List of World's Most Polluted Cities 2024

In 2024, global air pollution remains a pressing issue, with cities like Dhaka and Lahore reporting dangerously high PM2.5 levels. This report highlights the most polluted cities worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for effective measures to address air quality and protect public health across various regions.

Sep 26, 2024, 15:57 IST
List of World's Most Polluted Cities 2024
List of World's Most Polluted Cities 2024

Brief About India's Pollution: India's air pollution crisis remains severe, with recent data from 2024 indicating that the situation has not improved significantly since previous years. The following updates reflect the current state of air quality in Indian cities, based on the latest reports from verified sources.\

In 2024, the average PM2.5 concentration across India is alarmingly high, with Byrnihat in Meghalaya recorded as the most polluted city at an average of 151.5 µg/m³. This level is over 30 times higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended annual limit of 5 µg/m³.

List of World's Most Polluted Cities 2024

Rank City Country PM2.5 (µg/m³) Primary Pollutants
1 Dhaka Bangladesh 114.5 PM2.5
2 Lahore Pakistan 95.1 PM2.5
3 Patna India 67.0 PM2.5
4 New Delhi India 65.9 PM2.5
5 Muzaffarnagar India 62.4 PM2.5
6 Urumqi China 63.4 PM2.5
7 Xi’an China 57.9 PM2.5
8 Xuchang China 57.0 PM2.5
9 Peshawar Pakistan 56.2 PM2.5
10 Anyang China 54.6 PM2.5
11 Dushanbe Tajikistan 53.8 PM2.5
12 Ghaziabad India 53.5 PM2.5
13 Zhengzhou China 53.3 PM2.5
14 Lucknow India 53.1 PM2.5
15 Xinxiang China 51.6 PM2.5
16 Lanzhou China 49.5 PM2.5
17 Shijiazhuang China 48.6 PM2.5
18 Kathmandu Nepal 48.5 PM2.5
19 Dubai UAE 47.8 PM2.5
20 Visakhapatnam India 46.8 PM2.5
21 Chandigarh India 45.8 PM2.5
22 Taiyuan China 45.2 PM2.5
23 Baghdad Iraq 44.9 PM2.5
24 Tianjin China 44.9 PM2.5
25 Greater Noida India TBD TBD
26 Muzzafarnagar India TBD TBD
27 Gurgaon India TBD TBD
28 Arrah India TBD TBD
29 Dadri India TBD TBD
30 Faridabad India TBD TBD
31 Noida India TBD TBD
32 Meerut India TBD TBD
33 Rohtak India TBD TBD

This data depicts the top cities with the highest levels of air pollution, primarily measured by their annual average concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5). The data indicates a significant presence of Indian cities, reflecting ongoing air quality challenges in the region.

About the Report

Air pollution is among the major environmental health risks; millions of premature deaths have been caused by it. The major pollutant quantified in this report refers to particulate matter as PM2.5, which is a very small particle less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. The particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and even into the bloodstream and induce various health issues such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and many other serious conditions.

This ranking is based on data from numerous monitoring stations distributed worldwide, measuring the air quality. The average annual concentration of PM2.5 is typically expressed in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). This ranking is determined according to cities in terms of the level of their PM2.5; the higher values reflect worse air quality.

 

Kirti Sharma
Kirti Sharma

Content Writer

Kirti Sharma is a content writing professional with 3 years of experience in the EdTech Industry and Digital Content. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and worked with companies like ThoughtPartners Global, Infinite Group, and MIM-Essay. She writes for the General Knowledge and Current Affairs section of JagranJosh.com.

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