The world's most polluted cities, ranked

127 of 1,324 measured cities in 79 countries breathed air above the WHO 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³ over the last 24 hours. The worst was Gujranwala, Pakistan, at 111.3.

← Gujranwala 111.3 WHO 24-hour guideline
Every ranked city, one column each, worst on the left and Aberdeen (1.2) among the cleanest on the right. Point at it to read a city; tap to open it.
  1. 1Gujranwalalow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 111.37.4×
  2. 2VisaliaCalifornia, United States 86.05.7×
  3. 3MumbaiMaharashtra, India 79.75.3×
  4. 4Peshawarlow-cost sensorsKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan 79.55.3×
  5. 5Lahorelow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 78.05.2×
  6. 6Dhakalow-cost sensorsDhaka Division, Bangladesh 76.95.1×
  7. 7Faisalabadlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 61.74.1×
  8. 8Sialkotlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 61.24.1×
  9. 9Multanlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 56.23.7×
  10. 10Kuala Lumpurlow-cost sensorsKuala Lumpur, Malaysia 55.33.7×
  11. 11Jammulow-cost sensorsJammu and Kashmir, India 55.13.7×
  12. 12Kinshasalow-cost sensorsKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 51.23.4×
  13. 13Butwāllow-cost sensorsLumbini Province, Nepal 47.83.2×
  14. 14Rawalpindilow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 45.33.0×
  15. 15Alipurlow-cost sensorsIslamabad, Pakistan 44.63.0×
  16. 16Singaporelow-cost sensorsSingapore 41.62.8×
  17. 17Islamabadlow-cost sensorsIslamabad, Pakistan 38.92.6×
  18. 18Bahawalpurlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 37.82.5×
  19. 18Queenstown Estatelow-cost sensorsSingapore 37.82.5×
  20. 20Murreelow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 36.72.4×
  21. 21Kathmandulow-cost sensorsBagmati Province, Nepal 34.52.3×
  22. 22Tabananlow-cost sensorsBali, Indonesia 34.42.3×
  23. 23San Luis PotosíSan Luis Potosí, Mexico 34.32.3×
  24. 24Iloilolow-cost sensorsWestern Visayas, Philippines 34.22.3×
  25. 25Ubudlow-cost sensorsBali, Indonesia 34.12.3×
  26. 26Phuntsholinglow-cost sensorsChukha, Bhutan 33.22.2×
  27. 27Kampalalow-cost sensorsCentral Region, Uganda 33.12.2×
  28. 27Mzuzulow-cost sensorsNorthern Region, Malawi 33.12.2×
  29. 29Naucalpan de JuárezMéxico, Mexico 30.42.0×
  30. 30PrijedorSrpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina 29.92.0×
  31. 31Quezon Citylow-cost sensorsNational Capital Region, Philippines 29.32.0×
  32. 32Dubailow-cost sensorsDubai, United Arab Emirates 28.71.9×
  33. 32AostaAosta Valley, Italy 28.71.9×
  34. 34Vereeniginglow-cost sensorsGauteng, South Africa 28.51.9×
  35. 35Quettalow-cost sensorsBalochistan, Pakistan 28.31.9×
  36. 36ChennaiTamil Nadu, India 28.11.9×
  37. 37Dalunglow-cost sensorsBali, Indonesia 27.31.8×
  38. 38Ibadanlow-cost sensorsOyo State, Nigeria 26.61.8×
  39. 39Lilongwelow-cost sensorsCentral Region, Malawi 26.51.8×
  40. 40Lagoslow-cost sensorsLagos, Nigeria 25.91.7×
  41. 41Bang Pakonglow-cost sensorsChachoengsao, Thailand 25.81.7×
  42. 42Bangkoklow-cost sensorsBangkok, Thailand 25.71.7×
  43. 43Vientianelow-cost sensorsVientiane Prefecture, Laos 25.21.7×
  44. 44Karachilow-cost sensorsSindh, Pakistan 25.11.7×
  45. 45San Pedro Sulalow-cost sensorsCortés Department, Honduras 25.01.7×
  46. 46Ban Khlong Prawetlow-cost sensorsBangkok, Thailand 24.91.7×
  47. 47KikindaVojvodina, Serbia 24.81.7×
  48. 48Wheatonlow-cost sensorsIllinois, United States 24.51.6×
  49. 49Mexico CityMexico City, Mexico 24.31.6×
  50. 50ShulinTaipei, Taiwan 23.81.6×
All 1,324 cities
Good0–9.0
Moderate9.1–35.4
Sensitive groups35.5–55.4
Unhealthy55.5–125.4
Very unhealthy125.5–225.4
Hazardous225.5+

Climbing fastest

Movement shows once the board is a day old.

Cleanest air

Cities with reference monitors only.

What's missing

We rank only cities whose monitor data we're allowed to reuse. The government monitoring networks of China and Turkey publish no terms that allow this, so we leave them out: most cities there are missing here, not clean. The few of their cities that appear are measured by community low-cost sensors, tagged as such. Why.

Use this board

SmogRank, most polluted cities, PM2.5, last 24 hours to 2 Oct 2026, 00:00 UTC, smogrank.com/.

Download top 10 (PNG)

You're welcome to reuse a single chart, image or figure with this citation and a link. Terms.

Updated 2026-10-02 00:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 in µg/m³ (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors.