Pollution, grime or other environmental problems by degree of urbanisation by country
Countries reporting
44
Highest
42.9%
Malta
Lowest
6.2%
Sweden
Median
13.9%
Years covered
21
2003–2023
Data points
781
What the numbers show
Pollution, grime or other environmental problems by degree of urbanisation is currently reported for 44 countries. The highest value is 42.9% in Malta; the lowest is 6.2% in Sweden.
The median across all reporting countries is 13.9%, and the mean is 15.6%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 7.
Over the past decade 12 countries rose and 32 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 |
| 7 | Latvia | 21.3% | 2023 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 9 | 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 |
| 10 | Serbia | 20.8% | 2023 | down 12.6% | rising |
| 11 | 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 |
| 12 | Romania | 18.0% | 2023 | down 27.1% | falling |
| 13 | Portugal | 17.4% | 2023 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 14 | Netherlands | 17.3% | 2023 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 14 | Netherlands | 17.3% | 2023 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 16 | Slovenia | 17.0% | 2023 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 16 | Slovenia | 17.0% | 2023 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 18 | United Kingdom | 16.3% | 2018 | up 19.0% | falling |
| 18 | United Kingdom | 16.3% | 2018 | up 19.0% | falling |
| 18 | Hungary | 16.3% | 2023 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 21 | Bulgaria | 15.2% | 2023 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 22 | Italy | 14.2% | 2023 | down 43.0% | falling |
| 23 | Lithuania | 13.7% | 2023 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 23 | Lithuania | 13.7% | 2023 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 25 | Finland | 13.3% | 2023 | up 24.3% | falling |
| 26 | Czechia | 13.0% | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 26 | Spain | 13.0% | 2023 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 28 | Luxembourg | 12.5% | 2023 | up 15.7% | falling |
| 29 | Cyprus | 12.0% | 2023 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 30 | Poland | 11.8% | 2023 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 30 | Poland | 11.8% | 2023 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 32 | Iceland | 11.3% | 2020 | up 6.6% | flat |
| 33 | Denmark | 10.7% | 2023 | up 7.0% | flat |
| 34 | Switzerland | 10.3% | 2023 | down 13.4% | falling |
| 35 | Norway | 10.0% | 2023 | up 22.0% | rising |
| 35 | Austria | 10.0% | 2023 | down 37.1% | rising |
| 37 | Ireland | 8.7% | 2023 | up 58.2% | falling |
| 38 | Estonia | 8.1% | 2023 | down 31.4% | volatile |
| 38 | Estonia | 8.1% | 2023 | down 31.4% | volatile |
| 40 | Slovakia | 7.6% | 2023 | down 56.8% | falling |
| 40 | Slovakia | 7.6% | 2023 | down 56.8% | falling |
| 42 | Croatia | 6.7% | 2023 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 42 | Croatia | 6.7% | 2023 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 44 | Sweden | 6.2% | 2023 | down 47.5% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.