Pakistan Ranked Most Polluted Country in 2025: IQAir Report

On 24th March 2026, a report by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir ranked Pakistan as the most polluted country in 2025, highlighting severe global air quality challenges.

Key Points

Top Polluters: Pakistan ranked 1st, followed by Bangladesh and Tajikistan in terms of PM2.5 pollution levels.
PM2.5 Levels: Fine particulate matter concentrations in Pakistan were up to 13 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 5 µg/m³.
Most Polluted City: Loni, a town near Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and bordering northeast Delhi, has been ranked the most polluted city globally for 2025.
Global Compliance: Only 13 countries met WHO air quality standards in 2025 (up from 7 in 2024).
Widespread Pollution: 130 out of 143 monitored countries failed to meet WHO guidelines, indicating a global pollution crisis.
City-Level Data: Only 14% of cities met WHO standards in 2025, down from 17% in 2024.
Contributing Factors: Large-scale wildfires in Canada increased PM2.5 levels across North America and parts of Europe.
Improving Regions: Southeast Asian countries like Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia saw improvements due to favourable La Niña weather conditions.
Notable Improvement: Mongolia recorded a 31% decline in PM2.5 levels (17.8 µg/m³).
Global Trend: 75 countries showed improved air quality, while 54 countries experienced worsening pollution levels.
Countries Within Limits: Nations such as Australia, Iceland, Estonia, and Panama met WHO standards.