Pakistan has been ranked the world’s most polluted country in 2025, with levels of hazardous fine particulate matter far exceeding global health standards, Dawn reported on Tuesday. The annual report by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir found that concentrations of PM2.5 — tiny airborne particles that pose serious health risks — were up to 13 times higher than the guideline set by the World Health Organization.
According to the report, only 13 countries and territories managed to maintain average PM2.5 levels within the WHO’s recommended limit of less than 5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2025, up from seven countries in 2024. However, the majority of the world continued to struggle with air pollution. In total, 130 out of 143 monitored countries and territories failed to meet the WHO air quality guideline, the report said.
Bangladesh and Tajikistan ranked second and third, respectively, among the most polluted countries last year, the report added. The report also found that only 14 per cent of cities worldwide met the WHO air quality standard in 2025, down from 17 per cent a year earlier. Researchers attributed part of the deterioration to massive wildfires in Canada, which pushed PM2.5 levels higher across the United States and even parts of Europe.
Countries that managed to stay within the WHO limit included Australia, Iceland, Estonia and Panama. Meanwhile, several Southeast Asian nations recorded improvements. Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia saw significant reductions in PM2.5 levels, largely due to wetter and windier conditions associated with La Niña.
Mongolia also reported a 31 per cent decline in average PM2.5 concentrations, falling to 17.8 micrograms per cubic metre. Overall, IQAir said 75 countries recorded lower PM2.5 levels in 2025 compared with the previous year, while 54 countries saw pollution levels increase.
