As of August 4, 2025, Baghdad, Iraq, is the most polluted major city in the world. Baghdad with PM2.5 levels in the “very unhealthy” range.
For a detailed look, see Baghdad’s air quality map.

Baghdad, Iraq ranked as the most polluted major city on August 4. Source: IQAir.
Air quality alerts are active in Baghdad due to extreme PM2.5 concentrations. In Baghdad, intense sandstorms, extreme heat, and emissions from oil industries and waste burning, have driven pollution to critical levels.