The 10 most polluted cities in the world

Indian cities have the worst air quality, causing untold health problems for their huge populations

No.10, BANDHWARI, INDIA. Like many cities in India, the air quality in Bandhwari is listed as unhealthy mainly due to emissions from vehicles. In addition, emissions from the landfill have a lot to answer for too. AP

No.9, GREATER NOIDA, INDIA. Greater Noida was ranked the ninth most polluted city in the world with an air quality index of QI of 271, which is considered “very unhealthy”. According to pollution monitoring agencies, weather conditions and high emissions output from local factories in the region led to a sharp deterioration of the air quality. Getty Images

No.8, RAIWIND, PAKISTAN. Also listed as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, Raiwind in Pakistan is ranked number eight in the world for high levels of pollution due to the presence of fine particulate matters in the air. AFP

No.7, GURUGRAM, INDIA. Gurugram is the seventh most polluted city. The air quality levels have been rated unhealthy. High levels of dust in the air is one of the main reasons for its current world ranking. The dust accumulates in the air from neighbouring areas and due to intensive construction. Reuters

No.6, NOIDA, INDIA. Noida is one of six Indian cities to feature on the list. The air quality is rated ‘very unhealthy’ on the IQAir Index. The pollution in Noida mainly comes from industrial and vehicular emissions as well as waste burning and dust. Getty Images

No.5, NEW DELHI, INDIA. This city features on the top 10 cheapest cities in the world list and it also reached number five in terms of the world’s most polluted cities. One of the main factors contributing to high pollution levels in the city is a high population density. There are an estimated 30 million people registered living in New Delhi as of 2020, all squeezed into a relatively small area of 1,484km². AFP

No.4, FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN. Faisalabad is one of three cities in Pakistan to feature on the list. Noted as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, residents are encourages to install air purifiers in their cars and homes. Emissions from vehicles are the main causes of pollution in Faisalabad. Many cars, motorbikes and trucks run on lower quality fuels, or fossil fuels such as diesel, and often aren’t subject to the same stringent rules that other countries might have in place. EPA

No.3, GUJRANWALA, PAKISTAN. Gujranwala in Pakistan has extremely polluted air due to heavy traffic and use of fuel powered vehicles including cars, rickshaws and trucks. Other causes of pollution are caused by factory and industrial emissions. Getty Images

No.2, HOTAN, CHINA. In China, rapid industrialisation has wrought intense levels of air pollution that present serious social, economic, and political problems. Hotan is affected by extreme sandstorms due to its geographical location bordering Taklimakan Desert, China's largest desert. Getty Images

No.1, GHAZIABAD, INDIA. Pollution rates in this Indian city are listed as ‘very unhealthy’ as per the latest Air Quality Index report from IQAir. Taking number one spot for the world’s most polluted cities, the reasons behind Ghaziabad's extremely high levels of pollution are twofold, with vehicles and industry playing one large role. Construction and soil dugouts have also led to a large accumulation of dust in the air. AFP

Six of the world’s most polluted cities are in India, according to the latest World Air Quality Report.

New Delhi’s air quality continues to deteriorate, making it by far the world’s most polluted capital city.

While the city is home to some of the country’s best-known landmarks, including the India Gate and Parliament Building, it is often hard to look past the smog that blankets New Delhi.

The worst-ranked city on the list – Ghaziabad – is a Delhi suburb, followed by Hotan in China and Gujranwala and Faisalabad in Pakistan, respectively.

Published by IQAir AirVisual, the index lists six Indian cities in the world’s top 10 most polluted cities.

All cities in the worst 10 list have unhealthy or very unhealthy levels of air quality. The increasing presence of vehicle emissions was one of the main factors contributing to the rising levels of pollution.

In China, rapid industrialisation results in intense levels of air pollution that present serious social, economic and political problems.

In Pakistan and India, high population density means heavy traffic on the roads. As a result, the heavy use of fuel-powered vehicles, including cars, rickshaws and lorries, adds to harmful emissions.

The latest findings were based on air quality data from public monitoring sources. The cities were ranked based on the presence of fine particulate matter (PM) in the air.

The most harmful kind, called PM2.5, contains particles with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometres (more than 100 times thinner than a human hair). They are tiny enough to enter the bloodstream through the lungs.

The World Health Organisation estimates that about seven million people die every year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air.

Air pollution can cause diseases such as stroke, heart disease and lung cancer.