Countries with the Most Polluted Air 2022

About This Dataset

Countries ranked by PM2.5 air pollution (micrograms per m3) in 2022, using World Bank figures for the 200 countries that reported that year. Qatar leads on 111.9, ahead of Saudi Arabia (77.8) and Niger (74.6). The population-weighted average exposure to fine particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres, in micrograms per cubic metre. It is modelled from satellite readings and ground monitors, because most countries have too few monitors for a direct national average.

Analysis

Qatar (111.9), Saudi Arabia (77.8) and Niger (74.6) take the top three. Across the twenty shown, values run from 111.9 down to 42.2, a spread of 69.7. Qatar is 1.44 times Saudi Arabia, the country in second place. 11 of the 20 reach half the leading figure, 56.0 or more. Qatar stood at 107.9 in 2021, so its figure rose by 4.0 over the year. Qatar also came first in 2021. Of the 20 in this table that also reported in 2021, 15 recorded a higher figure than the year before and 5 a lower one. The largest single move was Kuwait, from 62.0 to 74.5. The chart shows the twenty highest of 200 reporting countries, so it describes the top of the distribution rather than the world average.

Source: World Bank

Key Findings

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Qatar leads in PM2.5 Air Pollution (Micrograms per m3) with 111.90 in 2022.

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Average PM2.5 Air Pollution (Micrograms per m3) in 2022: 60 · median: 57.

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Gap in 2022: Qatar is 2.7× larger than Egypt.