Pollution, grime or other environmental problems by country
Countries reporting
47
Highest
34.7%
Malta
Lowest
3.9%
Albania
Median
10.7%
Years covered
21
2003–2023
Data points
816
What the numbers show
Pollution, grime or other environmental problems is currently reported for 47 countries. The highest value is 34.7% in Malta; the lowest is 3.9% in Albania.
The median across all reporting countries is 10.7%, and the mean is 11.6%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 9.
Over the past decade 13 countries rose and 34 fell. The largest increase was in Ireland (up 63.0%), and the largest decrease in Slovakia (down 60.5%).
Pollution, grime or other environmental problems: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malta | 34.7% | 2023 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 2 | Greece | 20.5% | 2023 | down 22.6% | rising |
| 3 | Türkiye | 19.8% | 2023 | down 18.5% | falling |
| 4 | Germany | 16.8% | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 5 | France | 16.0% | 2023 | up 36.8% | falling |
| 6 | Latvia | 15.4% | 2023 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 6 | Latvia | 15.4% | 2023 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 8 | Portugal | 15.3% | 2023 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 9 | European Union (EU6-1958, EU9-1973, EU10-1981, EU12-1986, EU15-1995, EU25-2004, EU27-2007, EU28-2013, EU27-2020) | 15.0% | 2019 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 10 | Slovenia | 14.9% | 2023 | down 2.6% | falling |
| 10 | Slovenia | 14.9% | 2023 | down 2.6% | falling |
| 12 | Netherlands | 14.7% | 2023 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 12 | Hungary | 14.7% | 2023 | up 2.1% | falling |
| 12 | Netherlands | 14.7% | 2023 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 15 | Euro area (EA11-1999, EA12-2001, EA13-2007, EA15-2008, EA16-2009, EA17-2011, EA18-2014, EA19-2015, EA20-2023, EA21-2026) | 14.5% | 2020 | down 11.0% | falling |
| 16 | United Kingdom | 14.0% | 2018 | up 12.9% | falling |
| 16 | United Kingdom | 14.0% | 2018 | up 12.9% | falling |
| 18 | Serbia | 13.8% | 2023 | down 26.2% | falling |
| 19 | Belgium | 13.5% | 2023 | down 22.9% | falling |
| 20 | North Macedonia | 12.6% | 2023 | down 8.7% | falling |
| 21 | Romania | 11.7% | 2023 | down 32.8% | falling |
| 22 | Lithuania | 10.9% | 2023 | down 30.1% | rising |
| 22 | Lithuania | 10.9% | 2023 | down 30.1% | rising |
| 24 | Cyprus | 10.7% | 2023 | down 31.8% | falling |
| 24 | Spain | 10.7% | 2023 | up 9.2% | falling |
| 26 | Bulgaria | 10.4% | 2023 | down 28.3% | falling |
| 27 | Iceland | 10.2% | 2020 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 28 | Italy | 9.9% | 2023 | down 42.4% | falling |
| 29 | Finland | 9.7% | 2023 | up 15.5% | falling |
| 30 | Luxembourg | 9.5% | 2023 | down 24.6% | falling |
| 30 | Norway | 9.5% | 2023 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 32 | Estonia | 8.6% | 2023 | down 11.3% | volatile |
| 32 | Estonia | 8.6% | 2023 | down 11.3% | volatile |
| 34 | Montenegro | 8.5% | 2023 | down 58.7% | falling |
| 35 | Austria | 8.0% | 2023 | down 27.3% | rising |
| 36 | Czechia | 7.9% | 2023 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 37 | Switzerland | 7.7% | 2023 | down 14.4% | falling |
| 38 | Ireland | 7.5% | 2023 | up 63.0% | falling |
| 39 | Denmark | 7.3% | 2023 | up 23.7% | rising |
| 40 | Poland | 7.1% | 2023 | down 35.5% | falling |
| 40 | Poland | 7.1% | 2023 | down 35.5% | falling |
| 42 | Slovakia | 5.8% | 2023 | down 60.5% | falling |
| 42 | Slovakia | 5.8% | 2023 | down 60.5% | falling |
| 44 | Sweden | 5.0% | 2023 | down 37.5% | falling |
| 45 | Croatia | 4.2% | 2023 | down 38.2% | falling |
| 45 | Croatia | 4.2% | 2023 | down 38.2% | falling |
| 47 | Albania | 3.9% | 2023 | down 23.5% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.