Air Pollution Statistics 2020: Key Facts, Trends & Charts
Page updated: June 2026 · Data year: 2020 · 2026 data pending release · Source: World Bank, Eurostat
This page compiles the most important air pollution statistics for 2020 worldwide. This page covers data from 51 countries, Data is sourced from the World Bank, Eurostat, and peer-reviewed research — all fully open and citable. Charts, ranked tables, and key facts are updated automatically as new data becomes available.
Key Air Pollution Statistics (2020)
Key Findings: Air Pollution Statistics — 2020 (most recent available — 2026 figures not yet published by World Bank/Eurostat) Data
The latest data shows Niger, Qatar, Mauritania lead globally for pm2.5 air pollution (μg/m³ annual mean), with the highest recorded value of 85.1 μg/m³. At the other end of the scale, World, World, World record the lowest rates among the countries surveyed.
PM2.5 air pollution (μg/m³ annual mean) by Country — Ranked Table
| # | Country | PM2.5 air pollution (μg/m³ annual mean) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niger | 85.1 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 2 | Qatar | 75.7 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 3 | Mauritania | 70.8 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 4 | Senegal | 63.7 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 5 | Bahrain | 58.5 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 6 | Burkina Faso | 58.5 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 7 | Gambia, The | 58.4 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 8 | Mali | 56.8 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 9 | Nigeria | 56.5 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 10 | Africa Western and Central | 54.9 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 11 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 54.9 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 12 | Ghana | 54.2 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 13 | Kuwait | 53.7 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 14 | Saudi Arabia | 53.1 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 15 | Togo | 51.7 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 16 | Benin | 51.0 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 17 | Guinea-Bissau | 50.2 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 18 | Cote d'Ivoire | 49.5 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 19 | Chad | 49.1 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 20 | India | 48.4 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 21 | South Asia | 47.3 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 22 | South Asia (IDA & IBRD) | 47.3 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 23 | Afghanistan | 46.1 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 24 | Sudan | 45.8 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 25 | Nepal | 45.7 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 26 | IDA blend | 44.3 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 27 | Guinea | 43.8 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 28 | Sierra Leone | 43.2 μg/m³ | 2020 |
| 29 | World | 43.1 μg/m³ | 2013 |
| 30 | Pakistan | 43.0 μg/m³ | 2020 |
Methodology
All statistics on this page are sourced from open-licensed public datasets. World Bank data is available under CC BY 4.0. Eurostat data is published under the Eurostat copyright notice permitting free reuse. Manual statistics are sourced from primary research publications and are cited inline. Data is refreshed automatically on a weekly basis. Where multiple years are available, the most recent complete year is shown unless otherwise noted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the latest air pollution statistics?
Based on the most recent data compiled by Statsipedia, we've gathered statistics from authoritative sources including the World Bank, Eurostat, and leading research institutions. See the key statistics section above for the most up-to-date figures.
When were these air pollution statistics last updated?
This page was last updated in June 2026. The underlying data points may reflect different collection years — each statistic is labelled with its source year.
Where does the air pollution statistics data come from?
Our statistics are sourced from publicly available datasets including the World Bank Open Data platform (CC BY 4.0), Eurostat, and peer-reviewed research. All sources are cited inline and linked to the original publication.
Can I use these air pollution statistics in my research or content?
Yes. We source data from open-license datasets (CC BY 4.0). Please attribute Statsipedia and the original data source. For commercial use, check the license of each individual source.
Sources & Methodology
- PM2.5 air pollution (μg/m³ annual mean)
- WHO 2024
- WHO Air Quality Report 2022
- IQAir World Air Quality Report 2024
- IQAir 2024
- WHO AQG 2021
- OECD 2023