If you happen to be a traveler, where are you most likely to find poor air quality? Which cities globally rank among the most polluted, where your health could be at significant risk?
There are indeed locations in the Americas with problematic air quality, yet they pale in comparison to the notorious pollution found in Asia, particularly in India, where numerous cities make Mexico City seem like a haven of clear skies.
During the onset of the pandemic when stay-at-home orders were in effect and traffic was virtually nonexistent, the Himalayas became visible from Kathmandu and northern Indian cities. However, that clarity was short-lived, and those places have reverted to their usual smoggy conditions. To capture a photo of a day with a clear sky and visible snow-capped peaks, you would need an AI image generator.
If you’re seeking a straightforward recommendation on which areas to steer clear of, avoid India. This country holds the dubious distinction of harboring 83 of the 100 most polluted cities globally, as indicated by a study utilizing data from IQ Air. Another analysis from an air monitoring firm identified India as having 28 of the top 30 most polluted cities, with Dhaka and Peshawar as the only exceptions.
Indeed, the majority of the most polluted cities outside of India are found in its neighboring countries: Pakistan and Bangladesh. If you suffer from respiratory issues, South Asia is the least favorable destination for you. Depending on the season, China and Southeast Asia can also pose significant problems.
Air Pollution in Asia Exceeds That of Other Regions
In the aforementioned study, Asia dominated with 99 of the 100 most polluted cities on the planet—truly an overwhelming majority. The sole city not located in Asia was Benoni, South Africa.
Numerous factors contribute to this situation in developing Asian countries: farmers burning their fields annually after harvest, weak regulation of industrial emissions, reliance on polluting fuels like coal, and ineffective vehicle engines that emit high levels of air pollution. Anyone who has visited a city in India can attest to this first-hand; there are days when simply being outdoors is unhealthy.
If you’re planning a trip to India, it’s advisable to greatly limit your stay in Delhi. As highlighted in the following section, it consistently ranks as the most polluted city globally. Kolkata is a close rival, and there are over 80 other cities with hazardous air pollution levels; fortunately for tourists, many of these cities are lesser-known industrial hubs.
Nevertheless, these assessments may not be entirely comprehensive. There are numerous heavily polluted cities in Africa, but without adequate measurement or reporting on air quality, it’s challenging to ascertain their true pollution levels. According to the report I referenced for this data, “Africa remains the most underrepresented continent, with a third of its population still lacking access to air quality data.” This suggests that there may be several African cities with severe pollution that remain purposely under the radar.
Some cities in South America might also have poor air quality, but we remain uncertain since “70% of real-time air quality data in the Latin America & Caribbean region is sourced from low-cost sensors.”
The World’s Top 5 Most Polluted Cities
The latest report from IQAir lists the five cities with the worst air pollution, all situated in South Asia:
- Delhi, India
- Lahore, Pakistan
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Karachi, Pakistan
- Kolkata, India
Here’s a concerning statistic that illustrates the extent of the issue:
Over 80 million people reside in the five most polluted major cities.
To put this in context, if those 80 million individuals were consolidated in a single area, it would represent the 20th largest country globally, slightly smaller than Germany and larger than Thailand.
As for Thailand, Bangkok frequently appears on various lists of the most polluted cities, although its pollution levels can vary greatly throughout the year. These rankings are not static; atmospheric conditions, occurrences of fires, and fluctuations in heat or rainfall influence them.
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