A recent report released by the World Health Organisation shows that the most air-polluted cities in the world are all found in developing countries. This is because poorer countries do not (or cannot) enforce the environmental regulations that developed countries have to keep corporations in check.
Interestingly enough, mega-cities like Beijing, Chongqing, Bangkok, Mexico City are not on the list. Instead, the worst air-polluted cities are smaller cities, most of them found in Iran or South Asia and not one of them is economically influential. Only one African city makes the list in Gabarone, Botswana.
Air pollution is a terrible health hazard with WHO estimating that well over 2 million people a year die prematurely from polluted air. That figure is greater than the annual death toll from HIV/AIDS.
The full list is as follows:
1. Ahwaz, Iran
2. Ulan Bator, Mongolia
3. Sanadaj, Iran
4. Ludhiana, India
5. Quetta, Pakistan
6. Kermanshah, Iran
7. Peshawar, Pakistan
8. Gaberone, Botswana
9. Yasouj, Iran
10. Kanpor, India