Pollution, grime or other environmental problems by degree of urbanisation by country
Countries reporting
35
Highest
42.9
Malta
Lowest
6.2
Sweden
Median
14.2
Years covered
21
2003–2023
Data points
636
What the numbers show
Pollution, grime or other environmental problems by degree of urbanisation is currently reported for 35 countries. The highest value is 42.9 in Malta; the lowest is 6.2 in Sweden.
The median across all reporting countries is 14.2, and the mean is 16.23.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 7.
Over the past decade 11 countries rose and 24 fell. The largest increase was in North Macedonia (up 85.9%), and the largest decrease in Slovakia (down 56.8%).
Pollution, grime or other environmental problems by degree of: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malta | 42.9 | 2023 | up 0.5% | falling |
| 2 | Greece | 35.3 | 2023 | down 12.2% | rising |
| 3 | North Macedonia | 25.1 | 2023 | up 85.9% | rising |
| 4 | Belgium | 24.1 | 2023 | down 14.2% | rising |
| 4 | France | 24.1 | 2023 | up 48.8% | flat |
| 6 | Germany | 22.3 | 2023 | down 31.6% | flat |
| 7 | Latvia | 21.3 | 2023 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 8 | European Union (EU6-1958, EU9-1973, EU10-1981, EU12-1986, EU15-1995, EU25-2004, EU27-2007, EU28-2013, EU27-2020) | 20.9 | 2019 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 9 | Serbia | 20.8 | 2023 | down 12.6% | rising |
| 10 | Euro area (EA11-1999, EA12-2001, EA13-2007, EA15-2008, EA16-2009, EA17-2011, EA18-2014, EA19-2015, EA20-2023, EA21-2026) | 20.6 | 2020 | down 6.8% | flat |
| 11 | Romania | 18 | 2023 | down 27.1% | falling |
| 12 | Portugal | 17.4 | 2023 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 13 | Netherlands | 17.3 | 2023 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 14 | Slovenia | 17 | 2023 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 16.3 | 2018 | up 19.0% | falling |
| 15 | Hungary | 16.3 | 2023 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 17 | Bulgaria | 15.2 | 2023 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 18 | Italy | 14.2 | 2023 | down 43.0% | falling |
| 19 | Lithuania | 13.7 | 2023 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 20 | Finland | 13.3 | 2023 | up 24.3% | falling |
| 21 | Czechia | 13 | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 21 | Spain | 13 | 2023 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 23 | Luxembourg | 12.5 | 2023 | up 15.7% | falling |
| 24 | Cyprus | 12 | 2023 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 25 | Poland | 11.8 | 2023 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 26 | Iceland | 11.3 | 2020 | up 6.6% | flat |
| 27 | Denmark | 10.7 | 2023 | up 7.0% | flat |
| 28 | Switzerland | 10.3 | 2023 | down 13.4% | falling |
| 29 | Norway | 10 | 2023 | up 22.0% | rising |
| 29 | Austria | 10 | 2023 | down 37.1% | rising |
| 31 | Ireland | 8.7 | 2023 | up 58.2% | falling |
| 32 | Estonia | 8.1 | 2023 | down 31.4% | volatile |
| 33 | Slovakia | 7.6 | 2023 | down 56.8% | falling |
| 34 | Croatia | 6.7 | 2023 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 35 | Sweden | 6.2 | 2023 | down 47.5% | falling |