In this article, we list the 40 Most Polluted Cities in the World in 2024. If you would like to skip the complete list and our detailed discussion of the topic, you can go directly to 10 Most Polluted Cities in the World in 2024.
According to the World Bank, global land waste is forecasted to increase to 3.4 billion tons by 2050. This alarmingly high number has raised many concerns amongst global leaders and local communities to strictly call for fixing the so-called “throwaway culture.”
The throwaway culture is at large illuminated by industries that produce and dump substantial waste material into the soil, which increases land waste and also causes soil pollution. Similarly, the use of pesticides and nitrogen-based fertilizers in the agriculture industry and urbanization are also significantly contributing to soil pollution. Unfortunately, the efforts of just one country or a group of countries are not enough to fix this issue — a global problem requires a global solution. However, waste materials are not efficiently recycled, reused, or properly disposed of in many parts of the world despite the staggering statistics. Waste keeps piling up on the land, especially in low-income countries.
Other forms of pollution are also peaking, like air pollution. Each year, around 7 million premature deaths occur due to the effects of ambient and household air pollution, WHO reports.
Even worse is the fact that around 2.4 billion people worldwide are already exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution. In the United States, according to the American Lung Association’s 2023 report, 119.6 million people live in places with unhealthy levels of air quality. As a result, people are prone to multiple health issues, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, and other long-term health issues like cancer. It’s important to note that air quality deteriorates as a result of overall pollution, and not just air pollution.
Air quality is measured and monitored using sensors that are designed to detect specific pollutants, such as PM2.5, PM10, ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide — those that impact human and environmental health overall. There are different methods of measuring these pollutants; some use satellite imaging to measure energy reflected or emitted by the Earth, while others use lasers to scan particulate matter density in a cubic meter of air.
The results are recorded on an air quality index (AQI), which is a scale ranging from 0 to 500 to measure the density of pollutants in the air. The higher the AQI score, the lesser the air quality. Air quality is unhealthy when it scores above 100 on the AQI. According to the UN Environment Programme and IQAir, only 38 of 117 countries and regions had AQI readings below 100 in 2021.
Pollution Vs. Global Corporations
Since pollution is a major environmental concern, many global corporations such as JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU), Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS), and General Motors Co (NYSE: GM) have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint, which, in turn, will help better the overall air quality.
JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) announced in 2020 to use science-based emission reduction strategies to achieve a net zero carbon footprint by 2040. The strategies include transitioning to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), made from non-petroleum feedstocks, as an alternative fuel to reduce emissions. By 2035, JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) is committed to reducing jet fuel emissions by 50% per tonne-kilometer.
Similarly, Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS) is also aiming to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS) has invested nearly $100 million in over 30 climate change and environmental sustainability projects. Moreover, its subsidiary company, Disney Cruise Line, has integrated its newest fleets with technologies and systems that improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
On the other hand, by 2040, General Motors Co (NYSE: GM) aims to achieve carbon neutrality in global products and operations. In order to achieve this goal, General Motors Co (NYSE: GM) has set milestones and Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-approved targets. By 2025, the company plans to scale its annual Electric Vehicles (EV) capacity to 1 million in North America and over 2 million globally.
Here, we have listed the 40 most polluted cities in the world in 2024.
40 Most Polluted Cities in the World in 2024
Our Methodology
We have ranked the most polluted cities in the world based on the concentration of particulate matter (with an aerodynamic diameter equal to or less than 2.5 μm). We sourced data from IQAir’s ranking of the world’s most polluted cities as well as AQI’s ranking of the same. Note that according to WHO guidelines, the concentration of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 µg/m³. In both indexes, higher rankings have represented low levels of pollution, and vice versa. When we say rankings, we do not mean scores.
For our list, we have only considered cities that appeared in both these indexes, and to rank the cities, we have averaged their rankings. So, if a country ranked #1 in IQAir’s index and ranked #3 in the AQI, it received a score of 2. Cities are listed in this article in ascending order of their average ranking scores. Note that we have considered the top 150 cities (most polluted ones) in both indexes.
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40 Most Polluted Cities in the World in 2024
40. Jabalpur, India
AQI Ranking: 131
IQAir Ranking: 149
Jabalpur is a city in India, best known for its tourist attractions like the Dhuandhar Falls. The city is one of the most populous cities in the state of Madhya Pradesh and hosts industries like food processing, sawmilling, and varied manufactures. Jabalpur is also one of the most polluted cities in the world with an AQI ranking of 131 and a PM2.5 concentration of 3.7 times above the WHO’s recommended limit.
39. Ujjain, India
AQI Ranking: 141
IQAir Ranking: 115
Located in the west-central part of India, Ujjain ranks 39th on the list of cities with the highest pollution. The air quality in Ujjain exceeds the WHO’s limit currently 5.1 times, mainly due to vehicles, road repairs, construction sites, slash-and-burn farming, and households burning material such as dried animal dung, firewood, and charcoal.
38. Mumbai, India
AQI Ranking: 96
IQAir Ranking: 138
Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, and famously labeled as the New York of India, is the financial capital of India with a population of over 22 million. As of 2024, Mumbai exceeds WHO’s air quality index by 3 to 5 times and has 5 times more PM2.5 concentration than the recommended WHO guideline value.
37. Patiala, India
AQI Ranking: 149
IQAir Ranking: 78
Located in southeastern Punjab in northwestern India, Patiala is a city with nearly 763,280 people according to the 2020 consensus. The city has a PM2.5 concentration of 27.2 µg/m³ which is 5.4 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value.
36. Igdir, Turkey
AQI Ranking: 139
IQAir Ranking: 83
Igdir in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey is the 36th most polluted city in the world as of 2024. With a PM2.5 concentration of 77.7µg/m³, Igdir’s air quality is unhealthy, exceeding the WHO annual air quality guideline value by 15.5 times.
35. Amritsar, India
AQI Ranking: 108
IQAir Ranking: 112
With an AQI ranking of 108 and IQAir Ranking of 112, Amritsar is a major cultural, transportation, and economic center of India. Amritsar has an estimated population of 1,480,470 in 2024 according to the World Population Review, and is best known for its temples and shrines. The city has a PM2.5 concentration 5.6 times higher than the WHO guidelines as of writing this article.
34. Turpan, China
AQI Ranking: 85
IQAir Ranking: 128
A prefecture-level city in the autonomous region of Xinjiang, China, Turpan is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The main pollutants in the city are PM10, CO, and PM2.5, with a concentration of 317.5µg/m³, 1100µg/m³, and 71µg/m³ respectively. The PM2.5 concentration levels in the city are currently 14.2 times higher than the WHO annual air quality guideline value.
33. Ajmer, India
AQI Ranking: 127
IQAir Ranking: 86
Surrounded by the Aravali Mountains, Ajmer is a city in the northwest of India with an AQI ranking of 127. The air quality usually varies in Ajmer, with the average yearly PM2.5 reading coming at 39.8 μg/m³ during 2020. The PM2.5 concentrations in the city are currently 4.9 times higher than the WHO guidelines.
32. Pune, India
AQI Ranking: 121
IQAir Ranking: 92
Pune, the manufacturing and industrial center of India, ranks 32 on the list with a PM2.5 concentration of 16.2 µg/m³. As of 2024, it is 3.2 times exceeding the WHO annual air quality guideline value.
31. Jaipur, India
AQI Ranking: 130
IQAir Ranking: 76
Best known for its scenic bazaars, forts, temples, palaces, and wildlife sanctuaries, Jaipur is the largest city in India’s state of Rajasthan. It ranks 130 on the AQI ranking and 76 on the IQAir Ranking with a PM2.5 concentration of 41.7µg/m³ — 5.1 times higher than the WHO guidelines. Firecrackers, fireworks, vehicular emissions, and frequent burning of the large garbage disposal heaps in the city result in high levels of pollution in the city.
30. Wujiaqu, China
AQI Ranking: 87
IQAir Ranking: 80
Ranked 30, Wujiaqu is a city in the northern part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. Wujiaqu’s pollution levels are high mainly due to CO, PM10, and PM2.5 concentrations. As of March 2024, the city’s PM2.5 concentration levels are 15.8 times higher than the WHO guidelines.
29. Sirsa, India
AQI Ranking: 73
IQAir Ranking: 89
Situated near the Thar Desert in the westernmost region of Haryana, Sirsa is known as the oldest city in North India. The city currently has a PM2.5 concentration of 24.1 µg/m³, which is 4.8 times higher than the WHO guidelines.
28. Gwalior, India
AQI Ranking: 78
IQAir Ranking: 69
Located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior is best known for its temples and palaces. The city currently has a PM2.5 concentration of 26.7 µg/m³ – 5.3 times higher than the levels recommended by WHO guidelines. The average pollution readings for the city come at about 100 μg/m³ and even went as high as 188 μg/m³ in January 2021.
27. Kuwait City, Kuwait
AQI Ranking: 62
IQAir Ranking: 66
Kuwait City, the capital and the largest city of the Gulf nation of Kuwait is subject to high levels of pollution. The city’s PM2.5 concentration varies significantly throughout the year, with the quality starting to deteriorate noticeably around August till the early months of the following year. Currently, the PM2.5 concentration level in the city is 4.2 times higher than the WHO’s recommended guidelines.
26. Jodhpur, India
AQI Ranking: 68
IQAir Ranking: 56
Best known for its vibrant and beautiful architecture, Jodhpur is the second largest city in Rajasthan, India. It ranks 68 on the AQI ranking and 56 on the IQAir Ranking with a PM2.5 concentration of 25µg/m³ — 5 times higher than the WHO guidelines. Dust, biomass burning, industrial pollution, and traffic are the main causes of high pollution levels in the city.
25. Durgapur, India
AQI Ranking: 60
IQAir Ranking: 61
Located in the Paschim Bardhaman district, Durgapur is the biggest industrial hub of West Bengal, and also one of the biggest industrial hubs in the whole of India. With PM2.5 being the major pollutant in the city, Durgapur’s PM2.5 concentration as of March 2024 is 61.2 µg/m³.
24. Ambala, India
AQI Ranking: 67
IQAir Ranking: 46
Ambala, a city in the Indian state of Haryana, is also one of the most polluted cities in the world as of 2024. Ranked 67 on AQI’s index and 46 on IQAir’s index, the air quality levels in the city are currently 7.1 times higher than the WHO air quality guidelines.
23. Kanpur, India
AQI Ranking: 65
IQAir Ranking: 48
Located in the central-western part of Uttar Pradesh in India, Kanpur is a large industrial city in the country with high levels of pollution. In 2017, the city had an average PM2.5 concentration level of 119.2 μg/m³. The pollution levels dropped significantly in the years after that, and are currently a lot less than the 2017 record, but are still 4.5 times higher than the WHO guidelines.
22. Aksu, China
AQI Ranking: 30
IQAir Ranking: 73
Ranked 22, Aksu is a city in China widely known for its apples. As of writing this article, the city has a PM2.5 concentration of 45µg/m³, which is 9 times higher than WHO’s recommended guidelines according to IQAir. The city also has significant amounts of PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO.
21. Gaya, India
AQI Ranking: 72
IQAir Ranking: 26
Gaya is a city beside the Falgu River, in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. It ranks 72 on AQI’s index and 26 on IQAir’s index, with a PM2.5 concentration of 39.6µg/m³. The air quality levels and pollution vary throughout the year in Gaya due to various factors, but there haven’t been any significant drops in pollution levels in recent years. Gaya, alongside Muzaffarpur, is the most polluted city in the whole of Bihar.
20. Lucknow, India
AQI Ranking: 35
IQAir Ranking: 54
Situated roughly in the center of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow is the largest city and the capital of UP. It is best known for its rich history in literature and for its cultural diversity. The city is currently experiencing a PM2.5 concentration of 24.3µg/m³, which is 4.9 times the WHO’s air quality baseline according to IQAir.
19. Dhaka, Bangladesh
AQI Ranking: 23
IQAir Ranking: 49
With an AQI ranking of 19 and IQAir Ranking of 49, Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, comes #2 on our list of most polluted cities in the world in 2024. Dhaka has a population of over 20 million and is one of the most crowded cities in the world. In December of 2023, the city saw thick layers of toxic smog. The city faces pollution problems from all aspects, with the overuse of fossil fuels, growing population, industrial waste, and the build-up of large dust concentrations being the primary concerns.
18. Gurugram, India
AQI Ranking: 31
IQAir Ranking: 38
Gurugram, one of India’s leading financial centers, is also one of the most polluted cities in the world in 2024. As of writing this article, the PM2.5 concentration in Gurugram is 11.9 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value.
17. Hapur, India
AQI Ranking: 21
IQAir Ranking: 44
Hapur is another city in India’s Uttar Pradesh with high pollution levels. The city has a population of 13,28,322 and is the manufacturing hub of Stainless Steel Pipes and Tubes. Hapur’s air quality levels are very volatile and fluctuate greatly over the course of just one day. However, on average, the city’s air quality degrades the most during October and November, during which the pollution readings range between 55.5 and 150.4 µg/m³.
16. Hisar, India
AQI Ranking: 28
IQAir Ranking: 32
Ranked sixteen, Hisar is the sixteenth most polluted city in the world as of 2024. Similar to Hapur, Hisar’s readings fluctuate as well, but the city mostly sees dangerous levels of pollution due to traffic, stubble burning, dust, use of poor fuels, and construction sites. Hisar sees the worst levels of PM2.5 concentrations during the last months of the year, with readings going as high as 134 μg/m³.
15. Bhiwani, India
AQI Ranking: 27
IQAir Ranking: 29
Bhiwani is located in the Indian state of Haryana and is home to about 300 temples. The city’s main pollutants include PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and volatile organic compounds. Moreover, the main causes of pollution in Bhiwani are the numerous combustion sources that are found across the city.
14. Bulandshahr, India
AQI Ranking: 16
IQAir Ranking: 36
Known worldwide for its potteries, Bulandshahr is a city in India with numerous pollutive issues. As of writing this article, the PM2.5 concentration (37.7 µg/m³) of the city is 7.5 times higher than the WHO guidelines.
13. Meerut, India
AQI Ranking: 14
IQAir Ranking: 31
Ranked 13, Meerut is yet another city in India with high pollution levels due to vehicle emissions, industrial operations, burning of biomass, and use of fireworks. The air quality in the city is deteriorating fast, and according to IQAir, Meerut is en route to becoming a “gas chamber.”
12. Peshawar, Pakistan
AQI Ranking: 39
IQAir Ranking: 5
Coming 12th on the list, Peshawar is a city located in the northwest of Pakistan. It is the sixth most populous city in the country. Peshawar’s most recent PM2.5 notable reading was 63.9 μg/m³ according to IQAir, where it ranks 5 on the most polluted cities index.
Apart from its geography and meteorological conditions, vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, burning of crops and garbage, poorly maintained roads, construction sites, and burning of materials for heat generation contribute to Peshawar’s high pollution levels.
11. Baghdad, Iraq
AQI Ranking: 25
IQAir Ranking: 13
The capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world, Baghdad is best known for its rich cultural and religious history. Located on the Tigris River, Baghdad is home to about 7,921,134 people according to World Population Review.
However, being a heavily populated city, it also has unhealthy air quality. As of writing this article, Baghdad has PM2.5 concentration levels of 52.5µg/m³, which is 10.5 times higher than WHO’s guidelines.
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Disclosure: None. 40 Most Polluted Cities in the World in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
