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.
Afghanistan ranks #1 in 2020, showing a positive change from 58.33 to 46.09. Bhutan takes #2 with a positive change from 30.05 to 23.95, and Nepal is #3, showing a positive change from 57.28 to 45.72.
Meanwhile, Tanzania, Kenya, and Sao Tome and Principe are at the bottom of the ranking. Tanzania shows a negative change from 20.78 to 25.08, Kenya sees a negative change from 19.57 to 24.39, and Sao Tome and Principe has a negative change from 21.66 to 27.34.
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 consecutive data in the past 10 years are shown.