Pakistan ranked as the most polluted country in 2025, with average PM2.5 concentrations recorded at levels up to 13 times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, according to an annual report by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir.
The report highlights widespread air quality concerns, with pollution levels exceeding safe limits across much of the country. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs, is associated with increased health risks.
Global air quality overview
IQAir assessed data from 143 countries and territories, finding that 130 did not meet the WHO’s recommended annual PM2.5 limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Only 13 countries met the standard, compared with seven in 2024.
Bangladesh and Tajikistan ranked second and third among the most polluted countries. Chad, which ranked first in 2024, dropped to fourth place, though researchers cited limited data availability as a factor.
Monitoring gaps affect rankings
The report noted that gaps in air quality monitoring influenced some results. A US government decision to shut down a global monitoring programme in March 2025 reduced available data in several regions.
Countries including Burundi, Turkmenistan and Togo were excluded from the rankings due to insufficient data.
City-level trends
At the city level, Loni in India recorded the highest PM2.5 levels globally, followed by Hotan in China’s Xinjiang region. The report stated that the 25 most polluted cities were all located in India, Pakistan and China.
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Only 14% of cities worldwide met WHO air quality standards in 2025, down from 17% a year earlier, with factors such as wildfires contributing to increased pollution in some regions.
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