5. Mauritania
Annual mean concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in urban areas (μg/m3): 86.2
Mauritania has very low air quality, mainly caused by gas emissions from vehicles and indoor pollution caused by using inadequate fuels for cooking and heating. Indoor pollution is a common problem in most developing countries since people do not have access to renewable energy sources and cannot afford to choose what they will use for cooking/heating. According to World Health Organization, 90% of the population in rural households in developing countries relies mostly on unprocessed biomass fuels (wood, cow dung, crop residues, etc.). This example shows that countries with high indoor pollution can reach the top of our list of 12 countries with the dirtiest air in the world although many of us think that indoor pollution cannot be compared to outdoor pollution and that it is more harmless.
Pixabay/Public Domain
