 19.60 (2020) | 20.25 (2019) | -3.22% |
| 73 |  Slovakia | 15.39 (2020) | 15.84 (2019) | -2.81% |
| 74 |  Kiribati | 11.26 (2020) | 11.55 (2019) | -2.52% |
| 75 |  Samoa | 12.55 (2020) | 12.87 (2019) | -2.49% |
| 76 |  Bahrain | 58.50 (2020) | 59.97 (2019) | -2.45% |
| 77 |  Maldives | 12.01 (2020) | 12.31 (2019) | -2.45% |
| 78 |  Solomon Islands | 13.95 (2020) | 14.30 (2019) | -2.42% |
| 79 |  Guyana | 25.46 (2020) | 26.09 (2019) | -2.42% |
| 80 |  Colombia | 14.18 (2020) | 14.52 (2019) | -2.29% |
| 81 |  France | 9.60 (2020) | 9.83 (2019) | -2.29% |
| 82 |  Cameroon | 39.81 (2020) | 40.74 (2019) | -2.27% |
| 83 |  Bulgaria | 17.15 (2020) | 17.54 (2019) | -2.23% |
| 84 |  Tonga | 12.48 (2020) | 12.76 (2019) | -2.19% |
| 85 |  Mauritania | 70.82 (2020) | 72.20 (2019) | -1.91% |
| 86 |  Montenegro | 17.98 (2020) | 18.32 (2019) | -1.86% |
| 87 |  Micronesia | 12.11 (2020) | 12.34 (2019) | -1.80% |
| 88 |  Vanuatu | 14.08 (2020) | 14.34 (2019) | -1.77% |
| 89 |  Italy | 14.66 (2020) | 14.89 (2019) | -1.58% |
| 90 |  Botswana | 18.91 (2020) | 19.20 (2019) | -1.55% |
| 91 |  Tuvalu | 5.92 (2020) | 6.01 (2019) | -1.53% |
| 92 |  Central African Republic | 34.43 (2020) | 34.91 (2019) | -1.38% |
| 93 |  Brazil | 12.18 (2020) | 12.35 (2019) | -1.38% |
| 94 |  Azerbaijan | 21.73 (2020) | 22.02 (2019) | -1.35% |
| 95 |  Mauritius | 9.15 (2020) | 9.28 (2019) | -1.34% |
| 96 |  Timor-Leste | 17.41 (2020) | 17.63 (2019) | -1.24% |
| 97 |  Mali | 56.78 (2020) | 57.39 (2019) | -1.06% |
| 98 |  Romania | 14.85 (2020) | 15.01 (2019) | -1.05% |
| 99 |  Czech Republic | 14.11 (2020) | 14.23 (2019) | -0.86% |
| 100 |  Monaco | 9.58 (2020) | 9.66 (2019) | -0.81% |
| 101 |  Japan | 12.84 (2020) | 12.94 (2019) | -0.80% |
| 102 |  Marshall Islands | 10.73 (2020) | 10.80 (2019) | -0.71% |
| 103 |  Congo | 28.57 (2020) | 28.75 (2019) | -0.61% |
| 104 |  Serbia | 22.51 (2020) | 22.64 (2019) | -0.57% |
| 105 |  Laos | 22.32 (2020) | 22.43 (2019) | -0.49% |
| 106 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 26.60 (2020) | 26.72 (2019) | -0.43% |
| 107 |  United Kingdom | 9.91 (2020) | 9.95 (2019) | -0.33% |
| 108 |  Paraguay | 10.09 (2020) | 10.12 (2019) | -0.33% |
| 109 |  Madagascar | 12.75 (2020) | 12.80 (2019) | -0.32% |
| 110 |  South Korea | 25.94 (2020) | 26.02 (2019) | -0.27% |
| 111 |  Vietnam | 20.80 (2020) | 20.83 (2019) | -0.15% |
| 112 |  Albania | 15.71 (2020) | 15.71 (2019) | +0.01% |
| 113 |  Belgium | 11.22 (2020) | 11.21 (2019) | +0.02% |
| 114 |  Myanmar | 32.32 (2020) | 32.16 (2019) | +0.47% |
| 115 |  Nauru | 6.06 (2020) | 6.03 (2019) | +0.63% |
| 116 |  Andorra | 9.08 (2020) | 9.01 (2019) | +0.77% |
| 117 |  North Macedonia | 26.12 (2020) | 25.88 (2019) | +0.93% |
| 118 |  Sri Lanka | 19.96 (2020) | 19.78 (2019) | +0.93% |
| 119 |  Iraq | 38.18 (2020) | 37.73 (2019) | +1.17% |
| 120 |  Democratic Republic of the Congo | 26.65 (2020) | 26.34 (2019) | +1.18% |
| 121 |  Croatia | 16.12 (2020) | 15.92 (2019) | +1.29% |
| 122 |  Grenada | 24.66 (2020) | 24.27 (2019) | +1.62% |
| 123 |  Dominican Republic | 19.83 (2020) | 19.50 (2019) | +1.69% |
| 124 |  Tunisia | 24.18 (2020) | 23.77 (2019) | +1.73% |
| 125 |  Barbados | 23.73 (2020) | 23.33 (2019) | +1.74% |
| 126 |  Kuwait | 53.72 (2020) | 52.78 (2019) | +1.77% |
| 127 |  Morocco | 21.32 (2020) | 20.93 (2019) | +1.87% |
| 128 |  San Marino | 10.69 (2020) | 10.49 (2019) | +1.88% |
| 129 |  Mexico | 14.99 (2020) | 14.71 (2019) | +1.95% |
| 130 |  Haiti | 21.35 (2020) | 20.94 (2019) | +1.96% |
| 131 |  Bahamas | 18.94 (2020) | 18.57 (2019) | +2.01% |
| 132 |  Jamaica | 17.41 (2020) | 17.07 (2019) | +2.01% |
| 133 |  Thailand | 31.01 (2020) | 30.38 (2019) | +2.05% |
| 134 |  Guinea | 43.77 (2020) | 42.88 (2019) | +2.07% |
| 135 |  Angola | 25.15 (2020) | 24.60 (2019) | +2.22% |
| 136 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 23.93 (2020) | 23.41 (2019) | +2.22% |
| 137 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 25.60 (2020) | 25.01 (2019) | +2.37% |
| 138 |  Chile | 23.28 (2020) | 22.73 (2019) | +2.39% |
| 139 |  Spain | 9.58 (2020) | 9.35 (2019) | +2.43% |
| 140 |  South Africa | 23.75 (2020) | 23.19 (2019) | +2.43% |
| 141 |  Mozambique | 20.08 (2020) | 19.60 (2019) | +2.48% |
| 142 |  Papua New Guinea | 17.31 (2020) | 16.89 (2019) | +2.50% |
| 143 |  Luxembourg | 8.68 (2020) | 8.46 (2019) | +2.55% |
| 144 |  Uruguay | 10.57 (2020) | 10.30 (2019) | +2.65% |
| 145 |  Venezuela | 15.26 (2020) | 14.85 (2019) | +2.73% |
| 146 |  Slovenia | 14.29 (2020) | 13.91 (2019) | +2.75% |
| 147 |  Saint Lucia | 23.76 (2020) | 23.07 (2019) | +2.98% |
| 148 |  Burundi | 29.65 (2020) | 28.78 (2019) | +3.05% |
| 149 |  Dominica | 20.67 (2020) | 20.04 (2019) | +3.11% |
| 150 |  Namibia | 20.00 (2020) | 19.39 (2019) | +3.13% |
| 151 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 19.70 (2020) | 19.06 (2019) | +3.36% |
| 152 |  Guinea-Bissau | 50.21 (2020) | 48.50 (2019) | +3.53% |
| 153 |  Argentina | 14.91 (2020) | 14.40 (2019) | +3.53% |
| 154 |  Ireland | 8.17 (2020) | 7.89 (2019) | +3.54% |
| 155 |  Rwanda | 31.29 (2020) | 30.01 (2019) | +4.27% |
| 156 |  Cuba | 21.24 (2020) | 20.34 (2019) | +4.39% |
| 157 |  Zambia | 24.31 (2020) | 23.20 (2019) | +4.76% |
| 158 |  Algeria | 25.55 (2020) | 24.39 (2019) | +4.77% |
| 159 |  Cambodia | 24.14 (2020) | 22.97 (2019) | +5.09% |
| 160 |  Zimbabwe | 19.49 (2020) | 18.53 (2019) | +5.21% |
| 161 |  Canada | 6.57 (2020) | 6.23 (2019) | +5.44% |
| 162 |  Senegal | 63.74 (2020) | 60.34 (2019) | +5.63% |
| 163 |  Portugal | 8.45 (2020) | 7.98 (2019) | +5.87% |
| 164 |  Malawi | 23.70 (2020) | 22.34 (2019) | +6.09% |
| 165 |  Gambia | 58.36 (2020) | 54.87 (2019) | +6.36% |
| 166 |  Costa Rica | 14.31 (2020) | 13.38 (2019) | +6.96% |
| 167 |  Guatemala | 21.64 (2020) | 20.21 (2019) | +7.06% |
| 168 |  Uganda | 33.81 (2020) | 31.49 (2019) | +7.38% |
| 169 |  Somalia | 24.53 (2020) | 22.84 (2019) | +7.40% |
| 170 |  Cabo Verde | 42.32 (2020) | 39.35 (2019) | +7.55% |
| 171 |  Togo | 51.67 (2020) | 47.63 (2019) | +8.48% |
| 172 |  Gabon | 29.96 (2020) | 27.52 (2019) | +8.83% |
| 173 |  United States | 7.82 (2020) | 7.18 (2019) | +8.90% |
| 174 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 8.59 (2020) | 7.87 (2019) | +9.17% |
| 175 |  Ghana | 54.24 (2020) | 49.66 (2019) | +9.24% |
| 176 |  Nigeria | 56.53 (2020) | 51.72 (2019) | +9.30% |
| 177 |  Belize | 28.65 (2020) | 26.15 (2019) | +9.58% |
| 178 |  Benin | 51.05 (2020) | 46.56 (2019) | +9.63% |
| 179 |  El Salvador | 20.03 (2020) | 18.27 (2019) | +9.64% |
| 180 |  Lesotho | 23.44 (2020) | 21.18 (2019) | +10.66% |
| 181 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 49.50 (2020) | 44.33 (2019) | +11.65% |
| 182 |  Honduras | 20.31 (2020) | 18.14 (2019) | +11.96% |
| 183 |  Sierra Leone | 43.22 (2020) | 38.59 (2019) | +11.99% |
| 184 | Equatorial Guinea | 35.38 (2020) | 31.55 (2019) | +12.13% |
| 185 |  Nicaragua | 16.81 (2020) | 14.98 (2019) | +12.19% |
| 186 |  Liberia | 42.36 (2020) | 37.16 (2019) | +14.00% |
| 187 |  Comoros | 11.93 (2020) | 10.41 (2019) | +14.60% |
| 188 |  Burkina Faso | 58.47 (2020) | 50.71 (2019) | +15.31% |
| 189 |  Niger | 85.12 (2020) | 72.47 (2019) | +17.46% |
| 190 |  Tanzania | 25.08 (2020) | 20.78 (2019) | +20.70% |
| 191 |  Kenya | 24.39 (2020) | 19.57 (2019) | +24.63% |
| 192 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 27.34 (2020) | 21.66 (2019) | +26.23% |
Source: World Bank. Only countries with complete data (both points within the past 10 years) are shown.