China’s media today is reporting a list compiled by Greenpeace of the country’s cities ranked by highest air-pollution levels. Hebei Province, a key center for heavy industry in the country, has the dubious distinction of leading the list with seven of top 10 spots. Xingtai (1), Shijiazhuang (2), Baoding (3), Handan (4), Hengshui (5), Tangshan (6) and Langfang (8) all made the top 10.
Among China’s international business centers, Beijing was the worst at No. 13, Qingdao ranked No. 47, and Shanghai came in No. 48. Heavy pollution in Beijing contributed to a 10% drop in the city’s inbound tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of 2013 (see related story here).
Greenpeace used data from China’s Environmental Protection Ministry website, as well as from environmental protection bureaus in 74 cities, according to a report in the government-published Shanghai Daily today. The national standard is an average PM2.5 density of 35. PM2.5 refers to particle matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.
Here’s the full ranking below. (City, province, average annual PM2.5 density, peak PM2.5 reading)
1. Xingtai, Hebei: 155.2, 688
2. Shijiazhuang, Hebei: 148.5, 676
3. Baoding, Hebei: 127.9, 675
4. Handan, Hebei: 127.8, 662
5. Hengshui, Hebei: 120.6, 712
6. Tangshan, Hebei: 114.2, 497
7. Jinan, Shandong: 114.0, 490
8. Langfang, Hebei: 113.8, 772
9. Xian, Shaanxi: 104.2, 598
10. Zhengzhou, Henan: 102.4, 422
11. Tianjin: 95.6, 394
12. Cangzhou, Hebei: 93.6, 380
13. Beijing: 90.1, 646
14. Wuhan, Hubei: 88.7, 339
15. Chengdu, Sichuan: 86.3, 374
16. Urumqi, Xinjiang: 85.2, 387
17. Hefei, Anhui: 84.9, 383
18. Taizhou, Jiangsu: 80.9, 474
19. Huai’an, Jiangsu: 80.8, 513
20. Changsha, Hunan: 79.1, 325
21. Wuxi, Jiangsu: 75.8, 391
22. Harbin, Heilongjiang: 75.7, 756
23. Changzhou, Jiangsu: 75.6, 322
24. Nanjing, Jiangsu: 75.3, 312
25. Xuzhou, Jiangsu: 74.9, 304
26. Taiyuan, Shanxi: 74.2, 416
27. Huzhou, Zhejiang: 73.5, 414
28. Shenyang, Liaoning: 72.7, 464
29. Zhenjiang, Jiangsu: 71.6, 263
30. Yangzhou, Jiangsu: 71.1, 312
31. Suqian, Jiangsu: 70.7, 502
32. Nantong, Jiangsu: 70.2, 248
33. Changchun, Jilin: 69.2, 425
34. Nanchang, Jiangxi: 69.1, 255
35. Jinhua, Zhejiang: 69.0, 473
36. Lianyungang, Jiangsu: 68.0, 407
37. Lanzhou, Gansu: 67.1, 259
38. Suzhou, Jiangsu: 67.1, 384
39. Yancheng, Jiangsu: 67.0, 455
40. Jiaxing, Zhejiang: 66.9, 417
41. Quzhou, Zhejiang: 66.5, 406
42. Shaoxing, Zhejiang: 66.4, 426
43. Hangzhou, Zhejiang: 66.1, 361
44. Qinhuangdao, Hebei: 65.2, 335
45. Chongqing: 63.9, 187
46. Xining, Qinghai: 63.2, 319
47. Qingdao, Shandong: 61.7, 280
48. Shanghai: 60.7, 421
49. Hohhot, Inner Mongolia: 59.1, 216
50. Wenzhou, Zhejiang: 56.5, 248
51. Zhaoqing, Guangdong: 54.7, 174
52. Nanning, Guangxi: 54.7, 199
53. Taizhou, Zhejiang: 53.0, 284
54. Foshan, Guangdong: 52.3, 160
55. Guangzhou, Guangdong: 52.2, 159
56. Chengde, Hebei: 51.5, 407
57. Dalian, Liaoning: 50.7, 224
58. Ningbo, Zhejiang: 50.4, 416
59. Guiyang, Guizhou: 49.4, 229
60. Jiangmen, Guangdong: 48.4, 158
61. Lishui, Zhejiang: 47.9, 196
62. Zhongshan, Guangdong: 47.6, 146
63. Dongguan, Guangdong: 46.0, 165
64. Yinchuan, Ningxia: 43.7, 164
65. Zhangjiakou, Hebei: 43.1, 471
66. Shenzhen, Guangdong: 39.7, 131
67. Zhuhai, Guangdong: 37.9, 157
68. Huizhou, Guangdong: 37.2, 121
69. Kunming, Yunnan: 35.5, 123
70. Fuzhou, Fujian: 33.2, 112
71. Zhoushan, Zhejiang: 32.1, 353
72. Xiamen, Fujian: 31.3, 89
73. Lhasa, Tibet: 26.0, 101
74. Haikou, Hainan: 25.6, 130
-- with Cherish Xiong
-- Follow me on Twitter @rflannerychina
