Islamabad, March 24 Pakistan has been ranked as the world's smoggiest nation in 2025, with concentrations of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 up to 13 times higher than the recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) level, a research revealed on Tuesday, local media reported.
In its annual report, Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir said that 13 nations and territories kept average PM2.5 levels at the WHO standard of less than 5 microgrammes per cubic metre last year, witnessing a rise from seven in 2024, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported.
The report revealed that 130 out of 143 monitored countries and territories did not meet the WHO guideline. Bangladesh and Tajikistan have been ranked at the second and third spot on the world's most polluted list. Chad, which was ranked as the smoggiest nation in 2024, has been ranked fourth in 2025.
Only 14 per cent of the cities in the world met the WHO standard in 2025. The nations that met the WHO standard in 2025 included Australia, Iceland, Estonia and Panama. Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia witnessed decline in PM2.5 in comparison to the previous year due to the wetter and windier La Nina weather, Dawn reported. According to the report released by IQAir, 75 countries had lower PM2.5 levels in 2025 compared to 2024, with 54 reporting higher average concentrations.
In 2024, Pakistan was ranked among the top most polluted nations in the world. The average PM2.5 concentration in Pakistan was high, more than the safe limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre set by WHO. Only 17 per cent of global cities in 2024 kept average PM2.5 levels at the WHO standard, Pakistan's another leading daily The Express Tribune reported.
The smog crisis in Pakistan is not only a health concern but also a setback in the nation's efforts to improve air quality. Cities like Lahore and Karachi face intense pollution, even during winter, when fog an industrial emissions together deteriorate air quality.
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