20 Countries and Cities with Best Air Quality in the World (2024)

Cleanest air refers to having the lowest levels of air pollution and contaminants. Having clean air means having low concentrations of harmful pollutants like particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. The cleanest countries and cities in the world typically have good air quality monitoring programs and regulations that limit emissions from vehicles, industry and other sources. The countries and cities listed below have the cleanest air and lowest pollution levels globally in 2024.

The world's countries and cities with the cleanest air and lowest pollution levels in 2024 are:

1. New Zealand - With its clean atmosphere, New Zealand has a PM2.5 concentration of just 3 micrograms per cubic metre. The country's clean air is due to its isolated location, low population density and abundant green spaces.
2. Sweden - Sweden's strong environmental regulations have given it some of the cleanest air in the world. Major cities like Stockholm average PM2.5 levels around 5 micrograms per cubic metre.
3. Finland - Finland's air quality is among the best globally, with low PM2.5 concentrations averaging 5 micrograms. The country's low pollution is helped by technological innovation and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels.
4. Canada - Canada has stringent national air quality standards, and cities like Vancouver and Victoria have PM2.5 levels around 6 micrograms per cubic metre. Forest fires can temporarily impact air quality.
5. Australia - Australia's clean atmosphere has average PM2.5 levels of 6 micrograms per cubic metre. Environmental regulations on industry and reduced transportation emissions aid air quality.
6. Estonia - With proactive environmental policies, Estonia maintains clean air standards. PM2.5 in urban areas is around 10 micrograms per cubic metre.
7. Norway - Norway's fjords and forests help contribute to clean air, with average PM2.5 of 10 micrograms per cubic metre. Air pollution is lower away from urban areas.
8. Iceland - Iceland's natural environment provides clean air across the country. Particle pollution in Reykjavik averages around 10 micrograms. Volcanic eruptions can cause temporary air quality declines.
9. Denmark - Denmark has worked to reduce air pollution from electricity generation, industry and transportation. Copenhagen has PM2.5 levels of 12 micrograms per cubic metre.
10. Switzerland - Switzerland's clean mountain air helps keep PM2.5 levels around 13 micrograms per cubic metre. Cities like Bern and Zurich have relatively low air pollution.

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Guam

Guam had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 3.5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir data. This gave Guam the freshest air and made it the least polluted country in the world.

Guam had a carbon dioxide pollution of 11.6 tonnes per capita in 2014, according to data from the World Bank. Guam's pristine air quality is largely due to its small population, lack of heavy industry, and stringent emissions regulations.

French Polynesia

French Polynesia had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 4.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, per IQAir. This gave French Polynesia some of the freshest air on the planet.

French Polynesia had a carbon dioxide pollution of 5.8 tonnes per capita in 2018, as per Our World in Data. Key factors behind its clean air include low population density, lack of heavy industry, and constant sea breezes.

U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 4.5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This placed the U.S. Virgin Islands among the places with the least polluted air.

The U.S. Virgin Islands had a carbon dioxide pollution of 21.1 tonnes per capita in 2018, per Our World in Data data. Its pristine air is largely attributed to its small population, scarcity of polluting industries, and steady ocean winds.

Bermuda

Bermuda had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 4.9 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir data. This gave Bermuda some of the freshest air in the world.

Bermuda had a carbon dioxide pollution of 7.3 tonnes per capita in 2014, per World Bank data. Bermuda's clean air is mainly due to its small population, lack of heavy industry, and pollution-dispersing ocean breezes.

Saint Eustatius and SabaBonaire

Saint Eustatius and SabaBonaire had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, per IQAir. This placed it among the least polluted places on Earth.

No recent carbon dioxide pollution data was available for Saint Eustatius and SabaBonaire. Its pristine air quality is largely due to its tiny population, scarcity of polluting industry, and steady ocean winds.

Iceland

Iceland had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 5.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This gave Iceland some of the freshest air in the world.

Iceland had a carbon dioxide pollution of 10.3 tonnes per capita in 2018, per Our World in Data. Iceland's clean air is largely attributed to its small population, abundance of renewable geothermal energy, and lack of heavy industry.

New Caledonia

New Caledonia had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 5.5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir data. This placed New Caledonia among the least polluted places on the planet.

New Caledonia had a carbon dioxide pollution of 7.6 tonnes per capita in 2018, as per World Bank data. Its pristine air results from its small population, scarcity of heavy industry, and steady ocean breezes.

Grenada

Grenada had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 5.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, per IQAir. This gave Grenada some of the freshest air globally.

Grenada had a carbon dioxide pollution of 2.3 tonnes per capita in 2000, according to World Bank data. Grenada's clean air is largely due to its small population, lack of polluting industry, and air-purifying trade winds.

Australia

Australia had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 5.8 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This placed Australia among the least polluted countries on Earth.

Australia had a carbon dioxide pollution of 17.1 tonnes per capita in 2019, per Our World in Data. Australia's pristine air quality results from its low population density, strict emissions standards, and abundance of vegetation.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir data. This gave Puerto Rico some of the cleanest air in the world.

Puerto Rico had a carbon dioxide pollution of 5.9 tonnes per capita in 2018, per Our World in Data. Puerto Rico's pristine air is largely attributed to its small size, lack of heavy industry, and steady ocean breezes.

New Zealand

New Zealand had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This placed New Zealand among the least polluted countries.

New Zealand had a carbon dioxide pollution of 7.1 tonnes per capita in 2019, per Our World in Data data. New Zealand's clean air is mainly due to its low population density, stringent emissions standards, and abundant forests.

Estonia

Estonia had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, per IQAir. This gave Estonia some of the freshest air globally.

Estonia had a carbon dioxide pollution of 11.3 tonnes per capita in 2019, as per Our World in Data. Estonia's pristine air is largely attributed to its low population density and strict air quality regulations.

Finland

Finland had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir data. This gave Finland some of the cleanest air on the planet.

Finland had a carbon dioxide pollution of 7.5 tonnes per capita in 2019, according to Our World in Data. The country's pristine air quality is largely attributed to its low population density, stringent air quality regulations, and extensive forest cover.

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This placed Trinidad and Tobago among the world's least polluted countries.

Trinidad and Tobago had a carbon dioxide pollution of 30.5 tonnes per capita in 2014, per World Bank data. Its clean air mainly results from its small population and lack of heavy manufacturing.

Andorra

Andorra had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This gave Andorra some of the freshest air on Earth.

Andorra had a carbon dioxide pollution of 6.5 tonnes per capita in 2018, per Our World in Data data. Andorra's pristine mountain air is largely due to its small population, lack of heavy industry, and abundance of forests.

Belize

Belize had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.8 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This placed Belize among the world's least polluted countries.

Belize had a carbon dioxide pollution of 1.7 tonnes per capita in 2014, per World Bank data. Belize's clean air mainly results from its small population, lack of manufacturing, and tropical forests.

Sweden

Sweden had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir data. This gave Sweden some of the freshest air globally.

Sweden had a carbon dioxide pollution of 4.5 tonnes per capita in 2019, per Our World in Data. Sweden's clean air is attributed to its low population density, strict emissions standards, and boreal forests.

Norway

Norway had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This placed Norway among the world's least polluted countries.

Norway had a carbon dioxide pollution of 8.6 tonnes per capita in 2019, per Our World in Data data. Norway's pristine air results from its low population density, strict air quality laws, and boreal forests.

Suriname

Suriname had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.9 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir. This gave Suriname some of the cleanest air globally.

Suriname had a carbon dioxide pollution of 9.5 tonnes per capita in 2014, according to World Bank data. Suriname's pristine air is largely due to its sparse population, lack of heavy industry, and tropical forests.

Bolivia

Bolivia had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, per IQAir. This made Bolivia the least polluted country in the world.

Bolivia had a carbon dioxide pollution of 1.7 tonnes per capita in 2019, as per Our World in Data. Bolivia's clean air results from its low population density, lack of heavy industry, and abundant tropical forests.

Canada

Canada had an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 6.9 micrograms per cubic metre in 2020, according to IQAir data. This placed Canada among the countries with the freshest air.

Canada had a carbon dioxide pollution of 18.9 tonnes per capita in 2019, per Our World in Data. Canada's clean air is largely attributed to its low population density, strict emissions standards, and vast forests.

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What are the countries with the Worst Air quality in the World?

The countries with the worst air quality in the world are the following:

• Bangladesh (77.1 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Pakistan (59 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• India (58.1 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Mongolia (46.7 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Afghanistan (46.6 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Bahrain (44.4 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Nepal (42.5 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• United Arab Emirates (40.5 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Indonesia (28.7 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Qatar (28.1 μg/m3 PM2.5)

These countries with the worst air quality in the world pose major health risks like lung cancer, strokes, heart attacks, asthma attacks, and developmental damage in children. There are more specific details on the world's most polluted countries in a separate article.

What are the benefits of clean cities to Human health?

Reduced air pollution in clean cities directly improves respiratory health and reduces the risk of diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease. According to the WHO, air pollution causes 7 million premature deaths annually, with the highest toll in low and middle income cities. A 10 μg/m3 reduction in PM2.5 exposure can reduce lung cancer mortality by 8%, according to a Harvard study. Cleaner air also reduces hospital admissions for asthma by up to 10%, according to an Australian study. Overall, improved air quality in cities can significantly boost public health by lowering rates of respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

What are the cleanest cities in the world?

The cleanest cities in the world are:

• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (7.1 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Christchurch, New Zealand (7.3 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Helsinki, Finland (8.4 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Wellington, New Zealand (8.6 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Calgary, Canada (8.6 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Honolulu, USA (8.8 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Stockholm, Sweden (9.1 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Sydney, Australia (9.3 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Singapore (10.7 μg/m3 PM2.5)
• Brisbane, Australia (11.3 μg/m3 PM2.5)

These cities have low pollution levels due to strict emissions standards, low population density, lack of heavy industry, and abundance of natural or planted vegetation.