All but one of the world’s top 20 most polluted cities last year were in Asia, a new study shows. The majority of these cities – 13 – are in the world’s most populous country, India, where booming economic growth is fired largely by coal and where hundreds of millions live in traffic-clogged and congested megacities .

The thick, contaminated air covering many Indian cities is a daily reality for millions. In some places, the sun is barely visible, and breathing feels unsafe. A new report has revealed that 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India,

Data from more than 40,000 air quality monitoring stations in 138 countries, territories and regions were analyzed for the report, IQAir said.

India ranked as the fifth most polluted country in the world in 2024, with Byrnihat, Meghalaya, recognized as the most polluted metropolitan area globally. Despite a 7% decline in PM2.5 levels, New Delhi remained the most polluted capital.