Mar 19, 2024

India 3rd most polluted country in world, IQAir

Express Web Desk

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

Source: Express Photo

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.

Source: Express Photo

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

Source: Express Photo

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

Source: Express Photo

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

Source: Express Photo

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

Source: Express Photo

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

Source: Express Photo

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

Source: Express Photo

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

Source: Express Photo

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.

Source: Express Photo

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