A Swiss report has found that air pollution in Libya is nearly five times higher than World Health Organization guidelines. The report, published by the English-language Swiss website IQAir, assessed air quality in Libya using the AQI⁺ index and PM2.5 particulate levels for 2025.
The report stated that Libya’s air quality index reached 80 on a scale from zero to 500. This puts the country in the yellow category, which is generally considered acceptable for most people.
According to the report, the average concentration of PM2.5 particulate matter was 25.4 micrograms per cubic meter. This figure is 4.9 times higher than the annual guideline set by the World Health Organization.
Libya ranked 25th globally in poor air quality among 143 countries. IQAir also listed Libya in 11th place among nations with the highest pollution levels.
Despite these figures, Libya’s air quality was better than that of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Kuwait, Uganda, Egypt, and Uzbekistan.
