N'Djamena is the world's most polluted capital city

Chad's capital, N'Djamena, is the most polluted capital city in the world, according to the 2024 World Air Quality Report by IQAir. It is followed by New Delhi, with both cities exceeding the World Health Organization's air quality goal by 18 times. Dhaka, Bangladesh, ranks third with an average PM2.5 concentration of 78 micrograms per cubic meter. Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Islamabad, Pakistan, follow with 58.2 and 52.4 micrograms, respectively. The report analyzed data from 8,954 cities, adding new locations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Major sources of PM2.5 pollution include road transport and energy sector emissions, along with agricultural waste burning and household activities, particularly in developing nations.