# Can you guess....name the top 10 worst polluting countries in the world today **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 23, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301 "2017-05-23T20:28:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/21 "2017-05-23T22:16:14Z")
It seems expectable that the most advanced, top manufacturing countries would be the main sources of pollution. However, say, Scandinavia and Germany do make efforts to correct their unavoidable harm. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/22 "2017-05-23T22:38:54Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Well let’s define polluting? For your average joe, when you say polluting, the assumption is that the company etc. is violating some permit or law on emissions. But that’s not the case. I’m really stumped as to why you would think this. We all get our pollution tests for our vehicles here in Illinois. I live in a neighborhood where there have been many complaints about local companies spewing out legal pollution. I really doubt most people think of pollution as an inherently illegal activity. I got the top 4, although I thought the US and India would be flip-flopped. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/23 "2017-05-23T22:53:34Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Didn’t realize there would be any confusion… Really? I would never have assumed that pollution means CO2 and only CO2. Why not say “top 10 worst CO2 emitting”? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/24 "2017-05-23T23:16:40Z")
This seems to be a very dangerous list taken at face value. CO2 should not be viewed as the end all be all of pollution and treating it as such takes priority away from far more dangerous pollutants. CO2 is something every living thing on the planet is used to dealing with. I’d much rather be in a room with too much CO2 than Methane, Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur dioxide or any number of other chemicals. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/25 "2017-05-24T01:54:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Really? I would never have assumed that pollution means CO2 and only CO2. Why not say “top 10 worst CO2 emitting”? Well, that’s because you are just naturally smarter than I am, John. 😉 Honestly, if you watched the video you can see the title just as I did. I assumed, correctly in this case though obviously non-intuitively, that it was about CO2 emissions, not general pollution or some other type of pollution…though, as I said, he does briefly talk about it. It’s not a really in-depth look at the subject…I have other science oriented channels I follow for that sort of thing. It’s just a light video that I thought would make an interesting platform for discussion on which countries folks guessed would be in the list. Since it’s confusing some and bringing out the pendant in others as well as people who want to parse the question to be ‘fair’ (by which I assume they don’t like some of the countries on the list and think it should be modified in various ways to come out the way they want it too), I’ll leave it there. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/26 "2017-05-24T02:02:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is “legal” pollution safer and easier to breathe than “illegal” pollution? I would expect that to be the trend. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/27 "2017-05-24T02:41:13Z")
In the Top 5 I got 1 and 3 ----- I reversed us and Russia. I am a little surprised at Germany and Canada making the list. I thought more of Canada at least. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/28 "2017-05-24T02:42:28Z")
I figured USA, China and India would be on the list for sure. Was surprised by Saudi Arabia. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/29 "2017-05-24T03:10:28Z")
Pretty much guesses all the countries though not the order. Why are people surprised that the planets most populated countries, largest industrial powers and fossil fuel producers are on the list? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/30 "2017-05-24T03:24:04Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > … I thought more of Canada at least. What the fuck does that mean? We have really cold winters and have a scarce population spread over thousands of kilometres. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/31 "2017-05-24T03:51:48Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Pretty much guesses all the countries though not the order. Why are people surprised that the planets most populated countries, largest industrial powers and fossil fuel producers are on the list? I don’t think anyone is surprised by the US, China, Japan, Russian Republic and India. Even Germany makes sense. I was personally surprised by Iran, Saudi and Canada. On reflection South Korea should not have been a surprise, but it wasn’t on my list. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/32 "2017-05-24T04:55:14Z")
I’m doing this without reading posts past the OP. I’m assuming it’s strictly how much pollution is being produced without weighing factors like relative population size. China United States Russia India Brazil Japan Nigeria Mexico Indonesia Malaysia eta: Well, I started out strong but really faded in the second half. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/33 "2017-05-24T05:11:41Z")
Here is an ACTUAL list of the 10 worst polluting countries. > [@](#): > > Living in one of the cleanest countries in the world ensures a happy and healthy life not just for you, but for your family especially your young children who need a special care and living in a clean place that is free from pollution or at least is not very polluted. There are several countries around the world that are ranked as the most polluted countries on earth thanks to having the dirtiest air that is more than enough for destroying the respiratory system. The polluted air contains countless particles such as dirt, smoke, pollen, mould and more particles that pollute the air and are fine in size which makes them more dangerous since they can be easily inhaled to accumulate in the respiratory system which causes many chronic diseases that are difficult and may be impossible to be cured which finally leads to certain death and this is exactly what happened in 2012 when 3.7 million people died out of air pollution. In case anybody wants to try to guess: [spoiler]10. Bahrain – 57 ug/m3 9. India – 59 ug/m3 8. United Arab Emirates – 61ug/m3 7. Mongolia – 64 ug/m3 6. Egypt – 74 ug/m3 5. Iran – 76 ug/m3 4. Bangladesh – 79 ug/m3 3. Afghanistan – 84 ug/m3 2. Qatar – 92 ug/m3 1. Pakistan – 101 ug/m3[/spoiler] > **[Top 10 Most Polluted Countries in the World](https://www.topteny.com/top-10-most-polluted-countries-in-the-world/)** > > Living in one of the cleanest countries in the world ensures a happy and healthy life not just for you, but for your family especially your young children who n ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/34 "2017-05-24T14:11:31Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > What the fuck does that mean? We have really cold winters and have a scarce population spread over thousands of kilometres. From the time I spent there over the years, the people I met just seemed more aware of pollution and environmental concerns; that’s all. I expect certain levels based on weather and population but hardly to a Top Ten level. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/35 "2017-05-24T18:16:19Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Well, that’s because you are just naturally smarter than I am, John. 😉 Honestly, if you watched the video… From your OP: “Can you 'dopers guess the top 10 without doing a search or watching the video?” We were supposed to guess before watching the video. That’s why it’s confusing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/36 "2017-05-24T18:25:56Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Here is an ACTUAL list of the 10 worst polluting countries. That’s a list of the 10 worst _polluted_ countries, and that list sounds about right to me, too, as does the top 10 polluting countries list. It’s not nitpickery–it’s measuring two different things. You can create a lot of pollution without actually being very polluted yourself (because of landmass.) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/37 "2017-05-26T00:12:33Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Wow, why is Canada so high? Home heating during long shitty winters? Something about petroleum production from the Athabasca tar sands?\ > [@Leaffan](#): > > What the fuck does that mean? We have really cold winters and have a scarce population spread over thousands of kilometres. What he said. Alberta is a really interesting case; in Western Canada (where winters are quite harsh and long), we heat our homes almost exclusively with natural gas. Our government here in Alberta has seen fit to impose a Carbon Tax on what is an essential product that we need to stay alive. We also make the majority of our money as a province from the oil sands. All that said, there are a whole lot of Albertans who are very concerned about our environmental impact. This is not a simple discussion to have - tell Albertans to not heat their homes in winter, and stop making money from our biggest industry? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301/38 "2017-05-26T02:05:02Z")
If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street, If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat. If you get too cold I’ll tax the heat, If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-guess-name-the-top-10-worst-polluting-countries-in-the-world-today/787301.md?page=1)