World Air Quality Index

What World Air Quality Index actually is

The project aggregates official government monitoring stations from more than a hundred countries onto a single map, showing the current air quality index at each site with the individual pollutant readings sitting behind it. Every station page carries historical charts and a forecast.

Why it is worth your time

Comparing two stations a few kilometres apart in one city, one beside a motorway and one in a park, quantifies something you can otherwise only smell.

Common questions

Is World Air Quality Index free?

Yes. World Air Quality Index is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does World Air Quality Index take?

Good within five seconds of loading. We file it under "Instant" — live readings from thousands of monitoring stations.

Does World Air Quality Index work on a phone?

Yes. World Air Quality Index works on a phone as well as it does on a laptop.

What kind of site is World Air Quality Index?

We list it under The Live Planet — what earth is doing, right this second. Comparing two stations a few kilometres apart in one city, one beside a motorway and one in a park, quantifies something you can otherwise only smell.