When considering the "dirtiest" country in the context of the provided references, the focus is on air pollution, specifically the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). PM2.5 is a key indicator used to measure air quality and is often associated with respiratory problems and other health issues. Higher concentrations indicate poorer air quality.
The provided references from IQAir offer data and rankings related to country-level air pollution based on average annual PM2.5 concentration (μg/m³). The snippets include data for 2022 and reference the 2023 rankings.
Air Pollution Data from Provided References
The references provide a snapshot of the 2022 rankings and PM2.5 concentrations for several countries. This data is crucial for understanding which country is indicated as having the most polluted air according to this source.
2022 PM2.5 Concentration and Ranking Snippet
Below is the data as presented in the provided reference snippet for 2022:
| Rank | Country/Region | 2022 PM2.5 (μg/m³) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangladesh | 65.8 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 70.9 |
| 3 | India | 53.3 |
| 4 | Tajikistan | 46 |
(Source: IQAir World Most Polluted Countries 2022/2023)
Analysis of the Data
Based on the table provided in the references for 2022:
- Pakistan is shown with the highest average annual PM2.5 concentration among the listed countries at 70.9 μg/m³.
- Bangladesh is listed as Rank 1 with a PM2.5 concentration of 65.8 μg/m³.
While Bangladesh is assigned the Rank 1 position in the snippet, Pakistan is shown to have a higher PM2.5 value in the same table for 2022. The term "dirtiest" in the context of air pollution typically correlates directly with the highest concentration of pollutants like PM2.5.
Therefore, based strictly on the highest average annual PM2.5 concentration value presented in the provided 2022 data, Pakistan had the highest concentration among the countries listed in the snippet. However, the snippet also ranks Bangladesh as the most polluted (Rank 1).
For the most current data, referring directly to the IQAir 2023 World Air Quality Report (as referenced) is recommended, although the full 2023 data is not included in the provided snippets.
