Kiera Jefferson
Asia is home to some of the most polluted cities in the world, with 83 of the 100 cities with the worst air pollution in 2023 located in the region. Central and South Asia are the worst-performing regions, with Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Tajikistan among the most polluted countries. South Asia, in particular, suffers from the worst pollution globally, with cities like Lahore, New Delhi, and Dhaka ranking high on the list. The primary sources of pollution in these countries include vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, and agricultural practices such as crop burning. Southeast Asian cities also feature prominently among the world's most polluted, with Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, and Bangkok ranking high in 2025. Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand have all exceeded WHO air quality guidelines, with Jakarta repeatedly ranked as one of the most polluted cities globally.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country with the most polluted cities in Asia | India |
| Number of cities in India exceeding pollution levels | 83 |
| India's ranking in the world's most polluted countries | 3rd |
| India's PM2.5 concentration in 2023 | 84 μg/m³ |
| India's capital territory | Delhi |
| Delhi's PM2.5 level in 2024 | 92.7 μg/m³ |
| Most polluted city in China | Hotan |
| Southeast Asian country with the most pollution | Indonesia |
| Southeast Asian cities among the most polluted in the world | Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Bangkok |
| Country with the most polluted city in the world | Chad |
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What You'll Learn
India's poor air quality
India is one of the most polluted countries in Asia, with 83 of the world's 100 cities with the worst air pollution in 2023 located in the country. The air quality in India is so poor that it reduces life expectancy by 5.3 years on average for residents. The country's capital, New Delhi, has the poorest air quality among capital cities globally, with particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations nearly ten times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Other Indian cities with very high levels of PM2.5 pollutants include Patna, Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala, Jodhpur, and Begusarai.
The primary sources of pollution in India include vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, and agricultural practices like crop burning. Traffic congestion is a significant issue in India's large cities and towns due to the increasing number of vehicles and inadequate road infrastructure. The lack of intra-city divided highways and expressways, coupled with poor enforcement of traffic laws, contributes to chaotic driving conditions and frequent accidents. Additionally, the adulteration of gasoline and diesel with lower-priced fuels, such as kerosene, is common in India. This practice increases emissions of harmful pollutants from vehicles, further deteriorating urban air quality.
The Indian government has recognized the severity of the problem and has taken steps to address air pollution. In 2019, the government launched the National Clean Air Programme, aiming to reduce particulate matter pollution by 30% by 2024, with the target later revised to 40% by 2026. This programme is being implemented in 102 cities with air quality worse than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. To support these efforts, the Confederation of Indian Industry developed a Corporate Air Emissions Reporting Guide to assist businesses in managing and reporting their air emissions.
Despite these initiatives, rapid urbanization and industrial growth continue to pose significant challenges to achieving cleaner air in India. The situation is dire, with many cities in the country exceeding WHO's safe limits by over ten times. The effects of this pollution are devastating, with air pollution contributing to more than 2 million deaths annually in India, according to the State of Global Air 2024. The health consequences include respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, reduced lung capacity, sore throats, coughs, fatigue, lung cancer, and headaches.
To further improve air quality, India needs to make significant changes to its energy infrastructure and agricultural practices. Additionally, addressing the issue of fuel adulteration and improving enforcement of traffic laws to reduce traffic congestion could help reduce vehicular emissions. While India grapples with severe air pollution, it is encouraging to see the increasing pressure from communities, NGOs, companies, and scientists to monitor air quality and drive change.
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Bangladesh's high PM2.5 concentration
Bangladesh has the highest average PM2.5 concentration in Asia, with a reading of 161 μg/m³ in 2023. This is significantly higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) guideline of 5 μg/m³. The high PM2.5 concentration in Bangladesh is mainly caused by vehicular emissions, fumes from factories and brick kilns, and dust accumulations. Vehicular pollution includes emissions of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, which can irritate mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, eyes, throat, and stomach. It can also increase the risk of chest infections and respiratory conditions such as influenza and pneumonia.
The annual average levels of PM2.5 in Bangladesh range from 60 to 100 μg/m³ across the country, with even higher levels in the capital city of Dhaka, ranging from 90 to 100 μg/m³. During the dry months from November to March, these levels can rise even higher, sometimes up to two or three times the annual averages. The high levels of PM2.5 in Dhaka are attributed to the open burning of municipal solid waste, with 11% of the population-weighted annual mean PM2.5 originating from this source.
Bangladesh's rapid economic growth and population boom have contributed to the country's air pollution crisis. With a population of over 162 million people, Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country in the world. Its proximity to other countries with pollution issues, such as India and China, further exacerbates the problem. Additionally, common emitters such as brick kilns and road vehicles are not properly regulated or punished, and household activities, power generation, and waste burning have also been identified as significant contributors to air pollution.
To address the air pollution crisis in Bangladesh, there is a need for cleaner and more resource-efficient production systems. While Bangladesh has its own challenges, it also shares an airshed with India, Nepal, and Pakistan, where particulate matter moves across locations. Therefore, strong regional cooperation and dialogue are necessary to effectively tackle the problem. Making air quality data more accessible and timely can also empower Bangladeshi citizens to participate in addressing air pollution.
The high PM2.5 concentration in Bangladesh has severe health consequences. Fine particulate matter can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of heart disease and lung cancer, among other potentially fatal diseases. According to estimates, the average life expectancy of Bangladeshi residents is reduced by 6.8 years due to air pollution. In Gazipur, the country's most polluted district, air pollution is estimated to shorten lives by 8.3 years.
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Pakistan's air pollution crisis
Pakistan is a country located in South Asia, sharing borders with India, China, Iran, and Afghanistan, all of which have notable pollution problems. In 2024, Central and South Asia were the worst-performing regions globally, with the four most polluted countries being Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Tajikistan. Pakistan's air pollution crisis is particularly severe, with its megacities generating vast amounts of smoke, haze, and deadly smog that permeates the air, causing a host of issues for residents.
Lahore, the capital of Punjab and Pakistan's second-largest city, recorded its worst air quality ever, with the Air Quality Index reaching levels considered off-the-chart by US standards. The toxic smog was so severe that the government was forced to close all primary schools for a week. Lahore's air quality has been described as eye-irritating, and on one occasion, it was ranked as the city with the worst air quality in the world by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company. The air pollution in Lahore has led to hundreds of hospitalizations and forced students and workers to stay home.
Two other major cities in Pakistan, Gujranwala and Faisalabad, ranked among the top five most polluted cities globally, with PM2.5 readings that placed them in the unhealthy to severe range for all populations. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, which can have serious health implications when inhaled. Pakistan's yearly average PM2.5 readings, such as 65.81 μg/m³, are significantly higher than those of other countries, contributing to its position as one of the most polluted countries worldwide.
The air pollution crisis in Pakistan has severe consequences for public health, with an estimated reduction in life expectancy of approximately 3.9 years. The pollution consists mainly of particulate matter (PM2.5) and, to a lesser extent, PM10, which also has adverse health effects. The urgent need for comprehensive policies that prioritize environmental health and address the sources of pollution, such as vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and agricultural burning practices, is evident in Pakistan.
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Southeast Asia's polluted cities
Southeast Asian cities are among the world's most polluted, with 37 out of the top 40 most polluted cities located in the region. In January 2025, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam was ranked the second-most polluted city globally, followed by Phnom Penh and Bangkok in third and fourth place, respectively.
Bangkok, Thailand's capital, is often shrouded in a thick smog caused by a combination of crop-related burning, industrial pollution, and heavy traffic. The Thai government has implemented measures such as free public transportation for a week to reduce pollution levels and protect the health of its citizens.
Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, is another Southeast Asian city that struggles with severe air pollution. The city experiences a massive influx of commuters daily, leading to a high volume of vehicles on its roads. As of 2020, transport contributed significantly to the emission of fine particles like PM2.5, PM10, and Black Carbon. El Niño weather patterns further prolong and intensify high-pollution events in the region.
Other Southeast Asian cities with poor air quality include Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and Hanoi, Vietnam's capital. The pollution in these cities is caused by a range of factors, including vehicle emissions, industrial activity, agricultural burning practices, and meteorological conditions.
The high levels of air pollution in Southeast Asian cities have severe health implications for residents, reducing life expectancy and causing respiratory and cardiovascular ailments, headaches, eye irritation, and chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
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South Asia's pollution causes
South Asia has the worst air pollution in the world. In 2023, Bangladesh recorded the worst air quality of 134 countries monitored by the Swiss climate group, IQAir. Pakistan and India were close behind, with the report showing that South Asia suffers from the worst pollution in the world overall. The average air quality in Bangladesh exceeded WHO safety guidelines by nearly 16 times, making it the country with the worst air quality globally.
The primary sources of pollution in South Asia include vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, and agricultural practices like crop burning. Brick kiln and other industrial emissions, agricultural waste burning, cremation practices, and the burning of solid fuel for cooking and heating, especially during colder months, also add to the air pollution. The geography of South Asia also plays a role in the accumulation of air pollution. Pollutants emitted from across the Indo-Gangetic Plain, which comprises Bangladesh, a large part of eastern Pakistan, most of northern and eastern India, and the south of Nepal, mix with pollutants brought into the region by winds blowing in from the coast. They then become trapped by the Himalayas to the north.
In addition, the climate crisis is playing a pivotal role in the poor air quality that is risking the health of billions of people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 4.2 million people die each year worldwide due to heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and acute/chronic respiratory disease linked to ambient air pollution. Furthermore, 91% of premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries due to air pollution-induced environmental effects in South-East Asia. Another assessment led by WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer found that air pollution particles are carcinogenic to humans, with particulate matter components most likely associated with the increase in cancer incidence, particularly lung cancer.
The poor air quality in South Asia is also impacting the health of newborn babies in the first weeks of life, with connections found between air pollution and low birth weight, miscarriages, and stillbirths. Early exposure to air pollution can also hinder development. The average Indian’s life expectancy is reduced by 5.3 years, while air pollution is estimated to reduce life expectancy by approximately 3.9 years in Pakistan.
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Frequently asked questions
Bangladesh has been named the most polluted country in Asia, with India and Pakistan close behind.
Cities in Asia with the worst pollution include Lahore, New Delhi, Dhaka, and Begusarai.
The primary sources of air pollution in Asia include vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, and agricultural practices like crop burning.
Air pollution has been linked to reduced life expectancy, respiratory illnesses, and cardiovascular diseases. It also poses a critical threat to environmental stability.
