Pakistan has been identified as the country with the highest levels of air pollution worldwide in 2025, recent findings. The concentration of dangerous fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, in Pakistan’s air was found to be up to 13 times greater than the safe limits established by the World Health Organization (WHO). This alarming statistic underscores the severe environmental and public health challenges facing the nation.
The data was released by IQAir, a Swiss-based company specializing in air quality monitoring, through its comprehensive annual report. The report revealed that only 13 countries and territories managed to keep their average PM2.5 levels within the WHO’s recommended threshold of less than 5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2025. This is a slight improvement compared to 2024, when only seven countries met this standard. Despite this progress, a staggering 130 out of 143 countries and territories monitored worldwide failed to comply with the WHO’s air quality guidelines, highlighting the pervasive nature of air pollution globally.
Following Pakistan, Bangladesh and Tajikistan were ranked second and third respectively among the most polluted countries, indicating a troubling trend across South Asia and parts of Central Asia. Interestingly, Chad, which held the dubious distinction of being the most polluted country in 2024, dropped to fourth place in 2025. However, experts caution that this apparent improvement may be misleading due to gaps in available data. The United States’ decision to terminate a global air quality monitoring program last March significantly impacted the availability of reliable pollution data. This program had collected vital information from US embassies and consulates around the world, and its closure was attributed to budgetary constraints.
Christi Chester Schroeder, the lead author of the IQAir report, explained that the absence of data from March onwards created an illusion of reduced pollution levels in countries like Chad. She emphasized that without consistent data, it is impossible to accurately assess the true state of air quality in these regions. The termination of the US monitoring initiative also led to the exclusion of countries such as Burundi, Turkmenistan, and Togo from the 2025 report due to insufficient information.
On the urban front, India’s Loni city was identified as the most polluted city globally in 2025, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 112.5 micrograms per cubic meter. Hotan, located in China’s Xinjiang region, followed closely with 109.6 micrograms. The report highlighted that the 25 most polluted cities worldwide were all situated within India, Pakistan, and China, underscoring the severe air quality issues in these densely populated and industrialized regions. Alarmingly, only 14% of cities globally met the WHO’s air quality standards in 2025, a decline from 17% the previous year. This drop was partly attributed to the impact of Canadian wildfires, which caused elevated PM2.5 levels across the United States and even reached parts of Europe.
Despite these grim statistics, some countries demonstrated notable improvements. Australia, Iceland, Estonia, and Panama were among the few nations that maintained air quality within the WHO’s recommended limits in 2025. Additionally, countries in Southeast Asia such as Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia reported significant reductions in PM2.5 levels compared to the previous year. These improvements were largely credited to the wetter and windier conditions brought about by the La Niña weather pattern, which helped disperse pollutants. Mongolia also experienced a substantial 31% decrease in average PM2.5 concentrations, dropping to 17.8 micrograms per cubic meter.
Overall, the IQAir report indicated that 75 countries saw a decline in PM2.5 pollution levels in 2025 compared to 2024, while 54 countries experienced an increase. This mixed picture reflects the ongoing global struggle to combat air pollution amid varying environmental, economic, and policy challenges. For Pakistan, the report serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive measures to improve air quality and protect public health in the years ahead.
