Iraq among top ranking Arab countries in 2025 pollution index

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq came 4th among Arab countries in the 2025 air pollution index, recording a score of 38.1, IQ Air said on Wednesday.

Data showed that among the most polluted Arab states, Kuwait ranked first with a score of 45.7, followed by Egypt (40.6), the United Arab Emirates (36.4), Bahrain (35.9), and Qatar (33.9).

Morocco recorded the lowest level of air pollution at 9.6, followed by Algeria (12.5), Jordan (14.8), Palestine (17.4), and Syria (20.5).

Globally, Pakistan ranked as the most polluted country with a score of 67.3, followed by Bangladesh (66.1) and Tajikistan (57.3). At the other end of the scale, French Polynesia recorded the lowest pollution level at 1.8, followed by Puerto Rico (2.4) and the US Virgin Islands (2.5).

Earlier this year, the Iraq Green Observatory pointed out that air quality in Baghdad remains extremely poor, driven by industrial activity, vehicle emissions, and shrinking green spaces in the capital, on Sunday. It attributed the deteriorating air quality to roughly 10,000 industrial activities operating in Baghdad, most notably brick, asphalt, and pharmaceutical factories.

Read more: Pollution gnaws at Iraq: Laws without teeth, fines without impact