Pakistan Ranked World’s Most Polluted Country in 2025

News Desk 

Islamabad: Pakistan has emerged as the world’s most polluted country in 2025, highlighting a worsening environmental and public health crisis driven by dangerously high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

According to the latest annual report by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir, Pakistan recorded PM2.5 concentrations up to 13 times higher than the safety limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

These microscopic particles are among the most hazardous air pollutants, capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and bloodstream.

The report paints a grim global picture: out of 143 monitored countries and territories, 130 failed to meet the WHO’s recommended annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Only 13 countries managed to stay within safe limits in 2025—an improvement from seven in 2024, but still far from adequate.

South Asia remains the epicentre of the crisis. Bangladesh and Tajikistan followed Pakistan as the second and third most polluted countries, respectively. 

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Meanwhile, Chad, ranked worst in 2024, fell to fourth place this year, though experts caution that incomplete data may have skewed its apparent improvement.

A major setback to global air quality monitoring came in March, when the United States shut down a key pollution tracking programme that collected data from its embassies and consulates worldwide. 

Researchers warn that the loss of this data has created significant blind spots, particularly in highly polluted regions. As a result, countries like Burundi, Turkmenistan, and Togo were excluded from the 2025 rankings due to insufficient data.

At the city level, pollution remains heavily concentrated in Asia. Loni in India was recorded as the world’s most polluted city, followed by Hotan in China’s Xinjiang region. Notably, all of the top 25 most polluted cities were located in India, Pakistan, and China.

Globally, air quality showed mixed trends. While 75 countries reported some improvement in PM2.5 levels, 54 experienced worsening conditions. 

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Only 14 percent of cities worldwide met WHO standards in 2025, down from 17 percent the previous year. Environmental factors also played a role, with Canadian wildfires contributing to elevated pollution levels across parts of the United States and even reaching Europe.

Some countries, including Australia, Iceland, Estonia, and Panama, maintained air quality within safe limits. 

Others, such as Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia, saw notable improvements due to wetter and windier La Niña weather patterns. Mongolia also recorded a significant 31 percent drop in PM2.5 levels.

Despite these gains, the global air pollution challenge remains acute, with Pakistan now at the center of growing concerns over air quality, public health, and environmental policy.