20 most polluted cities in the world

Air pollution remains a serious global challenge, with some cities experiencing dangerously high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). 

According to the latest IQAir report, 19 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in Asia, with India dominating the list due to rapid industrialisation, coal dependency, and heavy traffic congestion. 

The only city outside of Asia is N’Djamena, Chad, highlighting the growing air quality crisis in parts of Africa. These cities far exceed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality guidelines, posing major health risks to millions of people. 

Byrnihat, India 

Byrnihat is an industrial town with severe air pollution caused by coal-based industries, construction, and deforestation. Residents in this part of India also struggle with visibility issues and respiratory problems.

Begusarai, India 

Begusarai is home to major refineries and manufacturing plants. This leads to high PM2.5 levels. Industrial emissions and vehicle pollution also make the air hazardous in Begusarai.

Gaya, India 

Gaya is an historic city where pollution comes from heavy traffic, open waste burning, and construction dust, impacting both residents and tourists.

Guwahati, India 

Guwahati is a growing metropolis where pollution is fueled by industrial expansion, deforestation, and poor waste disposal, making air quality unsafe.

Lahore, Pakistan

This city is often covered in thick smog due to vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and crop burning. Air quality in Lahore worsens during winter, posing severe health risks. The impacts of these made the city one of the polluted cities globally.

Narela, India

Narela is a rapidly urbanising region near Delhi, Narela suffers from pollution caused by heavy traffic, unregulated construction, and industrial waste.

Muzaffargarh, Pakistan

In Muzaffargarh, a major industrial city, power plants, factories, and brick kilns contribute to dangerously high pollution levels.

Chandrapur, India

In Chandrapur, the presence of  coal mines and power plants leads to constant air pollution. Also, the reliance on fossil fuels equally  worsens the environmental impact.

Peshawar, Pakistan

This city struggles with worsening air quality due to vehicle congestion, industrial emissions, and the burning of waste materials.

Talcher, India

Talcher is a coal mining and power generation hub, where emissions from coal plants contribute to thick smog and respiratory diseases.

Muzaffarpur, India

Muzafarpur suffers from traffic-related pollution, industrial emissions, and agricultural residue burning. This qualifies it to be one of India’s worst-affected cities.

New Delhi, India

New Delhi, a popular city and the world’s most polluted capital city is filled with smog that frequently disrupts daily life. Vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and crop burning make the air toxic.

Patna, India

Patna is a densely populated city where construction dust, vehicle pollution, and industrial waste contribute to its deteriorating air quality.

Faridabad, India

Faridabad is an industrial city near Delhi which also experiences extreme air pollution due to rapid urbanisation and factory emissions.

Durgapur, India

Durgapur is a steel and power production center where coal-based industries release large amounts of PM2.5, affecting public health.

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Hotan, China 

This happens to be the only Chinese city on the list. It is usually affected by desert dust storms and coal-related pollution. Poor air quality remains a major concern in the city.

Bhiwadi, India

Bhiwadi is a manufacturing and industrial hub near Delhi. It struggles with severe pollution from factories and vehicular emissions.

Khanna, India

Khanna, one the most polluted cities globally, is a city where agricultural residue burning and vehicle emissions contribute to poor air quality, affecting residents’ health.

Shymkent, Kazakhstan

This is the most polluted city in Kazakhstan. Here, industrial expansion and vehicle pollution have led to declining air quality.

N’Djamena, Chad

This is the  only non-Asian city on the list. It is also the only African city.  It suffers from dust storms, increasing vehicle emissions, and a lack of air pollution control measures.

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