India 3rd most polluted country in world, IQAir

In 2023, India was declared the third-most polluted country globally, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter.

Bangladesh and Pakistan were ranked ahead of India in air pollution, with PM2.5 concentrations of 79.9 and 73.7 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively.

The 'World Air Quality Report 2023' by IQAir revealed that India had eight of the world's 10 most polluted cities.

Begusarai in Bihar emerged as the most polluted metropolitan area in 2023, with a significant increase in PM2.5 concentration compared to 2022.

Guwahati and Delhi also experienced alarming spikes in PM2.5 levels between 2022 and 2023.

Other Indian cities featured prominently in the top 50 most polluted cities globally, including Greater Noida, Patna, and Ghaziabad.

IQAir's report compiled data from over 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,812 locations worldwide.

Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand were among the few countries meeting the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline.

Africa remained underrepresented in air quality monitoring, with a significant portion of the population lacking access to data.

China saw a reversal in its declining trend of PM2.5 levels, experiencing a 6.3% increase in 2023, while Canada became the most polluted country in Northern America for the first time.