2023 Clean Air Vs Worst Air Quality City Rankings (AQI score)

The air quality in cities around the world can vary greatly. Some cities have very clean air, while others have some of the worst air quality in the world.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the following cities have the cleanest air in 2023, based on their annual average AQI (Air Quality Index) score.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an indicator for reporting air quality. It informs how clean or polluted air is in your location.

What is the Air Quality Index (AQI) Score and Interpretation?

1. Using the Air Quality Index, a score between 0-50 is deemed as good air quality.
2. A score between 51-100 is deemed as good air quality is air quality that is moderate.
3. Between 101 and 150 score shows air quality described as Unhealthy for Sensitive groups.
4. Air described as unhealthy obtains a score between 151 and 200
5. If the Air Quality Index score surpasses 300, it is described as hazardous

Air Quality Index (AQI) Score and Interpretation

Let us take a look at the Cities With The Most Clean Air Vs Worst Air Quality City Rankings (AQI score).

Cities with the most clean air:

1. Helsinki 🇫🇮
2. Reykjavik 🇮🇸
3. Vienna 🇦🇹
4. Stockholm 🇸🇪
5. The Hague 🇳🇱
6. Tallinn 🇪🇪
7. Victoria 🇨🇦
8. Gothenburg 🇸🇪
9. Zurich 🇨🇭
10. Oslo 🇳🇴
11. Copenhagen 🇩🇰
15. Ljubljana 🇸🇮
18. Munich 🇩🇪
20. Amsterdam 🇳🇱
22. Calgary 🇨🇦
28. Ottawa 🇨🇦
29. Vancouver 🇨🇦
31. Porto 🇵🇹
33. Edinburgh 🇬🇧
34. Minneapolis 🇺🇸
44. Brasilia 🇧🇷
48. Singapore 🇸🇬
63. Frankfurt 🇩🇪
70. Madrid 🇪🇸
71. Cape Town 🇿🇦
72. Berlin 🇩🇪
74. Dublin 🇮🇪
80. Tokyo 🇯🇵
82. Antalya 🇹🇷
95. Dubai 🇦🇪
100. Mangalore 🇮🇳
101. San Francisco 🇺🇸
112. Moscow 🇷🇺
126. London 🇬🇧
127. New York 🇺🇸
131. Seoul 🇰🇷
139. Shenzhen 🇨🇳
145. Rome 🇮🇹
155. Paris 🇫🇷
156. Riyadh 🇸🇦
165. Los Angeles 🇺🇸
169. Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷
172. Bandung 🇮🇩
173. Istanbul 🇹🇷
213. Tehran 🇮🇷
214. Mexico City 🇲🇽
221. Mumbai 🇮🇳
224. Jakarta 🇮🇩
234. Hanoi 🇻🇳
236. Karachi 🇵🇰
238. Delhi 🇮🇳
240. Cairo 🇪🇬
246. Dhaka 🇧🇩
250. Kathmandu 🇳🇵

Worst Air quality city ranking (AQI score):

1. 🇮🇩 Jakarta, Indonesia (127)
2. 🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (126)
3. 🇲🇾 Kuching, Malaysia (120)
4. 🇶🇦 Doha, Qatar (117)
5. 🇻🇳 Hanoi, Vietnam (113)
6. 🇵🇪 Lima, Peru (103)
7. 🇵🇰 Lahore, Pakistan (99)
8. 🇦🇪 Dubai, United Arab Emirates (93)
9. 🇰🇼 Kuwait City, Kuwait (92)
10. 🇵🇰 Karachi, Pakistan (86)
11. 🇺🇬 Kampala, Uganda (84)
12. 🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh (75)
13. 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, USA (74)
14. 🇬🇭 Accra, Ghana (72)
15. 🇿🇦 Johannesburg, South Africa (70)
16. 🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia (70)
17. 🇨🇱 Santiago, Chile (68)
18. 🇹🇷 Istanbul, Turkey (68)
19. 🇳🇵 Kathmandu, Nepal (67)
20. 🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore (66)
21. 🇲🇽 Mexico City, Mexico (66)
22. 🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel (65)
23. 🇨🇳 Chengdu, China (64)
24. 🇰🇷 Busan, South Korea (63)
25. 🇷🇺 Krasnoyarsk, Russia (61)
26. 🇨🇳 Chongqing, China (61)
27. 🇮🇶 Baghdad, Iraq (59)
28. 🇮🇱 Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel (59)
29. 🇰🇪 Nairobi, Kenya (59)
30. 🇰🇬 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (59)
31. 🇸🇰 Bratislava, Slovakia (57)
32. 🇰🇿 Astana, Kazakhstan (57)
33. 🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada (57)
34. 🇸🇦 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (55)
35. 🇮🇳 Kolkata, India (55)
36. 🇲🇰 Skopje, North Macedonia (55)
37. 🇺🇿 Tashkent, Uzbekistan (52)
38. 🇨🇳 Guangzhou, China (50)
39. 🇨🇳 Wuhan, China (49)
40. 🇲🇳 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (46)
41. 🇲🇲 Yangon, Myanmar (45)
42. 🇨🇳 Hangzhou, China (45)
43. 🇨🇳 Shenzhen, China (45)
44. 🇹🇼 Kaohsiung, Taiwan (45)
45. 🇮🇳 Delhi, India (45)
46. 🇺🇸 Houston, USA (45)
47. 🇫🇷 Nice, France (44)
48. 🇺🇸 Washington, D.C., USA (44)
49. 🇺🇸 New York City, USA (44)
50. 🇩🇿 Algiers, Algeria (41)
51. 🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (41)

READ: The 10 Most Beautiful First Ladies in the World

The air quality in cities around the world can vary greatly. Some cities have very clean air, while others have some of the worst air quality in the world. The factors that contribute to air quality include location, industrial activity, traffic congestion, and burning of biomass fuels.

It is important to be aware of the air quality in your city, especially if you have respiratory problems. You can check the air quality index (AQI) for your city online or through a mobile app. If the AQI is high, take steps to protect yourself, such as staying indoors and avoiding strenuous activity.

Written by Ghana Education News Editorial Staff

The Ghana Education News Editorial Staff is comprised of seasoned education consultants, policy analysts, and verified journalists dedicated to providing accurate, timely, and credible updates on the Ghanaian GES curriculum, WAEC updates, and academic leadership.