Yinchuan and other cities with the worst air pollution in 2024

On Monday, toxic smog enveloped much of northern India, with pollution levels in New Delhi soaring to their highest so far this pre-winter season following an overnight fog. In the capital, visibility plummeted to just 328 feet, resulting in at least 11 flight diversions. While operations at airports and railway stations continued, delays were unavoidable, officials confirmed. The concentration of PM2.5 was found to be 130.9 times higher than the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.

Cities are, indeed, facing a major crisis when it comes to regulating air quality. Click through and discover the world’s most polluted cities.

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25. Tianjin, China -

At number 25 in the rankings is the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. Here the average PM2.5 is 44.9 µg/m3. That's 1.2 times above the recommended limit.

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24. Baghdad, Iraq -

Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, also has a PM2.5 of 44.9 µg/m3.

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23. Taiyuan, China -

Taiyuan, the capital and largest city of China's Shanxi province, has a PM2.5 of 45.2 µg/m3.

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22. Chandigarh, India -

The PM2.5 of the northern Indian city of Chandigarh is 45.8 µg/m3.

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21. Visakhapatnam, India -

Despite being located on the coast, Visakhapatnam, the largest and most populous city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, has a PM2.5 of 46.8 µg/m3.

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20. Dubai, United Arab Emirates -

The PM2.5 in Dubai is 47.8 µg/m3. The most populous city in the UAE is also currently the most polluted of the country's seven emirates.

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19. Kathmandu, Nepal -

Its location in a low valley on a high plateau means Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, tends to trap polluted air, edging the PM2.5 up to 48.5 µg/m3.

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18. Shijiazhuang, China -

Shijiazhuang, the capital and most populous city of China's Hebei province, has a PM2.5 of 48.6 µg/m3.

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17. Lanzhou, China -

Located on the banks of the Yellow River in northwestern China, Lanzhou, the capital and largest city of Gansu province, currently records an PM2.5 of 49.5 µg/m3.

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16. Xinxiang, China -

A city undergoing exponential growth, Xinxiang's PM2.5 is 51.6 µg/m3. It's located in China's northern Henan province.

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15. Lucknow, India -

The capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow has a PM2.5 of 53.1 µg/m3.

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14. Zhengzhou, China -

A major hub of China's domestic and international transportation network, Zhengzhou, in Henan province, has a PM2.5 of 53.3 µg/m3.

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13. Ghaziabad, India -

Ghaziabad is the largest city in western Uttar Pradesh. Its PM2.5 is 53.5 µg/m3.

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12. Dushanbe, Tajikistan -

Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe has a PM2.5 of 53.8 µg/m3. The city is a hotspot of polluting industries such as coal power plants and waste-burning sites. The pollution serves as a blanket over the valley in which Dushanbe is situated, trapping tainted air.

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11. Anyang, China -

Another city in China's Henan province blighted by air pollution, Anyang has a PM2.5 of 54.6 µg/m3.

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10. Peshawar, Pakistan -

The capital of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it is the largest city, Peshawar's PM2.5 is 56.2 µg/m3.

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9. Xuchang, China -

And China's Henan province is again cited by the AQI as a region with high air pollution levels, with Xuchang recording a PM2.5 of 57.0 µg/m3.

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8. Xi’an, China -

Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, has an unhealthy PM2.5 of 57.9 µg/m3.

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7. Muzaffarnagar, India -

The industrial city of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh edges the PM2.5 to a worrying 62.4 µg/m3.

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6. Urumqi, China -

Urumqi in China's far northwest has an average PM2.5 of 63.4 µg/m3. As well as being the largest city in Central Asia in terms of population (approximately four million), Urumqi is the most remote city from any sea in the world, according to Guinness World Records.

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5. New Delhi, India -

The capital city of India faces a concerning PM2.5 concentration of 64.0 µg/m3. Recently, New Delhi's 24-hour AQI reached 491, classified as "severe plus," marking the highest level of pollution recorded this season, according to India's pollution control authority.

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4. New Delhi, India -

AQI levels at several stations across Delhi surpassed 500, with others hovering between 490 and 500. Around 35 million people live in the city, a place known for its high levels of harmful air pollution.

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3. Patna, India -

The third most polluted city in 2024 is Patna, the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Bihar. Patna's PM2.5 is 67.0 µg/m3.

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2. Lahore, Pakistan -

Lahore, the second largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, is also the world's second most polluted city, averaging a PM2.5 of 95.1 µg/m3.

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1. Dhaka, Bangladesh -

And the world's most polluted city in 2024 according to the Air Quality Index project is Dhaka, the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. The PM2.5 here averages a noxious 114.5 µg/m3, which is perhaps not surprising as Dhaka is widely considered to be the most densely populated built-up urban area in the world.

Sources: (WHO) (AQI) (United Nations Environment Programme) (IQAir) (Statista) (Guinness World Records)

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Worsening conditions in New Delhi -

Cities are, indeed, facing a major crisis when it comes to regulating air quality. Click through and discover the world’s most polluted cities.

Getty Images

1 / 27 Fotos

25. Tianjin, China -

At number 25 in the rankings is the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. Here the average PM2.5 is 44.9 µg/m3. That's 1.2 times above the recommended limit.

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2 / 27 Fotos

24. Baghdad, Iraq -

Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, also has a PM2.5 of 44.9 µg/m3.

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3 / 27 Fotos

23. Taiyuan, China -

Taiyuan, the capital and largest city of China's Shanxi province, has a PM2.5 of 45.2 µg/m3.

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4 / 27 Fotos

22. Chandigarh, India -

The PM2.5 of the northern Indian city of Chandigarh is 45.8 µg/m3.

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5 / 27 Fotos

21. Visakhapatnam, India -

Despite being located on the coast, Visakhapatnam, the largest and most populous city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, has a PM2.5 of 46.8 µg/m3.

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6 / 27 Fotos

20. Dubai, United Arab Emirates -

The PM2.5 in Dubai is 47.8 µg/m3. The most populous city in the UAE is also currently the most polluted of the country's seven emirates.

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7 / 27 Fotos

19. Kathmandu, Nepal -

Its location in a low valley on a high plateau means Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, tends to trap polluted air, edging the PM2.5 up to 48.5 µg/m3.

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8 / 27 Fotos

18. Shijiazhuang, China -

Shijiazhuang, the capital and most populous city of China's Hebei province, has a PM2.5 of 48.6 µg/m3.

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9 / 27 Fotos

17. Lanzhou, China -

Located on the banks of the Yellow River in northwestern China, Lanzhou, the capital and largest city of Gansu province, currently records an PM2.5 of 49.5 µg/m3.

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10 / 27 Fotos

16. Xinxiang, China -

A city undergoing exponential growth, Xinxiang's PM2.5 is 51.6 µg/m3. It's located in China's northern Henan province.

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11 / 27 Fotos

15. Lucknow, India -

The capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow has a PM2.5 of 53.1 µg/m3.

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12 / 27 Fotos

14. Zhengzhou, China -

A major hub of China's domestic and international transportation network, Zhengzhou, in Henan province, has a PM2.5 of 53.3 µg/m3.

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13 / 27 Fotos

13. Ghaziabad, India -

Ghaziabad is the largest city in western Uttar Pradesh. Its PM2.5 is 53.5 µg/m3.

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14 / 27 Fotos

12. Dushanbe, Tajikistan -

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11. Anyang, China -

Another city in China's Henan province blighted by air pollution, Anyang has a PM2.5 of 54.6 µg/m3.

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16 / 27 Fotos

10. Peshawar, Pakistan -

The capital of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it is the largest city, Peshawar's PM2.5 is 56.2 µg/m3.

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17 / 27 Fotos

9. Xuchang, China -

And China's Henan province is again cited by the AQI as a region with high air pollution levels, with Xuchang recording a PM2.5 of 57.0 µg/m3.

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18 / 27 Fotos

8. Xi’an, China -

Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, has an unhealthy PM2.5 of 57.9 µg/m3.

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7. Muzaffarnagar, India -

The industrial city of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh edges the PM2.5 to a worrying 62.4 µg/m3.

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20 / 27 Fotos

6. Urumqi, China -

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5. New Delhi, India -

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4. New Delhi, India -

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3. Patna, India -

The third most polluted city in 2024 is Patna, the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Bihar. Patna's PM2.5 is 67.0 µg/m3.

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2. Lahore, Pakistan -

Lahore, the second largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, is also the world's second most polluted city, averaging a PM2.5 of 95.1 µg/m3.

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1. Dhaka, Bangladesh -

Sources: (WHO) (AQI) (United Nations Environment Programme) (IQAir) (Statista) (Guinness World Records)

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Yinchuan and other cities with the worst air pollution in 2024

Millions of people are being exposed to hazardous levels of pollution

21/11/24 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Environment

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 99% of the world's population breathes air that is considered unclean, and air pollution is linked to seven million premature deaths each year. It remains a significant global health emergency.

The concentration of PM2.5 (measured in micrograms per cubic meter, or µg/m3), which refers to inhalable particles no larger than 2.5 micrometers, poses the greatest risk to human health. PM2.5 is frequently used as a standard for legal air quality limits. The WHO suggests an annual threshold of 5µg/m3 as the indicator of clean air. However, many cities are recording dangerous levels of air pollution, in some cases 15 times above safe levels!

In Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, thick fog obscured buildings at night on November 20. A red alert for heavy fog was issued again by China's national observatory on Wednesday. Last year in December, grey fog covered the city entirely, halting earthwork and demolition activities at construction sites.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) project, based on average PM2.5 levels, recently released its 2024 list of the 25 cities with the most severe air pollution in the world. As a general guide, air quality with a PM2.5 (μg/m3) of between 0-12.0 is considered good; 12.1-35.4 is moderate; 35.5-55.5 is unhealthy for sensitive groups; 55.6-150.4 is unhealthy; PM2.5 150.5-250.4 is very unhealthy; and 250.5 or greater is hazardous.