Ulaanbaatar isn't the prettiest city, or the biggest city, or the coolest city. It is really barely a city by world standards; but never has the term 'big smoke' more applied to a city than here. Mongolia has the honour of having the second most polluted air in the world- and not by much.
Never before has tiny Mongolia stood out so much on a world map - you'll have no trouble spotting this little country with its contrasting red on this world air pollution map The Herald put together:
Link to Map
Click on the map then hover over Mongolia for a second and you'll see that figure of 279. Hover over Australia and you'll see 13. That's quite a difference!
This is the measurement of PM10 particles - the tiny particles that lodge in your lungs and cause all kinds of health problems..many of which aren't really known yet as this air pollution is a new problem for the world, relatively speaking.
Why this whinge again?
I got back from a fantastic trip to the countryside yesterday. The pollution starts to be visible about an hour out of the city. As you hit the city you enter this big grey cloud where you can't see more than about 200 metres ahead. Then your perception changes and it seems to get better...but your eyes get a bit watery, and your throat gets a bit scratchy. And you can smell smoke everywhere - not just in bars! (And you have plenty of time to observe these reactions as you're stopped in traffic!).
The least densely populated country in the world, with the most pristine environment and a culture that relies extraordinarily on nature has (almost) the most polluted air. Who would've thought?
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