Chad, DR Congo have dirtiest air in Africa; Réunion, Canary Islands cleanest, IQAir 2025 report
IQAir 2025 World Air Quality Report found that only Réunion, a French island territory, recorded air quality clean enough to meet the World Health Organisation's annual guideline for fine particle pollution. The guideline stands at 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) for PM2.5. Réunion recorded 4.3 µg/m³. Chad recorded the continent's worst air quality at 53.6 µg/m³, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo at 50.2 µg/m³.
Uganda ranked third at 43.0 µg/m³, with Egypt fourth at 40.6 µg/m³ and Rwanda fifth at 34.5 µg/m³. Chad has ranked as Africa's most polluted country in every year it has appeared in the IQAir report. Its peak was recorded in 2024 at 91.8 µg/m³. DR Congo's 50.2 µg/m³ tells a similar story of entrenched pollution. Kinshasa's PM2.5 levels fell nearly 14%, but the city's annual average of 50.2 µg/m³ still places it among the most polluted urban environments on earth. The Canary Islands recorded 7.2 µg/m³, and Gabon came in at 8.3 µg/m³. Morocco recorded 9.6 µg/m% and Algeria recorded 12.5 µg/m³.
Ghana's 2025 figure marks its best performance and lowest reading in five years of IQAir data.
Quick Summary
A new IQAir report examines air quality across 28 African countries and territories. Disparities in pollution levels raise concerns about public health - and the ability to measure it.
Summary - read the full story for complete context.

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