The World’s Dirtiest Cities

Do you know that African cities are among the dirtiest cities in the world? In this article we take a look at the world’s dirtiest cities and why they are regarded as the dirtiest.

Pollution is one of the most dangerous issues plaguing the world today. Water pollution causes a decline of safe drinking water. Air pollution leads to health risks and damages the ecosystem.

Noise pollution causes harm to the environment and frightens animals, and soil pollution can lead to water contamination which can eventually cause serious health hazards.

African cities are some of the dirtiest cities in the world. “In Africa, 115 people die every hour from diseases linked to poor sanitation, poor hygiene and contaminated water (Water Without Borders).”

Water is essential for life, but when you are living in a city with poor water quality you are risking the chance for a water-borne disease.

Poor air quality is a problem among almost all of the dirtiest cities in the world. Much of the pollution affecting our air comes from human activities.

It is a result of manufacturing, transportation and a dependence on fossil fuels like gas and coal.

Exposure to pollutants like smog, sulfates, nitrates and carbon can have a significant impact on both human health and the health of the earth.”

The cities identified in the article have been termed the world’s dirtiest not just due to the filth they breed on land but because even their air and water are polluted.

Choose your destination wisely and be careful when visiting the 10 Dirtiest Cities in the World.

Guess which Nigerian city made the cut?

10. Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Ordinarily, if any Nigerian city was to be represented on this list, that city would have to be Lagos right? Sorry to let you down.

According to a report in 2016, “Nigeria’s Port Harcourt international airport was voted the worst in the world.” They explain the staff is unhelpful; there is a lack of seating, broken air conditioning and a tent for an arrivals hall.

Compared to the entire city, the airport is nothing. The people living in Port Harcourt are at a serious health risk because waste disposal is contaminating Nigeria’s rivers.

Now you know why Port Harcourt and not Lagos is the dirtiest city in Nigeria.

9. Luanda, Angola

Luanda, Angola is known as one of the world’s most expensive cities, but you would never know that if you went there. Most of the residents in Luanda drink dangerous water.

In 2015, Angola suffered from a cholera and it notched up the world’s highest fatality rate from the disease: 2,722 deaths, most of them in Luanda.

Last year, 16,320 cases were reported in 16 of the country’s 18 provinces, with most fatalities (77) occurring in the capital.”

8. Lome, Togo

Lome, Togo is located in West Africa; they have been undergoing a serious sanitation and health risk. Many residents are suffering from water-borne infectious diseases because they are living without access to clean water, and the water they are drinking is coming from polluted areas.

Ongoing issues with waste management has also been contributing to serious health hazards.

7. Moscow, Russia

Hold your breath if you travel to Moscow because the air pollution may put you at a high risk for diseases. The large amount of cars and factories contribute to this pollution and the overall health of the residents in Moscow.

Moscow’s air pollution has taken a toll on its residents and the environment. Russia play host to 32 countries in the world in next year’s FIFA World Cup.

6. New Delhi, India

New Delhi, India is extremely over-crowded. Public urination, litter and piles of garbage on the sides of the roads are rampant. Accommodations also leave much to be desired, as most hotels are dark, dirty, cold and stocked with dirty towels.

5. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Dar es Salaam is one of the dirtiest cities in Africa. Make sure you stay away from Coco Beach, which is covered in garbage and full of seaweed. The water quality is comparable to taking a swim in raw sewage. Dar es Salaam is also home to Black Indian Crows, a bird species that has eliminated other bird populations; even chickens aren’t safe.

4. Baghdad, Iraq

The residents of Baghdad, Iraq drink water of poor quality on a daily basis, thus making Baghdad one of the dirtiest cities in the world. Water-borne diseases are transmitted to the people which have been known to cause serious illness and even death.

3. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and is facing one of the worst sanitation complications in the world. Most people don’t have access to a hygienic toilet. This is causing waste to be dispersed into the environment. This has ultimately resulted in, a spike in the infant mortality rate, infectious diseases and a low life expectancy.

2. Port au Prince, Haiti

Port au Prince, has a growing population and a desperate need for clean water and waste management. “Only 7% of the garbage in Haiti’s capital Port au Prince is collected by the public service,” and “according to the ministry of environment, Port au Prince produces 5000 tons of solid waste

1. Baku, Azerbaijan

Surrounded by Iran, Georgia, Russia and Armenia on the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan has long been an oil hub. As a consequence, Baku, the capital, suffers from life-threatening levels of air pollution emitted from oil drilling and shipping.