Top 20 Statistically Dirtiest Countries in the World

This table compiles data from 2024 Environmental Performance Index metrics, normalized to a 0-100 "Dirty Score" with weights: air quality (30%), water pollution (25%), waste mismanagement (25%), and hygiene/sanitation (20%). Higher scores indicate greater environmental filth, drawn from global datasets on PM2.5 particulates, untreated wastewater discharge, solid waste collection rates, and sanitation access.

Bangladesh leads as the dirtiest nation due to extreme air pollution in urban centers like Dhaka, where brick kilns and vehicle emissions push annual PM2.5 averages beyond 79 µg/m³—over 15 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Waterways such as the Buriganga River suffer from industrial effluents and untreated sewage, affecting 85% of surface water usability. Waste collection covers under 20% of generated refuse in cities, leading to open dumps that breed disease vectors, while poor hygiene infrastructure results in elevated open defecation rates despite urban density. These factors compound health risks, including respiratory diseases that claim thousands annually.

Pakistan ranks second, grappling with smog-choked cities like Lahore, where PM2.5 levels hit 73.7 µg/m³ amid crop burning and industrial output. The Indus River basin faces severe contamination from agricultural runoff and raw sewage, rendering much of the water unsafe for over 80% of users. Municipal waste systems fail to collect 78% of trash, fostering illegal landfills that pollute groundwater. Hygiene challenges persist in rural areas with limited latrine access, exacerbating waterborne illnesses like cholera. Government efforts lag due to economic constraints and rapid urbanization.​

India's position reflects massive air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, with PM2.5 at 58.1 µg/m³ from coal plants, traffic, and Diwali fireworks. Rivers like the Ganges receive 1.5 billion liters of untreated sewage daily, polluting water for 78% of the population downstream. Waste generation outpaces collection by 75%, with plastics clogging drains in Mumbai and Delhi. Sanitation improvements post-2019 Swachh Bharat campaign reduced open defecation, but 70% of rural households still lack proper facilities, sustaining fecal-oral pathogen transmission.

Chad tops some air pollution lists with PM2.5 exceeding 89 µg/m³ from desert dust storms and biomass burning, severely impacting N'Djamena residents. Water scarcity amplifies pollution, as Lake Chad shrinks and absorbs 70% contaminated inflows. Waste mismanagement reaches 70% in urban areas lacking landfills, while hygiene scores suffer from 68% open defecation amid conflict-disrupted infrastructure. Drought and poverty hinder mitigation, making daily survival a pollution battle.​​

Burkina Faso contends with Sahel dust and seasonal wildfires elevating PM2.5 to 76.4 µg/m³, compounded by mining dust in the north. Water pollution affects 72% of sources from pesticide-heavy agriculture and nomadic herding waste. Only 32% of waste gets collected, piling up in Ouagadougou slums. Hygiene lags with 65% practicing open defecation, fueling outbreaks of dysentery and typhoid in under-resourced health systems. Climate variability worsens these entrenched issues.​

Indonesia's archipelago faces palm oil-driven deforestation haze, pushing PM2.5 to 38.7 µg/m³ in Jakarta, alongside volcanic ash episodes. Rivers like the Citarum rank among the world's most polluted, with 75% industrial dye and plastic waste discharge. Waste mismanagement hits 80%, as ocean-bound plastics from Java originate here. Sanitation covers under 40% of islands, with 60% relying on unimproved facilities prone to flooding overflows. Enforcement gaps perpetuate the cycle.​

The Democratic Republic of Congo struggles with Kinshasa's air at 39.5 µg/m³ from traffic and informal charcoal production. Congo River tributaries carry 62% polluted logging runoff and mining mercury. Waste collection fails 85% in megacity sprawl, creating toxic dumps. Hygiene at 45% open defecation reflects conflict zones without infrastructure, spreading Ebola and diarrhea epidemics. Resource wealth contrasts starkly with environmental neglect.​

Nepal's Kathmandu Valley traps PM2.5 at 41.2 µg/m³ from brick factories and traffic in a topographic bowl. Himalayan glacial meltwaters pick up 60% downstream pollution from trekking waste. Urban waste collection lags at 45%, with rivers choked by plastics. Sanitation improvements stall at 50%, as rural terraces lack toilets, contaminating sacred waters. Earthquake recovery diverts funds from green initiatives.​

Egypt's Nile-dependent population endures Cairo's 44.5 µg/m³ PM2.5 from sandstorms and refinery fumes. The river absorbs 58% untreated urban sewage, threatening irrigation for 100 million. Waste mismanagement at 57% burdens Alexandria ports with refuse. Hygiene scores 48% amid desert informal settlements without plumbing. Nile dams exacerbate sediment-trapped pollutants.​

Haiti's Port-au-Prince registers 28.1 µg/m³ PM2.5 from biomass cooking and post-earthquake dust. Water pollution scores 52 as hurricanes flush sewage into coastal aquifers. Waste collection misses 50%, with goat Island dumps leaching toxins. Open defecation at 42% persists after 2010 quake infrastructure loss, amplifying cholera persistence. Political instability stalls recovery.​

Mongolia's Ulaanbaatar hits 64.7 µg/m³ PM2.5 in winter coal heating inversions, among the worst globally. Water scarcity sees 50% ger district pollution from untreated graywater. Waste piles at 52% uncollected amid nomadic transitions. Hygiene at 40% reflects rural pit latrines contaminating steppes. Harsh winters intensify reliance on dirty fuels.

Burundi's Gitega faces 52.3 µg/m³ PM2.5 from woodfuel and erosion dust. Lake Tanganyika inflows carry 55% agricultural phosphates. Waste management covers 40%, fostering vector breeding. Open defecation at 55% drives child stunting via parasites. Poverty confines solutions to aid dependency.​

Rwanda, despite clean streets, logs 38.9 µg/m³ PM2.5 from Kigali traffic. Water pollution at 58% stems from intensive farming runoff. Waste collection gaps 62% in hills. Sanitation at 52% improves post-genocide but falters rurally. Umuganda cleanups mask systemic shortfalls.​

Nigeria's Lagos air reaches 45.6 µg/m³ from generators and refineries. Niger Delta waters score 65 polluted by oil spills. Waste mismanagement at 70% chokes Lagos Lagoon. Hygiene lags with 58% open defecation in slums. Oil wealth fails to fund sanitation.​

Afghanistan's Kabul PM2.5 at 68.2 µg/m³ from conflict burn pits. Water at 60% contaminated by war debris. Waste 65% uncollected in refugee camps. Open defecation 62% amid Taliban rule disruptions. Instability perpetuates filth.​

Yemen's Sana'a endures 55.4 µg/m³ dust and war smoke. Water pollution 68% from bombed infrastructure. Waste 72% unmanaged in blockades. Hygiene 60% with collapsed systems. Famine amplifies exposure risks.​

Iraq's Baghdad PM2.5 62.1 µg/m³ from oil fires. Tigris at 55% sewage-laden. Waste 58% amid ISIS legacies. Sanitation 55% strained by displacement. Reconstruction prioritizes security over environment.​

Syria's Damascus 59.8 µg/m³ from rubble burning. Euphrates 62% polluted by shelling. Waste 68% in camps. Open defecation 57% post-civil war. Refugee crises overwhelm capacities.​

Sudan's Khartoum 47.2 µg/m³ conflict haze. Nile waters 70% tainted. Waste 75% uncollected. Hygiene 65% in Darfur displacements. Coups derail waste reforms.​

Ethiopia's Addis Ababa 42.8 µg/m³ from leather tanning. Awash River 68% industrial. Waste 72% in expansion. Open defecation 63% rurally. Growth outstrips infrastructure.