The most polluted cities in the world. The dirtiest country in the world: ranking of the worst states Top 10 most polluted cities in the world

The environmental situation in Russia causes concern among experts and residents of the country. Official data shows that 60% of the population lives in areas where the quality of the environment is rated as unsatisfactory. These lands account for 15% of the country’s territory, while, according to experts, at the end of the 1990s, about 40% of Russian lands were experiencing environmental problems.
If we compare the environmental situation in Russia and other countries, the situation, unfortunately, cannot be called comforting. In the international ranking of countries in terms of environmental efficiency in 2018, Russia ranks 52nd, following Poland and Venezuela. Due to the vast territory of the state, it is quite difficult to unambiguously assess the state of the environment. Every year, experts compile reports based on various indicators that determine the cleanest and dirtiest cities in Russia.

Rating of the dirtiest and cleanest cities in Russia

The best environmental situation has developed in regions where there are no large industrial enterprises or large cities. In 2018, the Tambov region, the Altai Republic, and the Altai Territory were recognized as the cleanest territories. If we talk about medium and large cities, the situation is completely different. Not a single one was included in the top ten cleanest locality Tambov region and Altai Territory, and from the Altai Republic only Gorno-Altaisk was included.

TOP 10 cleanest cities in Russia

Naberezhnye Chelny
Kazan
Sevastopol
Grozny
Derbent
Vladikavkaz
Magas
Gorno-Altaisk
Yoshkar-Ola
Voronezh

A bad environmental situation is caused by factors such as deforestation, waste disposal, water and soil pollution, radioactive pollution, electricity production, and air pollution. Therefore, settlements with large industrial enterprises have been added to the list of the dirtiest. The situation is no less frightening in large formations, suffocating from the discharge of household waste and gas pollution. Also, the ratings compiled by experts take into account actions aimed at improving the environmental situation and the use of resource-saving technologies.

TOP 10 dirtiest cities in Russia

Norilsk
Krasnoyarsk
Chelyabinsk
Magnitogorsk
Moscow
Bratsk
Ryazan
Makhachkala
Dzerzhinsk

Naberezhnye Chelny is the leader of the rating

According to studies conducted by the Ministry of Nature and the All-Russia People's Front, the city of Naberezhnye Chelny in 2017 turned out to be the cleanest in Russia. Here is the best state situation water resources, energy consumption issues and environmental actions.

The advantage of the city is natural factors, providing continuous air circulation, which guarantees regular renewal. Minimal clogging of water bodies has been recorded, and the abundance of parks provides a sufficient amount of oxygen even in a metropolis.
This year, Naberezhnye Chelny took fifth place in the sample of cleanest cities according to local residents. But Makhachkala is recognized as the dirtiest in it, scoring 4.1 points out of 10 possible, ending up in 100th position.

Kazan is a clean metropolis

Kazan is the only city with a million population included in the top ten cleanest cities in the country. There are more than one and a half thousand enterprises that produce atmospheric emissions, there is heavy traffic, so there is no need to talk about an ideal situation. The authorities of Kazan are doing everything possible to minimize the adverse consequences of the life of a large city.

This is the only Russian million-plus city that completely recycles industrial waste. Noteworthy is the water purification system, which meets European standards and eliminates the use of chlorine. To combat gas pollution public transport city has been transferred to European standards of categories 3 and 4.

Sevastopol is the best resort

In 2017, Sevastopol took first position in terms of environmental conditions among entities with a population of 250,000-1,000,000. With a population of 414,000 people, emissions amount to 10,400 tons annually, 42% coming from production.

Among other resorts in the selection of the best is Sochi, which ranks third with an indicator of 21,000 tons per 400,000 inhabitants. Among cities with a population of 100,000-250,000, the resorts of the Stavropol Territory were noted on the positive side: Essentuki, Kislovodsk.

In settlements with average numbers of inhabitants, Mineralny Vody and Gorno-Altaisk, which also have resort status, have decent indicators. Sarapul, located in Udmurtia, is recognized as the most environmentally friendly city with a population of 50,000-100,000: the volume of waste is 4,700 tons. Among the favorable factors, analysts noted the cleanliness of the Kama River, the presence of a coniferous forest nearby, an abundance of parks, and the absence of industrial production. Exhaust gases from transport and the lack of a modern landfill make a negative contribution to the environment.

Grozny - liked by citizens and experts

In 2017, Grozny took first place in the rating of clean settlements in the country according to citizens. Interestingly, in 2016 the capital of Chechnya occupied second place on the list, and in 2018 it dropped to seventh. Describing the reasons for their choice, local residents spoke about the inherent beauty and cleanliness of the capital.

In 2017, Grozny ranked fourth in the list of large cities with a population of up to a million people in terms of the scale of harm to the atmosphere. With a population of 200,000 people, the amount of emissions is 20 tons annually. Stationary and vehicle waste are approximately equal: 49.7% to 51.3%.

Norilsk - ecology at zero

According to a number of indicators, Norilsk is considered the city with the most unfavorable environmental situation. Factories fill the atmosphere with tons of harmful substances. Among them are lead, xylene, carbon disulfide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. According to experts, the waste is so large that each resident accounts for about 8 tons of harmful impurities.

Every year the biosphere receives at least 2 million tons of solid components. Unlike megacities, where a fair share of pollution comes from transport gases, in Norilsk 99.5% comes from production. The decisive “contribution” to the deterioration of the situation was made by Norilsk Nickel, which was a city-forming enterprise. In 2016, the plant ceased operations due to harm to the environment, but the consequences of the work will not be eliminated for many years. Closing the plant, according to experts, will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 15%.
In 2016, the Minister of Environment and natural resources Sergei Donskoy of the Russian Federation noted that Norilsk was among the ten worst cities in terms of absolute indicators of air pollution. The minister also mentioned other settlements in this selection: Moscow, Dzerzhinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk. According to researchers from the Blacksmith Institute, Norilsk is the dirtiest city not only in Russia, but also in the world as a whole. It is also among the top ten dirty cities planet, according to Greenpeace. Even in clear weather, the panorama of the northern region is covered with a turbid gray haze: the clear horizon is obscured by a veil of waste and factory chimneys.

Krasnoyarsk - negative progress

In 2017, Krasnoyarsk entered the top five settlements with the highest rates of air pollution, along with Birobidzhan, Bratsk, and Blagoveshchensk. Experts are concerned not so much about the state of the air as about the rate at which the indicators are deteriorating. Comparing 2014 and 2017, the contamination rate increased 3 times: 2.7% of samples taken exceeded the permissible level.

In terms of annual emissions, Krasnoyarsk ranks 11th: 233,000 tons, of which 62.6% comes from manufacturing companies. The deterioration of the situation caused an increase in the number of cancer patients and asthmatics, and the acceleration of chronic diseases.

Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk - suffocating in smog

In 2017, the Chelyabinsk region for the second time became the worst region of the state in terms of environmental indicators. Magnitogorsk and Chelyabinsk in 2017 and 2018 bore the title of the most disadvantaged settlements on this basis. The main problem of the region is the deterioration of the atmosphere.

It is associated with a high number of production organizations, the unresolved problem of waste disposal, and transport gas pollution. The latter account for a significant portion: about 37%-38% of the total volume. Power plants account for 20% of emissions, and the Chelyabinsk Electrode Plant “makes a contribution.” The situation is complicated by the peculiarities of the climate: in the summer there is poor air circulation, which is why the populated area is shrouded in smog.
The figures for Magnitogorsk are even worse: 255,000 tons of air pollution annually. Toxic substances include nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and benzopyrene. The main source of pollution is the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, which has the status of a city-forming organization.

Moscow - destructive traffic

According to Rosstat in 2017, Moscow ranks second after Norilsk in terms of pollution levels. The annual volume of harmful emissions is two times less, but the figure is still impressive: just over a million tons.

Unlike its northern counterpart, in the capital, 94% of the total amount of waste comes from car exhaust. The cultural capital is in third place in the anti-rating, although its figure is half that of Moscow and four times less than that of Norilsk: 530,000 tons, of which 85% are transport products.

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The problem of pollution in Russian cities, which has become especially acute in recent years, is inextricably linked with the global process of urbanization. The population growth of medium and large cities and agglomerations leads to increased anthropogenic impact on the atmosphere, water bodies, soil cover and living organisms. In Russia, this process has been most active since the end of the first half of the twentieth century; During this time, radical changes took place in the economy, the most famous Soviet industrial giants, on the basis of which new vast industrial areas were formed. The same period includes the active development of those cities and territories in which the most difficult environmental situation is currently observed.

All more or less significant cities, where manufacturing enterprises operate and a developed transport network, require increased attention from environmental specialists. But there are also places on the map that over the past decades have actually become an environmental disaster zone. This is indicated not only by an analysis of the state of the environment, but also by direct statistics of morbidity and mortality of residents forced to stay in contaminated areas and consume local products. Below are the dirtiest cities in Russia, selected on the basis of environmental monitoring data.

1. Norilsk

Polar Norilsk with a population of more than 170 thousand people is the most dirty city Russia, the undisputed leader in terms of emissions into the atmosphere. Every year, city enterprises emit about two million tons of toxic substances into the air, while their concentration in the air periodically becomes tens and even hundreds of times higher than the maximum permissible level. The main source of toxic emissions is the Norilsk Nickel mining and metallurgical plant.

Geographical and climatic features Norilsk (the city is surrounded on three sides by mountains) does not allow emissions to dissipate, so many Norilsk residents periodically experience breathing problems. In general, Norilsk is characterized by extremely low life expectancy of people compared to the regional average, and its surroundings for many kilometers around are almost completely devoid of vegetation.

2. Dzerzhinsk

The list of the most polluted cities in Russia could not help but include Dzerzhinsk - a satellite city Nizhny Novgorod with a population of 230 thousand inhabitants, the center of the chemical industry. During the twentieth century, hundreds of tons of hydrocyanic acid, pesticides, cyanides and other highly toxic substances were buried and released into groundwater in Dzerzhinsk and its surroundings. Moreover, during the years cold war» Dzerzhinsk was the most important place for the development of chemical weapons, traces of which - mustard gas and phosgene - still remain in the soil. A unique attraction of the city are chemical lakes with different colored waters and storage facilities for deadly poisons.

3. Magnitogorsk

Magnitogorsk is located on Southern Urals, its population is about 420 thousand people. The city operates the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, one of the main ferrous metallurgy enterprises and a major source of harmful emissions. After the collapse of the USSR, measures were repeatedly taken to reduce the amount of emissions, but monitoring results indicate that the threat remains: the concentration of various impurities in the atmosphere of Magnitogorsk is several times higher than the maximum permissible values, which makes it one of the dirtiest Russian cities.

4. Cherepovets

Cherepovets, Vologda region, with about 320 thousand inhabitants and which became a city back in 1777, is now known as one of the centers of ferrous metallurgy. According to official statistics recent years Cherepovets ranks second in the Russian Federation after Norilsk in terms of air pollution. The main source of “dirt” is the metallurgical plant. Chemical production, which has been rapidly developing in the city since the 1970s, also has an adverse effect on the environmental situation.

5. Asbestos

Asbest is a small town near Yekaterinburg with a population of less than 65 thousand people, located on the edge of a huge asbestos quarry, the largest in the Urals. Asbestos has been mined open-pit since the end of the nineteenth century, and its processing is also carried out here. In the vicinity of the deposit, including the city itself, the air is characterized by a high concentration of asbestos dust, which, as researchers established at the end of the last century, provokes the development of cancer. Despite this, quarry development continues to this day. Asbestos ranks in the middle of our list of the dirtiest cities in Russia.

6. Lipetsk

Lipetsk is a large city in Central Russia, the second most populous city after Voronezh in the Central Black Earth economic region (more than 500 thousand inhabitants). A major environmental problem of the city is the Novolipetsk Iron and Steel Works; in unfavorable winds, when regularly occurring emissions from the enterprise cover the center of Lipetsk, the concentration of hazardous impurities turns out to be several times higher than the permissible values. Additional load on the atmosphere is exerted by cement and machine tool factories. Over the past ten years, projects have been implemented to reduce pollution levels, allowing us to expect that in the near future the environmental situation will become close to the expected norm. Perhaps Lipetsk will leave the rankings of the most dangerous cities in Russia to live in.

7. Omsk

Omsk, with a population of 1.2 million people, is one of the largest cities RF. This is one of the main centers of oil refining, mechanical engineering, chemical and metallurgical industries in Siberia. The greatest growth of the urban economy occurred back in the 1940s - 50s, when many new enterprises arose and began to rapidly expand in Omsk, including the Omsk Oil Refinery and the Aircraft Manufacturing Plant (now the Polet aerospace enterprise).

In recent decades, when experts have become seriously concerned about ensuring environmental safety, the technical renovation of production facilities has begun, the goal of which is to reduce the level of air pollution several times. However, the problem of chemical contamination of soil and water bodies remains far from being completely resolved. Another urgent task, typical for the south of Siberia, is the fight against drought and desertification of lands, which result in constant dustiness in the air and even large-scale dust storms.

8. Angarsk

Angarsk (more than 200 thousand inhabitants) is a young Siberian city, the construction of which began in the second half of the 1940s. Now it is a center of petrochemical production, one of the three cities in Siberia with the most polluted atmosphere. A particular threat is posed by the production facilities of the Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Plant, where for decades (until the 1990s) installations for uranium enrichment and the production of uranium fluoride compounds operated; On the territory of the enterprise, along with the former workshops, abandoned and gradually collapsing radioactive waste storage facilities are being “disturbed”.

9. Novokuznetsk

The city of Novokuznetsk with a population of more than 550 thousand inhabitants is known as the center of the Kuznetsk coal basin (Kuzbass) and its own Novokuznetsk agglomeration with a total population of more than 1.3 million people. Facilities of the coal mining industry, metallurgy and a number of other industries are concentrated in the city; In total, there are more than forty enterprises in Novokuznetsk. At the same time, ensuring environmental safety remains at an insufficient level, which affects not only the atmosphere, but also soils and local water bodies. A big problem is related to the pollution of the Tom River in the Novokuznetsk region, which poses a threat to the quality of drinking water.

10. Moscow

Despite the absence of large hazardous industrial enterprises, Moscow is one of the dirtiest cities in Russia and the world. More than 90% of all harmful substances in the Moscow atmosphere originate from non-stationary sources, namely motor transport. When weather conditions do not allow gases to leave the city, the concentration of impurities can increase sharply, forming smog.

Over half a century, the number of cars in the city has increased 30-40 times. According to the traffic police, in 2017, about five million cars were registered in the capital of the Russian Federation, and taking into account the region’s vehicle fleet, it turns out to be more than 8 million in the Moscow region. These data indicate that ten Muscovites have an average of four cars. This number of vehicles annually provides the Moscow atmosphere with more than 1 million tons of exhaust gases, and this figure continues to increase every year.

Experts name the use of electric transport as a possible way to overcome the problem of transport pollution, offering residents of the largest cities to use it as an alternative means, but the appropriate infrastructure for its widespread use is only being prepared.

the most... cities in the world. List of the dirtiest TOP 10. For the first time, the rating of the dirtiest cities in the world was compiled in 2007 by specialists from the influential international consulting agency Mercer. The study was based on data on water and air quality, mortality rates, life expectancy and quality of medical care.

The American analytical organization Mercer Human has published a list of the ten most polluted industrial centers planets. Unfortunately, this list included 3 Russian cities at once: Norilsk, Dzerzhinsk and the village of Rudnaya Pristan. There are 35 cities on the full list. The most environmentally hazardous zones in Russia are Komi, Magnitogorsk, Karachay, Volgograd and the Kola Peninsula. One of the main criteria when choosing contaminated sites is the proximity of the contaminated site to large populated areas. Heavy metals are recognized as the main source of infection. According to Mercer Human research, environmental pollution negatively affects more than a billion people on the planet. Basically, the cities included in the first

1. , Chernobyl Ukraine Number of potentially infected people: about 5.5 million people. Type of pollutant: uranium, plutonium, strontium, heavy metals, radioactive iodine. The worst nuclear disaster in the history of the planet occurred on April 26, 1986, when the reactor core melted due to an explosion during tests at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Thirty people died on the spot, and more than 135,000 were evacuated. The explosion brought in a hundred times more radiation than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

2. Dzerzhinsk, Russia. Number of potentially infected people: 300,000 people. Type of pollutant: Sarin, Lewisite, mustard gas, hydrocyanic acid, phosgene, lead, organic chemicals. Average life expectancy in Dzerzhinsk, the center of Russian chemical production, is 42 years for men and 47 years for women. Until the end of the Cold War, the city was a major center for the production of chemical weapons. According to the Environmental Protection Agency in Dzerzhinsk in the period from 1930 to 1998. Almost 300,000 tons of chemical waste were improperly disposed of. About 190 tons of these substances were illegally dumped into groundwater. In 2003, official statistics reported that in Dzerzhinsk the mortality rate exceeds the birth rate by 2.6 times.

3. Haina, Dominican Republic Number of potentially infected people: 85,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead. This densely populated area, known as Bajos de Haina, is heavily polluted with lead, waste from a closed car battery factory. Various studies indicate critical levels of lead in the blood of the population and in the soil - indicators exceed the norm by several thousand times! The most common disease in Haina is lead poisoning, which leads to congenital deformities, eye diseases, and mental disorders.

4. Kabwe, Zambia Number of potentially infected people: 250,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead, cadmium. Kabwe, the second largest city in Zambia, is located 150 kilometers north of the country's capital, Lusaka. In 1902, rich deposits of lead were discovered here. The level of heavy metal pollution exceeds the maximum permissible norm by 4 times. Residents of the city are characterized by symptoms of acute blood poisoning, which leads to vomiting, diarrhea, chronic kidney disease and muscle atrophy.

5. La Oroya, Peru Number of potentially infected people: 35,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead, zinc, copper. Beginning in 1922, residents of a mining town in the Peruvian Andes were exposed to toxic emissions from a local plant. Ninety-nine percent of children living in the La Oroya area are susceptible to severe illness due to high levels of lead in their blood. The vegetation in the vicinity of the city has long been destroyed by acid rain due to high emissions of sulfur dioxide.

6. Linfeng, China Number of potentially infected people: 200,000. Type of pollutant: ash, carbon, lead, organic chemicals. Description: Linfen is the most polluted city in China. The country's need for coal led to the creation of hundreds of often illegal and unregulated mines, one of which was the city of Linfen. Local clinics are seeing an increase in cases of bronchitis, pneumonia, and lung cancer. Levels of sulfur dioxide and other particles in the air are several times higher than the standards set by the World Health Organization

7. Mailu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan Number of potentially infected people: 23,000 infected, potentially several million. Type of pollutant: radioactive uranium, heavy metals. The development of uranium mines in the Mailu-Suu river valley at an altitude of 2 thousand meters above sea level began in 1948 at the start of the Cold War. In 1968, the production of radium from uranium ores at two plants near the city of Mailu-Suu was discontinued. In the surrounding area - in a zone of constant seismic, landslide and mudflow activity - there are extensive burial sites of radioactive waste.

8. Norilsk, Russia Number of potentially infected people: 134,000 people. Type of pollutant: strontium, nickel, cobalt, copper, lead, selenium. It is considered one of the most polluted places in Russia - the snow is black and there is a hint of sulfur in the air. Life expectancy for factory workers is on average 10 years lower than in Russia. Norilsk is home to the world's largest heavy metal smelting complex, and over 4 million tons of cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, arsenic, selenium and zinc are dispersed into the air throughout the year. Residents of the city suffer from respiratory diseases associated with air pollution as a result of the plant's activities. In addition, mortality from respiratory diseases is much higher than the national average.

9. Ranipet, India Number of potentially infected people: 3,500,000 people. Type of pollutant: emissions from the tanning industry, tanneries, chromium. Ranipet is approximately 100 miles upstream from Chennai and is the fourth largest city in India. The tannery uses sodium chromate, chromium salts and chromium sulfate for coloring in the leather tanning process. About 1,500,000 tons of solid waste pollute groundwater. Soil and groundwater pollution from wastewater has a detrimental effect on the health and lives of thousands of people. Drinking sources and agricultural lands are affected. Farmers cultivate contaminated soil and water their crops with contaminated water.

Rudnaya Pristan, 10. Russia Number of potentially infected people: 90,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead, cadmium, mercury. Drinking water, soil and fauna contain dangerous levels of lead. The lead content in the blood of children exceeds the norm by 8 to 20 times. Every year, 85 tons of particulate matter of lead and arsenic are released into the atmosphere.

List of the 10 most environmentally friendly cities in the world Mercer Human has identified the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. For this purpose, 221 megacities were studied. Important parameters for determining the cities with the most favorable ecosystem were: the availability and purity of water, the thoroughness of garbage collection, the condition of sewer networks, the level of air pollution and transport problems. In cities with the best ecology, renewable energy sources are used optimally. In addition, they regularly take measures to minimize air and water pollution. Another factor is the noise level in cities.

1. Calgary, Canada Population 1,100,000 inhabitants. Calgary is located 27 kilometers from the border of the Rocky Mountains, in the foothills area. The climate there is sharply continental: cold winters and warm summers.

2. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Population 377,000 inhabitants. It is located in a tropical oceanic climate. In the suburbs of Honolulu is the US Navy base Pearl Harbor.

3. Ottawa, Canada Population 1,174,000 inhabitants. The height of Ottawa is 114 meters. Located in North America near the Appalachian Mountains. The city is located on the northern border of the distribution of broad-leaved forests. The climate is temperate continental.

Helsinki Finland 4. and, i Population 1,299,000 inhabitants. The city is located in a rocky area. The climate of Helsinki is moderate, transitional between continental and maritime.

5. n, Wellingto New Zealand Population 431,400 people. Wellington is located in the southwestern part of the island on the shore of a volcanic bay. Wellington is often subject to strong storm winds. The climate is subtropical marine.

6. Minneapolis, USA state of Minnesota, Population 3,502,891 inhabitants. Minneapolis's climate is continental. Minneapolis is ranked #1 by Forbes magazine among American cities with the most affordable housing that still offer a high quality of life.

7. , i, Australia Adelaide South Australia i Population 1,138,800 people. The total area of Adelaide's urban area is 870 km², and is located at an average altitude of 50 meters above sea level. Adelaide is located in the Mediterranean climate zone.

8. Copenhagen, Denmark Population 548,443 people. The city's climate is temperate maritime.

9. Kobe, Japan Population 1,538,840 people. Stone tools and artifacts that were found in the west of Kobe indicate that human settlements were located in this territory from 12,000 to 300 BC. e. Among the largest Japanese companies, whose headquarters are in Kobe: ASICS, Daiei, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Shipbuilding Co., Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Kobe Steel, Sumitomo Rubber Industries and TOA Corporation.

10. Oslo, Norway Population 590,041 inhabitants. About half of the country's tertiary-educated residents live in the Oslo region, placing it third in Europe in terms of educational attainment. More than 73,000 students study in the capital. Oslo is located at the northernmost tip of the Oslofjord in southeastern Norway. Oslo includes 40 islands. Within the city there are 343 lakes, which are the most important source of drinking water.

10. m, Stockholm Sweden Population 861,010 people. World famous companies IBM, Ericsson and Electrolux are based here. The Royal High School of Music in Stockholm was founded in 1771 and is one of the oldest high schools of music in the world. In 1998 Stockholm was elected European Capital of Culture. Stockholm's climate is temperate maritime with mild winters and cool summers.

List of the 10 best cities in the world to live Baghdad was recognized as the worst city to live in, in the ranking it is located in 221st place. When assessing cities, they took into account the development of infrastructure, the level of service in social and medical institutions, and also took into account the opportunity to find a job with a competitive salary. Of course, political and economic stability was also assessed. Two Russian cities also made it into the ranking: St. Petersburg took 68th place, and Moscow took 70th place.

1. Vancouver, Canada It is the 3rd largest city in Canada with a population of 2,433,000 people and the largest population center in the province of British Columbia. Surrounded by dense coniferous forest, snow-capped mountains and fjords. There are 20 bridges across the city’s numerous rivers, 3 of which are drawbridges. Vancouver has a mild climate, being part of a unique ecosystem - temperate tropical forest, so summers here are mild and not hot, and in winter it rarely snows.

2. Vienna, Austria Vienna is the capital of Austria, located in the eastern part of the country. The population of Vienna and its suburbs is about 2.3 million. Vienna is a world-famous center of music, thanks to a long line of famous musicians who lived and worked in this city: Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert. Not far from the capital is the Vienna Woods, a mountain range in Austria. This is a wonderful natural recreation area - an entire forest area with its own towns and hotels, resorts and thermal springs

3. Melbourne Australia, I Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia with a population of about 3.8 million and the capital of the state of Victoria. The city is considered one of the main commercial, industrial and cultural centers of Australia. It is also often called sports and cultural capital countries.

4. Toronto, Canada Toronto - The largest city Canada and the capital of the province of Ontario. Toronto is also home to the longest street in the world - Young Street, listed in the Guinness Book of Records and having a length of 1896 km. The largest zoo in the world is located here. The area of the zoo is 283 hectares. The CN tower is the world's tallest television tower, built back in 1976. Its height with the spire is 553 meters, and at an altitude of 446 meters there is a closed observation deck. The main attraction of the Toronto area is Niagara Falls. It is located between lakes Ontario and Erie on the border with the United States, 140 km from Toronto

6. Helsinki Finland, I Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland with a population of 578 thousand people. Helsinki is the center of business, education, culture and science in Finland; 70% of foreign companies operating in Finland are located in this city. Built on the peninsulas and islands of the Baltic coastline, Helsinki is

Sydney, Australia 7. i The largest city of Australia on the southeast coast is Sydney. It is twice the size of another giant city - New York. The number of parks and green oases makes Sydney unlike other major cities on the planet: next to the skyscrapers in the City - 34 hectares of the Royal Botanic Garden.

10. Auckland, New Zealand This is New Zealand's largest city with a population of about 1.3 million people, accounting for a quarter of the country's total population. Today Auckland is the economic and cultural center of New Zealand. The city is not rich in historical sights, but with its picturesque beauty Auckland strikes many hearts of those who come here for the first time. Auckland is surrounded by three sea bays, within the city limits there are

Last week, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment named the Russian cities with the dirtiest air in the state report “On Environmental Protection”. The most dangerous cities to live in were Krasnoyarsk, Magnitogorsk and Norilsk. In total, there are 15 extremely polluted areas in Russia, which, according to environmentalists, are the most unfavorable from the point of view, first of all, of atmospheric air and waste accumulation.

The black list of the dirtiest cities includes Norilsk, Lipetsk, Cherepovets, Novokuznetsk, Nizhny Tagil, Magnitogorsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk, Chelyabinsk, Bratsk, Novocherkassk, Chita, Dzerzhinsk, Mednogorsk and Asbest.

Krasnoyarsk called an “ecological disaster zone”

Alas, today Krasnoyarsk residents are literally suffocating in emissions. The reason for this is the active work of industrial facilities, factories and vehicles.

Krasnoyarsk, being the center of the East Siberian economic region, is a large industrial and transport city; its environmental situation is in an extremely tense state. Over the past year, the ecology of this million-plus city has deteriorated even more. As part of the special project “Practical Ecology”, an analysis of the environmental situation was carried out in this Siberian city.

The pollution study was carried out using air sampling. If in 2014 only 0.7% of these samples had an excess, then in 2017 this figure increased to 2.1% - that is, 3 times. Sounds scary. The same report, by the way, also speaks of an increase in the number of cancer patients in the city by approximately 2.5% per year. And by the end of 2017, this number may reach 373 patients per 100 thousand inhabitants.

Magnitogorsk, the most environmentally unfavorable city in the Urals

The unfavorable state of the atmospheric air in the city is determined by the emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, the main source of which, of course, is OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. The city of Magnitogorsk, whose city-forming enterprise became an industrial giant, is constantly included in the priority list of cities Russian Federation with the highest level of atmospheric air pollution due to benzopyrene, nitrogen dioxide, carbon disulfide, and phenol.

Norilsk: environmental crisis in extreme cold conditions

This city, which was built by Gulag prisoners in the 30s, can be called a place for extreme sports. Norilsk, with a population of over 100 thousand people, is located in the frosty Siberian Arctic. The maximum temperature in summer can reach 32 °C, and the minimum in winter can be below –50 °C. The city, whose economic basis is the mining industry, is completely dependent on imported food. The main industry is the extraction of precious metals. And it was precisely because of metal mining that Norilsk became one of the most polluted cities in Russia.

Norilsk continues to be one of the three dirtiest Russian cities, even despite the fact that after the closure of the Nickel Plant in June 2016, harmful emissions into the atmosphere decreased by a third. This enterprise, located in the historical center, was the oldest asset of Norilsk Nickel, and it accounted for 25% of all pollution in the region. The plant emitted about 400,000 tons of sulfur dioxide into the air annually. This made Norilsk the main polluter in the Arctic and one of the ten dirtiest cities on the planet according to Greenpeace.

Lipetsk

The environment in Lipetsk leaves much to be desired. A significant part of the residential development is located on the right bank of the Voronezh River, while the building of the metallurgical plant is on the gentle left bank. Due to the wind pattern with predominant winds from the northeast, some areas of the city are experiencing discomfort.

According to official data, over 350 thousand tons of pollutants enter the atmospheric layers every year. This is more than 700 kilograms per capita. The indicators for heavy metals, dioxins, benzopyrene and phenol have the greatest excess. The main source of pollution is the Novolipetsk Iron and Steel Works.

Cherepovets

Cherepovets is a city with developed industrial production, which, of course, directly affects the environmental situation. Moreover, it is impossible to single out an area that would be relatively free from industrial pollution - absolutely all areas feel the influence of industrial zones.

Residents of the city often feel the unpleasant smell of industrial emissions, more often than others, they clean their windows from black deposits and observe the multi-colored smoke that comes out of the chimneys of factories every day. In spring and autumn, the environmental situation in the city worsens somewhat, which is due to weather conditions that reduce the dispersion of harmful components, which contributes to their accumulation in the atmosphere.

Novokuznetsk

This is another industrial Russian city, in the center of which there is a metallurgical plant. It is not surprising that the environmental situation here is characterized as unfavorable: air pollution is especially serious. There are 145 thousand vehicles registered in the city, the gross emissions of which amounted to 76.5 thousand tons.

Nizhny Tagil

Nizhny Tagil has long been on the list of cities with the most polluted air. The maximum permissible value of benzopyrene in the city's atmosphere was exceeded 13 times.

Omsk

In the past, the abundance of industries led to numerous emissions into the atmosphere. Now 58% of air pollution in the city comes from motor vehicles. In addition to urban air pollution, the deplorable state of water in the Om and Irtysh rivers also adds to the environmental problems in Omsk.

Chelyabinsk

In industrial Chelyabinsk, a fairly high level of air pollution is recorded. But this situation is further complicated by the fact that the city is calm for a third of the year. In hot weather, smog can be observed over Chelyabinsk, which is the result of the activities of the electrode plant, the Chelyabinsk State District Power Plant, ChEMK and several Chelyabinsk thermal power plants. Power plants account for about 20% of all recorded emissions.

Dzerzhinsk

The real threat to the city’s ecology remains the deep burial sites of hazardous industrial waste and the sludge lake (nicknamed the “white sea”) with chemical production waste.

Bratsk

The main sources of air pollution in the city are the Bratsk aluminum plant, the ferroalloy plant, the thermal power plant and the Bratsk timber industry complex. In addition, every spring and summer there are regular forest fires that last from two weeks to four months.

Chita

For three years in a row this city has been included in the anti-rating. The regional center ranks second in the country after Vladivostok in terms of the number of cars per capita, which is one of the sources of air pollution within the city. In addition, there is the problem of pollution of urban water bodies.

Mednogorsk

The main environmental pollutant is the Mednogorsk copper-sulfur plant, which emits large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the air, forming sulfuric acid when settling over the soil.

Novocherkassk

The air in Novocherkassk is the dirtiest in the region: every year the city consistently appears on the list of places with the most polluted atmosphere. Night emissions are not uncommon here; the wind often blows from an industrial area onto a residential area.

Asbestos

In the city of Asbest, 25% of the world's asbestos-chrysotile is mined. This fibrous mineral, known for its heat resistance and carcinogenic properties, is banned in most countries. European countries. Around the clock, in a giant 12 km long quarry in Asbest, “stone flax” is mined for the production of asbestos-cement pipes, insulation and building materials, half of which are exported to 50 countries. Locals do not believe in the harm of asbestos.

Air in big cities the world, alas, does not smack of frosty freshness. Moreover, from year to year, air quality in megacities continues to deteriorate. And one of them even earned the title of “the dirtiest city in the world.” This is recorded by the World Health Organization (WHO), in whose database there are over 4,300 cities.

WHO experts say that nine out of ten people on the planet breathe heavily polluted air. Because of this, seven million people die every year, mostly from poor countries in Asia and Africa.

Here is a list of the dirtiest cities in the world. It is based on data on average annual levels of PM2.5 - particles 2.5 micrometers or even smaller in diameter. It is so small that it can get into the alveoli and cause serious health problems.

10. Khanna, India - 114 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter

This ancient city, which dates back 500 years, is now the largest grain market in Asia. It is also known for having an annual level of fine PM2.5 particles of 114 micrograms per cubic meter, far exceeding the WHO recommendation of no more than 10 micrograms/m3.

9. Cairo, Egypt - 117 µg/m3

Egypt's overcrowded capital suffers from many environmental problems, such as noise pollution and chemical emissions from thousands of factories, desert dust that covers the entire city in a generous layer, and unsustainable waste management.

The latter problem is especially acute in the so-called “garbage city” - a suburb of Cairo, where “zaballeen” live, sorting garbage mainly by hand. There are frequent outbreaks of hepatitis, and even cases of leprosy (leprosy) have been recorded.

8. Ludhiana, India - 122 µg/m3

One of the dirtiest cities in the world suffers not only from air pollution, but also from water pollution. Industrial enterprises, of which there are a lot in Ludhiana, are to blame for this. Ironically, they also ensured the city's reputation as one of the richest in India.

Ludhiana is the largest bicycle manufacturing center in Asia; many parts for German BMW and Mercedes cars are also produced here.

7. Delhi - 123 µg/m3

Currently, there is no such thing as fresh air in the Indian capital. Overpopulation (this problem is acute for most megacities), piles of garbage, a large number of public and personal transport lead to the fact that the environment in Delhi is considered one of the worst on the planet. Not only people, but also animals and plants suffer from this. About 2,530 species of animals and 366 plants are threatened with extinction in India.

In November 2017, Delhi was under a dense cloud of dirty gray smog for several days, which even forced schools to close. Four factors contributed to this:

climatic - high humidity coupled with strong winds;
cultural - holding a festival of lights, during which people launched fireworks and exploded firecrackers;
social - burning garbage in poor neighborhoods, people tried to somehow warm up;
anthropogenic - operation of the Badarpur coal-fired thermal power plant, burning of garbage and vegetation residues in the fields, demolition of buildings.

As a result, the level of air pollution at this time exceeded WHO standards by at least 30 times.

6. Novi Sad, Serbia - 142 µg/m3

Surprisingly, sixth place in the ranking of “dirty cities” is not an Indian or even an African metropolis, but a city located in the north of Serbia. It is a major industrial and financial center of the country. Many tourists call it one of the most beautiful in Serbia. However, fetid landfills and construction debris on the roadsides somewhat spoil the idyllic picture that can be observed when walking through the well-kept city center.

5. Raipur, India - 144 µg/m3

The population of Raipur is constantly growing and the city is finding it difficult to meet their sanitation needs. And cement factories and enterprises for the production and processing of marble and granite generously “supply” the air with chemical emissions.

4. Pasakha, Bhutan - 150 µg/m3

The city in southern Bhutan is the only industrial city country as it is home to several heavy industries. Tashi Group, the largest private company in Bhutan, operates a chemical plant, a ferroalloy plant and a soft drink plant. In total, there are 26 factories in the city.

As a side effect of their activities, the city is suffocating from bad air and a lack of water, since it is required to maintain enterprises.

3. Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia - 152 µg/m3

Oil is a word inextricably linked with the city of Al Jubail. Although the multitude of factories producing lubricating oils, gasoline and diesel fuel are not very useful for the urban atmosphere, they are useful for the country's budget.

Despite polluted air, Al Jubail is one of the most comfortable cities Saudi Arabia. There are lagoons with beaches and picturesque gardens that are irrigated with desalinated water.

2. Allahabad, India - 170 μg/m3

The birthplace of prominent politician Jawaharlal Nehru and one of the most important places for Indian pilgrims is beautiful name“Garden of Allah” (translated from Arabic and Persian).

However, the city is located at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers - one of the dirtiest rivers on Earth. One has only to look at a photo of the waters of the Yamuna River - one of them - to be reminded of a giant landfill, and not a sacred garden. Swimming in it is comparable to swimming in raw sewage. The Ganges (except for places close to the source) and even worse, only a reckless or very pious person can take a bath in it.

Frenzied traffic and a lack of green spaces also contribute to air pollution in Allahabad.

1. Gwalior, India, 176 µg/m3

Here is WHO's answer to the question of which city is the dirtiest in the world. A previous report named Zabol in Iran as the most polluted city. However, judging by latest version WHO database, Zabol has reduced pollution levels by four times and now appears cleaner than the Australian capital Canberra.

Many residents of Gwalior suffer from water-borne infectious diseases because the liquid they drink comes from polluted areas. Huge landfills, overcrowding and noise pollution also contribute to the risk of serious health problems.

In Russia there is no data on the quality of outdoor air, since stations collecting such data are only in Moscow. However, in 2018, the Ministry of Natural Resources drafted and proposed a bill on environmental information. We can only hope that measures to improve the environment in Russia will allow citizens to breathe deeply without fear for their well-being.

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