Many cities worldwide struggle with air pollution, caused by everything from endless cars to power-guzzling factories. And sadly, in many urban hubs across the globe, air pollution is on the rise – in fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that, as of 2022, 99% of the world’s population was breathing polluted air.

In response, HouseFresh has analysed data to determine the places where the PM2.5 level (the amount of fine particles in the air) has increased the most in recent years. Findings are measured in PM2.5 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m3).

Click through the gallery to discover some of the most polluted cities in the world...

30 of the most polluted cities in the world today