Best countries for clean air and climate

About this page

Ranked on air quality, water quality and pollution, with the climate zone shown for context.

Last updated: October 26, 2026

This tab ranks on measured environmental quality rather than on whether a place sounds sunny. It combines air quality, water quality and an inverted pollution index.

Air quality is the limiting factor: a country without a published air-quality figure is not ranked, because clean air cannot be inferred from its neighbours. Climate zones are displayed on each card for context, but they are not scored, since a preference for Mediterranean over continental weather is a personal choice rather than a data point.

Figures are country averages and hide large differences between coast and interior, city and countryside. Use the ranking to find countries with clean air and water, then check the specific region you have in mind.

Countries at travel advisory level 4 are not ranked here.

Read the full method

Climate ranking

1

Finland

10.0out of 10

Air quality 5 · water quality 100 · Continental climate

Climate zones: Continental.

  • Clean air
  • English widely spoken
2

Iceland

10.0out of 10

Air quality 5 · water quality 100 · Polar climate

Climate zones: Polar.

  • Clean air
  • Fast internet
  • English widely spoken
3

Andorra

9.9out of 10

Air quality 6 · water quality 100 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • Clean air
  • Fast internet
4

Estonia

9.9out of 10

Air quality 4 · water quality 97 · Continental climate

Climate zones: Continental.

  • Clean air
  • English widely spoken
5

Australia

9.7out of 10

Air quality 4 · water quality 100 · Tropical climate

Climate zones: Tropical, Arid, Subtropical, Temperate, Mediterranean.

  • Clean air
  • English widely spoken
  • Large expat community
6

Austria

9.4out of 10

Air quality 10 · water quality 100 · Continental climate

Climate zones: Continental.

  • English widely spoken
7

Denmark

9.4out of 10

Air quality 8 · water quality 100 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • Clean air
  • Fast internet
  • English widely spoken
8

Sweden

9.4out of 10

Air quality 8 · water quality 93 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • Clean air
  • English widely spoken
  • Large expat community
9

New Zealand

9.3out of 10

Air quality 4 · water quality 87 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • Clean air
  • Fast internet
  • English widely spoken
10

Latvia

9.1out of 10

Air quality 9 · water quality 97 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • Clean air
  • English widely spoken
11

Norway

9.1out of 10

Air quality 12 · water quality 100 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • English widely spoken
12

Germany

9.0out of 10

Air quality 12 · water quality 99 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • English widely spoken
  • Large expat community
13

Netherlands

8.8out of 10

Air quality 11 · water quality 90 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

  • Fast internet
  • English widely spoken
  • Large expat community
14

Mauritius

8.8out of 10

Air quality 5 · water quality 73 · Tropical climate

Climate zones: Tropical.

  • Clean air
  • English widely spoken
15

Singapore

8.8out of 10

Air quality 11 · water quality 100 · Tropical climate

Climate zones: Tropical.

  • Fast internet
  • English widely spoken
  • Large expat community
16

Spain

8.7out of 10

Air quality 11 · water quality 97 · Mediterranean climate

Climate zones: Mediterranean, Temperate.

  • Fast internet
  • Large expat community
17

Palau

8.6out of 10

Air quality 12 · water quality 90 · Tropical climate

Climate zones: Tropical.

  • English widely spoken
18

Portugal

8.5out of 10

Air quality 14 · water quality 99 · Mediterranean climate

Climate zones: Mediterranean.

  • Fast internet
  • English widely spoken
  • Large expat community
19

Croatia

8.3out of 10

Air quality 14 · water quality 97 · Mediterranean climate

Climate zones: Mediterranean, Continental.

  • English widely spoken
20

Czechia

8.1out of 10

Air quality 14 · water quality 85 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate, Continental.

  • English widely spoken
21

Montenegro

7.9out of 10

Air quality 18 · water quality 95 · Mediterranean climate

Climate zones: Mediterranean.

22

Costa Rica

7.8out of 10

Air quality 11 · water quality 81 · Tropical climate

Climate zones: Tropical.

  • Large expat community
23

Japan

7.7out of 10

Air quality 9 · water quality 70 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate, Continental, Subtropical.

  • Clean air
  • Fast internet
  • Large expat community
24

Slovenia

7.7out of 10

Air quality 15 · water quality 75 · Continental climate

Climate zones: Continental.

  • Fast internet
  • English widely spoken
25

Uruguay

7.7out of 10

Air quality 12 · water quality 79 · Temperate climate

Climate zones: Temperate.

26

Greece

7.7out of 10

Air quality 15 · water quality 98 · Mediterranean climate

Climate zones: Mediterranean, Continental.

  • English widely spoken
27

Grenada

7.7out of 10

Air quality 5 · water quality 65 · Tropical climate

Climate zones: Tropical.

  • Clean air
  • English widely spoken
28

Lithuania

7.6out of 10

Air quality 10 · water quality 56 · Continental climate

Climate zones: Continental.

  • English widely spoken
29

Hungary

7.6out of 10

Air quality 18 · water quality 99 · Continental climate

Climate zones: Continental.

  • Fast internet
30

Trinidad and Tobago

7.5out of 10

Air quality 12 · water quality 69 · Tropical climate

Climate zones: Tropical.

  • Travel advisory: reconsider travel
  • English widely spoken

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