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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.

RankCountryMost Recent YearPrevious YearChange
1Afghanistan46.09 (2020)58.33 (2019)-20.99%
2Bhutan23.95 (2020)30.05 (2019)-20.32%
3Nepal45.72 (2020)57.28 (2019)-20.17%
4India48.40 (2020)59.89 (2019)-19.20%
5Egypt54.86 (2020)67.75 (2019)-19.03%
6Singapore13.87 (2020)17.08 (2019)-18.78%
7Pakistan43.00 (2020)52.86 (2019)-18.65%
8Yemen34.83 (2020)41.64 (2019)-16.35%
9Bangladesh42.38 (2020)50.37 (2019)-15.85%
10United Arab Emirates36.31 (2020)41.96 (2019)-13.47%
11New Zealand6.49 (2020)7.42 (2019)-12.62%
12Oman39.58 (2020)44.90 (2019)-11.84%
13Sudan45.84 (2020)51.94 (2019)-11.75%
14Australia8.25 (2020)9.33 (2019)-11.56%
15Eswatini18.78 (2020)21.17 (2019)-11.26%
16Eritrea32.35 (2020)36.27 (2019)-10.79%
17Estonia6.15 (2020)6.85 (2019)-10.21%
18Lithuania9.22 (2020)10.25 (2019)-10.03%
19Cyprus13.51 (2020)15.01 (2019)-9.98%
20Seychelles8.50 (2020)9.43 (2019)-9.90%
21Libya32.97 (2020)36.48 (2019)-9.63%
22Djibouti35.92 (2020)39.72 (2019)-9.56%
23Saudi Arabia53.15 (2020)58.62 (2019)-9.34%
24Malaysia16.19 (2020)17.82 (2019)-9.12%
25Finland4.90 (2020)5.38 (2019)-9.00%
26Suriname27.31 (2020)29.99 (2019)-8.95%
27Kyrgyzstan24.38 (2020)26.76 (2019)-8.89%
28Türkiye21.61 (2020)23.70 (2019)-8.79%
29Tajikistan37.05 (2020)40.29 (2019)-8.03%
30Indonesia17.88 (2020)19.43 (2019)-7.96%
31Jordan28.77 (2020)31.26 (2019)-7.95%
32South Sudan30.74 (2020)33.36 (2019)-7.86%
33China34.81 (2020)37.55 (2019)-7.29%
34Peru27.04 (2020)29.11 (2019)-7.13%
35Sweden5.64 (2020)6.07 (2019)-7.12%
36Latvia11.60 (2020)12.49 (2019)-7.09%
37Malta11.72 (2020)12.59 (2019)-6.89%
38Iceland5.11 (2020)5.48 (2019)-6.86%
39Syria24.71 (2020)26.47 (2019)-6.67%
40Lebanon19.23 (2020)20.60 (2019)-6.63%
41Qatar75.66 (2020)81.01 (2019)-6.60%
42Bolivia22.88 (2020)24.49 (2019)-6.56%
43Belarus14.61 (2020)15.62 (2019)-6.46%
44Moldova14.76 (2020)15.77 (2019)-6.44%
45Armenia30.58 (2020)32.66 (2019)-6.37%
46Uzbekistan31.96 (2020)34.13 (2019)-6.37%
47Ecuador16.66 (2020)17.77 (2019)-6.26%
48Philippines20.29 (2020)21.53 (2019)-5.74%
49Denmark9.07 (2020)9.61 (2019)-5.64%
50Palau7.33 (2020)7.75 (2019)-5.40%
51Chad49.14 (2020)51.87 (2019)-5.26%
52Norway6.06 (2020)6.38 (2019)-5.09%
53Iran32.29 (2020)34.02 (2019)-5.08%
54Israel18.60 (2020)19.56 (2019)-4.90%
55Ethiopia27.31 (2020)28.69 (2019)-4.82%
56Austria10.93 (2020)11.47 (2019)-4.63%
57Mongolia29.66 (2020)31.08 (2019)-4.60%
58Brunei7.60 (2020)7.95 (2019)-4.39%
59Ukraine14.90 (2020)15.58 (2019)-4.36%
60Poland17.96 (2020)18.77 (2019)-4.33%
61Netherlands10.89 (2020)11.36 (2019)-4.18%
62Switzerland9.06 (2020)9.45 (2019)-4.12%
63Kazakhstan20.03 (2020)20.86 (2019)-3.97%
64North Korea29.93 (2020)31.12 (2019)-3.84%
65Fiji12.42 (2020)12.91 (2019)-3.82%
66Greece14.41 (2020)14.94 (2019)-3.57%
67Panama11.47 (2020)11.88 (2019)-3.48%
68Russia11.27 (2020)11.68 (2019)-3.47%
69Hungary14.14 (2020)14.64 (2019)-3.45%
70Germany10.29 (2020)10.64 (2019)-3.29%
71Georgia17.04 (2020)17.62 (2019)-3.26%
72Turkmenistan19.60 (2020)20.25 (2019)-3.22%
73Slovakia15.39 (2020)15.84 (2019)-2.81%
74Kiribati11.26 (2020)11.55 (2019)-2.52%
75Samoa12.55 (2020)12.87 (2019)-2.49%
76Bahrain58.50 (2020)59.97 (2019)-2.45%
77Maldives12.01 (2020)12.31 (2019)-2.45%
78Solomon Islands13.95 (2020)14.30 (2019)-2.42%
79Guyana25.46 (2020)26.09 (2019)-2.42%
80Colombia14.18 (2020)14.52 (2019)-2.29%
81France9.60 (2020)9.83 (2019)-2.29%
82Cameroon39.81 (2020)40.74 (2019)-2.27%
83Bulgaria17.15 (2020)17.54 (2019)-2.23%
84Tonga12.48 (2020)12.76 (2019)-2.19%
85Mauritania70.82 (2020)72.20 (2019)-1.91%
86Montenegro17.98 (2020)18.32 (2019)-1.86%
87Micronesia12.11 (2020)12.34 (2019)-1.80%
88Vanuatu14.08 (2020)14.34 (2019)-1.77%
89Italy14.66 (2020)14.89 (2019)-1.58%
90Botswana18.91 (2020)19.20 (2019)-1.55%
91Tuvalu5.92 (2020)6.01 (2019)-1.53%
92Central African Republic34.43 (2020)34.91 (2019)-1.38%
93Brazil12.18 (2020)12.35 (2019)-1.38%
94Azerbaijan21.73 (2020)22.02 (2019)-1.35%
95Mauritius9.15 (2020)9.28 (2019)-1.34%
96Timor-Leste17.41 (2020)17.63 (2019)-1.24%
97Mali56.78 (2020)57.39 (2019)-1.06%
98Romania14.85 (2020)15.01 (2019)-1.05%
99Czech Republic14.11 (2020)14.23 (2019)-0.86%
100Monaco9.58 (2020)9.66 (2019)-0.81%
101Japan12.84 (2020)12.94 (2019)-0.80%
102Marshall Islands10.73 (2020)10.80 (2019)-0.71%
103Congo28.57 (2020)28.75 (2019)-0.61%
104Serbia22.51 (2020)22.64 (2019)-0.57%
105Laos22.32 (2020)22.43 (2019)-0.49%
106Bosnia and Herzegovina26.60 (2020)26.72 (2019)-0.43%
107United Kingdom9.91 (2020)9.95 (2019)-0.33%
108Paraguay10.09 (2020)10.12 (2019)-0.33%
109Madagascar12.75 (2020)12.80 (2019)-0.32%
110South Korea25.94 (2020)26.02 (2019)-0.27%
111Vietnam20.80 (2020)20.83 (2019)-0.15%
112Albania15.71 (2020)15.71 (2019)+0.01%
113Belgium11.22 (2020)11.21 (2019)+0.02%
114Myanmar32.32 (2020)32.16 (2019)+0.47%
115Nauru6.06 (2020)6.03 (2019)+0.63%
116Andorra9.08 (2020)9.01 (2019)+0.77%
117North Macedonia26.12 (2020)25.88 (2019)+0.93%
118Sri Lanka19.96 (2020)19.78 (2019)+0.93%
119Iraq38.18 (2020)37.73 (2019)+1.17%
120Democratic Republic of the Congo26.65 (2020)26.34 (2019)+1.18%
121Croatia16.12 (2020)15.92 (2019)+1.29%
122Grenada24.66 (2020)24.27 (2019)+1.62%
123Dominican Republic19.83 (2020)19.50 (2019)+1.69%
124Tunisia24.18 (2020)23.77 (2019)+1.73%
125Barbados23.73 (2020)23.33 (2019)+1.74%
126Kuwait53.72 (2020)52.78 (2019)+1.77%
127Morocco21.32 (2020)20.93 (2019)+1.87%
128San Marino10.69 (2020)10.49 (2019)+1.88%
129Mexico14.99 (2020)14.71 (2019)+1.95%
130Haiti21.35 (2020)20.94 (2019)+1.96%
131Bahamas18.94 (2020)18.57 (2019)+2.01%
132Jamaica17.41 (2020)17.07 (2019)+2.01%
133Thailand31.01 (2020)30.38 (2019)+2.05%
134Guinea43.77 (2020)42.88 (2019)+2.07%
135Angola25.15 (2020)24.60 (2019)+2.22%
136Saint Vincent and the Grenadines23.93 (2020)23.41 (2019)+2.22%
137Trinidad and Tobago25.60 (2020)25.01 (2019)+2.37%
138Chile23.28 (2020)22.73 (2019)+2.39%
139Spain9.58 (2020)9.35 (2019)+2.43%
140South Africa23.75 (2020)23.19 (2019)+2.43%
141Mozambique20.08 (2020)19.60 (2019)+2.48%
142Papua New Guinea17.31 (2020)16.89 (2019)+2.50%
143Luxembourg8.68 (2020)8.46 (2019)+2.55%
144Uruguay10.57 (2020)10.30 (2019)+2.65%
145Venezuela15.26 (2020)14.85 (2019)+2.73%
146Slovenia14.29 (2020)13.91 (2019)+2.75%
147Saint Lucia23.76 (2020)23.07 (2019)+2.98%
148Burundi29.65 (2020)28.78 (2019)+3.05%
149Dominica20.67 (2020)20.04 (2019)+3.11%
150Namibia20.00 (2020)19.39 (2019)+3.13%
151Antigua and Barbuda19.70 (2020)19.06 (2019)+3.36%
152Guinea-Bissau50.21 (2020)48.50 (2019)+3.53%
153Argentina14.91 (2020)14.40 (2019)+3.53%
154Ireland8.17 (2020)7.89 (2019)+3.54%
155Rwanda31.29 (2020)30.01 (2019)+4.27%
156Cuba21.24 (2020)20.34 (2019)+4.39%
157Zambia24.31 (2020)23.20 (2019)+4.76%
158Algeria25.55 (2020)24.39 (2019)+4.77%
159Cambodia24.14 (2020)22.97 (2019)+5.09%
160Zimbabwe19.49 (2020)18.53 (2019)+5.21%
161Canada6.57 (2020)6.23 (2019)+5.44%
162Senegal63.74 (2020)60.34 (2019)+5.63%
163Portugal8.45 (2020)7.98 (2019)+5.87%
164Malawi23.70 (2020)22.34 (2019)+6.09%
165Gambia58.36 (2020)54.87 (2019)+6.36%
166Costa Rica14.31 (2020)13.38 (2019)+6.96%
167Guatemala21.64 (2020)20.21 (2019)+7.06%
168Uganda33.81 (2020)31.49 (2019)+7.38%
169Somalia24.53 (2020)22.84 (2019)+7.40%
170Cabo Verde42.32 (2020)39.35 (2019)+7.55%
171Togo51.67 (2020)47.63 (2019)+8.48%
172Gabon29.96 (2020)27.52 (2019)+8.83%
173United States7.82 (2020)7.18 (2019)+8.90%
174Saint Kitts and Nevis8.59 (2020)7.87 (2019)+9.17%
175Ghana54.24 (2020)49.66 (2019)+9.24%
176Nigeria56.53 (2020)51.72 (2019)+9.30%
177Belize28.65 (2020)26.15 (2019)+9.58%
178Benin51.05 (2020)46.56 (2019)+9.63%
179El Salvador20.03 (2020)18.27 (2019)+9.64%
180Lesotho23.44 (2020)21.18 (2019)+10.66%
181Côte d'Ivoire49.50 (2020)44.33 (2019)+11.65%
182Honduras20.31 (2020)18.14 (2019)+11.96%
183Sierra Leone43.22 (2020)38.59 (2019)+11.99%
184Equatorial Guinea35.38 (2020)31.55 (2019)+12.13%
185Nicaragua16.81 (2020)14.98 (2019)+12.19%
186Liberia42.36 (2020)37.16 (2019)+14.00%
187Comoros11.93 (2020)10.41 (2019)+14.60%
188Burkina Faso58.47 (2020)50.71 (2019)+15.31%
189Niger85.12 (2020)72.47 (2019)+17.46%
190Tanzania25.08 (2020)20.78 (2019)+20.70%
191Kenya24.39 (2020)19.57 (2019)+24.63%
192Sao Tome and Principe27.34 (2020)21.66 (2019)+26.23%

Source: World Bank. Only countries with consecutive data in the past 10 years are shown.