The world's most polluted cities, ranked

227 of 2,311 measured cities in 84 countries breathed air above the WHO 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³ over the last 30 days. The worst was Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, at 78.2.

#1,448 Limburg an der Lahn 5.7 µg/m³, more polluted than 36% of 2,311
← Kinshasa 78.2 WHO 24-hour guideline
Every ranked city, one column each, worst on the left and cleanest on the right. Point at it to read a city; tap to open it.
  1. 1Kinshasalow-cost sensorsKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 10
  2. 2Gujranwalalow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 9
  3. 3Dera MāndiDelhi, India 9
  4. 4Blantyrelow-cost sensorsSouthern Region, Malawi 9
  5. 5JīndHaryana, India 9
  6. 6Lilongwelow-cost sensorsCentral Region, Malawi 8
  7. 7Peshawarlow-cost sensorsKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan 8
  8. 8GurugramHaryana, India 8
  9. 9Lahorelow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 8
  10. 10Yamuna NagarHaryana, India 8
  11. 11Zombalow-cost sensorsSouthern Region, Malawi 8
  12. 12Kampalalow-cost sensorsCentral Region, Uganda 7
  13. 13Multanlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 7
  14. 14Faisalabadlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 7
  15. 15Jammulow-cost sensorsJammu and Kashmir, India 7
  16. 16NoidaUttar Pradesh, India 6
  17. 17KaithalHaryana, India 6
  18. 18Sialkotlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 6
  19. 19BhiwadiRajasthan, India 6
  20. 20Dhakalow-cost sensorsDhaka Division, Bangladesh 6
  21. 21Singaporelow-cost sensorsSingapore 6
  22. 22DādriUttar Pradesh, India 6
  23. 23DhāruheraHaryana, India 6
  24. 24Rahim Yar Khanlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 5
  25. 25Saint-Louislow-cost sensorsSaint-Louis, Senegal 5
  26. 26Dubailow-cost sensorsDubai, United Arab Emirates 5
  27. 27Queenstown Estatelow-cost sensorsSingapore 5
  28. 28JalandharPunjab, India 5
  29. 29BahadurgarhHaryana, India 5
  30. 30FaridabadHaryana, India 5
  31. 30ChittoorAndhra Pradesh, India 5
  32. 32Rawalpindilow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 5
  33. 33Bahawalpurlow-cost sensorsPunjab, Pakistan 5
  34. 34Karongalow-cost sensorsNorthern Region, Malawi 4
  35. 35HāpurUttar Pradesh, India 4
  36. 36Tabananlow-cost sensorsBali, Indonesia 4
  37. 36BaddiHimachal Pradesh, India 4
  38. 38DushanbeDushanbe, Tajikistan 4
  39. 39Alipurlow-cost sensorsIslamabad, Pakistan 4
  40. 40Hararelow-cost sensorsHarare, Zimbabwe 4
  41. 41AmbālaHaryana, India 4
  42. 42AnantapurAndhra Pradesh, India 4
  43. 43DelhiDelhi, India 4
  44. 44ThānesarHaryana, India 4
  45. 45Sri GanganagarRajasthan, India 4
  46. 46SonīpatHaryana, India 4
  47. 46MuzaffarnagarUttar Pradesh, India 4
  48. 48NarelaDelhi, India 4
  49. 49Islamabadlow-cost sensorsIslamabad, Pakistan 4
  50. 50Greater NoidaUttar Pradesh, India 4
All 2,311 cities
Low1–3
Moderate4–6
High7–9
Very high10

The UK's Daily Air Quality Index (1 to 10), PM2.5 bands. Show values as: µg/m³ · US AQI · India AQI · China AQI · European AQI · UK DAQI · Canada AQHI+. About the scales

Who led, day by day

Kinshasa5 days #12026-09-02: 70.1 µg/m³, #62026-09-03: 43.2 µg/m³2026-09-04: 73.1 µg/m³, #42026-09-05: 51.9 µg/m³2026-09-06: 78.5 µg/m³, #52026-09-07: 111.2 µg/m³, #12026-09-08: 138.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-09: 58.3 µg/m³2026-09-10: 70.7 µg/m³, #52026-09-11: 83.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-12: 70.9 µg/m³, #32026-09-14: 86.5 µg/m³, #32026-09-15: 102.1 µg/m³, #32026-09-16: 51.1 µg/m³2026-09-17: 56.0 µg/m³, #92026-09-18: 72.4 µg/m³, #12026-09-19: 71.9 µg/m³2026-09-20: 73.4 µg/m³2026-09-21: 71.2 µg/m³2026-09-23: 113.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-24: 151.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-25: 114.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-26: 65.6 µg/m³, #102026-09-27: 50.1 µg/m³2026-09-28: 58.2 µg/m³2026-09-30: 75.5 µg/m³, #42026-10-01: 49.9 µg/m³, #9Gurugram4 days #12026-09-02: 48.7 µg/m³2026-09-03: 46.3 µg/m³2026-09-04: 30.4 µg/m³2026-09-05: 28.9 µg/m³2026-09-06: 33.2 µg/m³2026-09-07: 45.1 µg/m³2026-09-08: 28.8 µg/m³2026-09-09: 49.7 µg/m³2026-09-10: 57.7 µg/m³2026-09-11: 39.0 µg/m³2026-09-12: 19.6 µg/m³2026-09-13: 24.3 µg/m³2026-09-14: 23.9 µg/m³2026-09-15: 32.6 µg/m³2026-09-16: 21.8 µg/m³2026-09-17: 31.4 µg/m³2026-09-18: 34.4 µg/m³2026-09-19: 181.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-20: 212.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-21: 144.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-22: 51.2 µg/m³2026-09-24: 67.3 µg/m³2026-09-25: 61.5 µg/m³2026-09-26: 86.4 µg/m³, #42026-09-27: 109.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-28: 104.0 µg/m³, #1Saint-Louis3 days #12026-09-02: 7.0 µg/m³2026-09-03: 5.7 µg/m³2026-09-04: 7.2 µg/m³2026-09-05: 24.9 µg/m³2026-09-06: 17.2 µg/m³2026-09-07: 7.4 µg/m³2026-09-08: 8.7 µg/m³2026-09-09: 145.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-12: 12.7 µg/m³2026-09-13: 38.3 µg/m³2026-09-14: 25.0 µg/m³2026-09-17: 231.9 µg/m³, #12026-09-18: 53.9 µg/m³, #92026-09-19: 26.6 µg/m³2026-09-20: 12.3 µg/m³2026-09-21: 309.7 µg/m³, #12026-09-22: 43.8 µg/m³2026-09-23: 51.0 µg/m³2026-09-24: 5.1 µg/m³2026-09-25: 6.4 µg/m³2026-09-26: 24.7 µg/m³2026-09-27: 7.3 µg/m³2026-09-28: 42.3 µg/m³2026-09-29: 8.2 µg/m³2026-09-30: 30.3 µg/m³Dera Māndi2 days #12026-09-02: 69.2 µg/m³, #72026-09-03: 88.8 µg/m³, #32026-09-04: 76.4 µg/m³, #12026-09-05: 68.1 µg/m³, #82026-09-06: 42.4 µg/m³2026-09-07: 35.9 µg/m³2026-09-08: 40.2 µg/m³2026-09-09: 55.9 µg/m³2026-09-10: 45.4 µg/m³2026-09-11: 42.8 µg/m³2026-09-12: 45.1 µg/m³2026-09-13: 47.5 µg/m³2026-09-14: 53.9 µg/m³2026-09-15: 70.8 µg/m³, #72026-09-16: 57.7 µg/m³, #102026-09-17: 74.3 µg/m³, #32026-09-18: 54.5 µg/m³, #82026-09-19: 85.1 µg/m³, #42026-09-20: 147.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-21: 102.0 µg/m³, #62026-09-22: 94.9 µg/m³, #52026-09-23: 90.5 µg/m³, #82026-09-24: 122.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-25: 158.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-26: 40.0 µg/m³2026-09-27: 44.0 µg/m³2026-09-28: 47.8 µg/m³2026-09-29: 53.4 µg/m³Blantyre2 days #12026-09-02: 105.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-03: 80.8 µg/m³, #52026-09-04: 64.4 µg/m³, #82026-09-05: 91.5 µg/m³, #22026-09-06: 119.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-07: 69.0 µg/m³, #52026-09-08: 27.9 µg/m³2026-09-09: 19.6 µg/m³2026-09-10: 34.0 µg/m³2026-09-11: 54.1 µg/m³2026-09-12: 91.4 µg/m³, #22026-09-13: 121.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-14: 116.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-15: 116.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-16: 75.3 µg/m³, #42026-09-17: 38.7 µg/m³2026-09-18: 53.8 µg/m³, #102026-09-19: 90.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-20: 61.0 µg/m³2026-09-21: 58.7 µg/m³2026-09-22: 75.0 µg/m³2026-09-23: 47.2 µg/m³2026-09-24: 70.1 µg/m³2026-09-25: 43.2 µg/m³2026-09-26: 64.2 µg/m³2026-09-27: 49.1 µg/m³2026-09-28: 60.5 µg/m³, #82026-09-29: 63.9 µg/m³, #72026-09-30: 29.6 µg/m³2026-10-01: 12.3 µg/m³Gujranwala2 days #12026-09-02: 48.3 µg/m³2026-09-03: 50.9 µg/m³2026-09-04: 45.9 µg/m³2026-09-05: 63.5 µg/m³, #102026-09-06: 51.0 µg/m³2026-09-07: 69.1 µg/m³, #42026-09-08: 80.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-09: 65.9 µg/m³, #82026-09-10: 49.4 µg/m³2026-09-11: 58.0 µg/m³, #62026-09-12: 59.6 µg/m³, #62026-09-13: 77.4 µg/m³, #22026-09-14: 46.7 µg/m³2026-09-15: 45.1 µg/m³2026-09-16: 55.2 µg/m³2026-09-17: 34.1 µg/m³2026-09-18: 46.2 µg/m³2026-09-19: 89.2 µg/m³, #32026-09-20: 87.6 µg/m³, #52026-09-21: 130.0 µg/m³, #32026-09-22: 108.5 µg/m³, #12026-09-23: 104.0 µg/m³, #32026-09-24: 96.4 µg/m³, #52026-09-25: 83.0 µg/m³, #62026-09-26: 67.8 µg/m³, #92026-09-27: 105.5 µg/m³, #22026-09-28: 53.9 µg/m³2026-09-29: 52.5 µg/m³2026-09-30: 81.0 µg/m³, #32026-10-01: 104.0 µg/m³, #1Lilongwe1 day #12026-09-02: 116.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-03: 100.0 µg/m³, #22026-09-04: 74.8 µg/m³, #32026-09-05: 68.6 µg/m³, #72026-09-06: 65.6 µg/m³, #82026-09-07: 73.3 µg/m³, #32026-09-08: 46.4 µg/m³2026-09-09: 25.8 µg/m³2026-09-10: 37.6 µg/m³2026-09-11: 47.4 µg/m³2026-09-12: 59.8 µg/m³, #52026-09-13: 58.5 µg/m³, #102026-09-14: 72.1 µg/m³, #62026-09-15: 95.2 µg/m³, #42026-09-16: 78.7 µg/m³, #22026-09-17: 61.8 µg/m³, #52026-09-18: 49.6 µg/m³2026-09-19: 61.9 µg/m³2026-09-20: 64.1 µg/m³2026-09-21: 64.1 µg/m³2026-09-22: 95.1 µg/m³, #42026-09-23: 94.7 µg/m³, #62026-09-24: 62.0 µg/m³2026-09-25: 62.1 µg/m³2026-09-26: 54.8 µg/m³2026-09-27: 41.7 µg/m³2026-09-28: 43.2 µg/m³2026-09-29: 49.5 µg/m³2026-09-30: 48.9 µg/m³2026-10-01: 26.9 µg/m³Smederevo1 day #12026-09-02: 45.2 µg/m³2026-09-03: 128.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-04: 12.2 µg/m³2026-09-05: 10.0 µg/m³2026-09-07: 13.5 µg/m³2026-09-09: 16.3 µg/m³2026-09-10: 16.7 µg/m³2026-09-11: 15.2 µg/m³2026-09-12: 13.2 µg/m³2026-09-14: 15.6 µg/m³2026-09-15: 12.6 µg/m³2026-09-16: 20.6 µg/m³2026-09-17: 20.6 µg/m³2026-09-18: 12.3 µg/m³2026-09-19: 13.3 µg/m³2026-09-21: 13.6 µg/m³2026-09-22: 7.9 µg/m³2026-09-23: 7.2 µg/m³2026-09-24: 10.1 µg/m³2026-09-25: 16.0 µg/m³2026-09-26: 25.2 µg/m³2026-09-27: 22.0 µg/m³2026-09-28: 17.3 µg/m³2026-09-29: 21.0 µg/m³2026-09-30: 17.3 µg/m³Neelankarai1 day #12026-09-02: 44.2 µg/m³2026-09-03: 18.3 µg/m³2026-09-04: 16.4 µg/m³2026-09-05: 162.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-06: 101.0 µg/m³, #32026-09-07: 48.1 µg/m³2026-09-10: 70.4 µg/m³, #62026-09-24: 20.2 µg/m³2026-09-25: 16.7 µg/m³2026-09-26: 20.6 µg/m³2026-09-27: 32.1 µg/m³2026-09-28: 30.0 µg/m³Bhāgalpur1 day #12026-09-02: 78.3 µg/m³, #52026-09-03: 63.9 µg/m³, #62026-09-04: 69.3 µg/m³, #52026-09-05: 62.4 µg/m³2026-09-06: 128.0 µg/m³, #12026-09-08: 40.7 µg/m³2026-09-09: 41.3 µg/m³2026-09-10: 70.2 µg/m³, #72026-09-13: 12.7 µg/m³2026-09-16: 10.1 µg/m³2026-09-18: 40.1 µg/m³2026-09-19: 60.4 µg/m³2026-09-20: 69.7 µg/m³2026-09-21: 19.7 µg/m³2026-09-22: 34.4 µg/m³2026-09-23: 32.3 µg/m³2026-09-26: 16.2 µg/m³Sep 2Oct 1
Every city that was the world's most polluted on at least one of the last 30 days. Filled square: #1 that day; ring: in the top 10; dot: measured but lower. Each city's own local day.

The world's air, last 30 days

2026-09-02: 5 of 2352 cities very high (0%)2026-09-02: 5 of 2352 cities high (0%)2026-09-02: 31 of 2352 cities moderate (1%)2026-09-02: 2311 of 2352 cities low (98%)Sep 22026-09-03: 5 of 2356 cities very high (0%)2026-09-03: 8 of 2356 cities high (0%)2026-09-03: 40 of 2356 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-03: 2303 of 2356 cities low (98%)2026-09-04: 4 of 2347 cities very high (0%)2026-09-04: 10 of 2347 cities high (0%)2026-09-04: 26 of 2347 cities moderate (1%)2026-09-04: 2307 of 2347 cities low (98%)2026-09-05: 5 of 2355 cities very high (0%)2026-09-05: 9 of 2355 cities high (0%)2026-09-05: 25 of 2355 cities moderate (1%)2026-09-05: 2316 of 2355 cities low (98%)2026-09-06: 7 of 2144 cities very high (0%)2026-09-06: 4 of 2144 cities high (0%)2026-09-06: 35 of 2144 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-06: 2098 of 2144 cities low (98%)2026-09-07: 3 of 2332 cities very high (0%)2026-09-07: 10 of 2332 cities high (0%)2026-09-07: 43 of 2332 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-07: 2276 of 2332 cities low (98%)Sep 72026-09-08: 4 of 2296 cities very high (0%)2026-09-08: 12 of 2296 cities high (1%)2026-09-08: 42 of 2296 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-08: 2238 of 2296 cities low (97%)2026-09-09: 3 of 2331 cities very high (0%)2026-09-09: 18 of 2331 cities high (1%)2026-09-09: 40 of 2331 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-09: 2270 of 2331 cities low (97%)2026-09-10: 5 of 2277 cities very high (0%)2026-09-10: 12 of 2277 cities high (1%)2026-09-10: 40 of 2277 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-10: 2220 of 2277 cities low (97%)2026-09-11: 2 of 2087 cities very high (0%)2026-09-11: 9 of 2087 cities high (0%)2026-09-11: 44 of 2087 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-11: 2032 of 2087 cities low (97%)2026-09-12: 3 of 2141 cities very high (0%)2026-09-12: 8 of 2141 cities high (0%)2026-09-12: 33 of 2141 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-12: 2097 of 2141 cities low (98%)2026-09-13: 2 of 1995 cities very high (0%)2026-09-13: 11 of 1995 cities high (1%)2026-09-13: 40 of 1995 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-13: 1942 of 1995 cities low (97%)2026-09-14: 7 of 2148 cities very high (0%)2026-09-14: 5 of 2148 cities high (0%)2026-09-14: 36 of 2148 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-14: 2100 of 2148 cities low (98%)Sep 142026-09-15: 7 of 2236 cities very high (0%)2026-09-15: 6 of 2236 cities high (0%)2026-09-15: 54 of 2236 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-15: 2169 of 2236 cities low (97%)2026-09-16: 4 of 2312 cities very high (0%)2026-09-16: 12 of 2312 cities high (1%)2026-09-16: 46 of 2312 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-16: 2250 of 2312 cities low (97%)2026-09-17: 3 of 2312 cities very high (0%)2026-09-17: 10 of 2312 cities high (0%)2026-09-17: 36 of 2312 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-17: 2263 of 2312 cities low (98%)2026-09-18: 1 of 2358 cities very high (0%)2026-09-18: 9 of 2358 cities high (0%)2026-09-18: 27 of 2358 cities moderate (1%)2026-09-18: 2321 of 2358 cities low (98%)2026-09-19: 14 of 2377 cities very high (1%)2026-09-19: 12 of 2377 cities high (1%)2026-09-19: 51 of 2377 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-19: 2300 of 2377 cities low (97%)2026-09-20: 18 of 2128 cities very high (1%)2026-09-20: 20 of 2128 cities high (1%)2026-09-20: 39 of 2128 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-20: 2051 of 2128 cities low (96%)2026-09-21: 20 of 2254 cities very high (1%)2026-09-21: 18 of 2254 cities high (1%)2026-09-21: 52 of 2254 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-21: 2164 of 2254 cities low (96%)Sep 212026-09-22: 19 of 2311 cities very high (1%)2026-09-22: 19 of 2311 cities high (1%)2026-09-22: 61 of 2311 cities moderate (3%)2026-09-22: 2212 of 2311 cities low (96%)2026-09-23: 19 of 2367 cities very high (1%)2026-09-23: 26 of 2367 cities high (1%)2026-09-23: 42 of 2367 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-23: 2280 of 2367 cities low (96%)2026-09-24: 15 of 2370 cities very high (1%)2026-09-24: 18 of 2370 cities high (1%)2026-09-24: 51 of 2370 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-24: 2286 of 2370 cities low (96%)2026-09-25: 10 of 2338 cities very high (0%)2026-09-25: 10 of 2338 cities high (0%)2026-09-25: 38 of 2338 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-25: 2280 of 2338 cities low (98%)2026-09-26: 6 of 2359 cities very high (0%)2026-09-26: 17 of 2359 cities high (1%)2026-09-26: 29 of 2359 cities moderate (1%)2026-09-26: 2307 of 2359 cities low (98%)2026-09-27: 9 of 2260 cities very high (0%)2026-09-27: 8 of 2260 cities high (0%)2026-09-27: 28 of 2260 cities moderate (1%)2026-09-27: 2215 of 2260 cities low (98%)2026-09-28: 6 of 2320 cities very high (0%)2026-09-28: 11 of 2320 cities high (0%)2026-09-28: 44 of 2320 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-28: 2259 of 2320 cities low (97%)Sep 282026-09-29: 5 of 2352 cities very high (0%)2026-09-29: 12 of 2352 cities high (1%)2026-09-29: 52 of 2352 cities moderate (2%)2026-09-29: 2283 of 2352 cities low (97%)2026-09-30: 5 of 2212 cities very high (0%)2026-09-30: 8 of 2212 cities high (0%)2026-09-30: 17 of 2212 cities moderate (1%)2026-09-30: 2182 of 2212 cities low (99%)2026-10-01: 4 of 1397 cities very high (0%)2026-10-01: 4 of 1397 cities high (0%)2026-10-01: 11 of 1397 cities moderate (1%)2026-10-01: 1378 of 1397 cities low (99%)Oct 1
Each day's ranked cities split by band, worst at the top: a taller red and purple share means a worse day for more of the world, not just one city.

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 30 days to 2 Oct 2026, 02:00 UTC, smogrank.com/?w=30d.

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 02:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors, as the UK DAQI PM2.5 sub-index.