In August, the average PM2.5 concentration across 339 prefecture-level and above cities nationwide was 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter, a 16.8% decrease year-on-year. The average PM10 concentration was 27 micrograms per cubic meter, down 12.9% year-on-year. The average O3 concentration was 127 micrograms per cubic meter, a 10.6% decrease year-on-year. The average SO₂ concentration was 6 μg/m³, down 14.3% year-on-year; the average NO₂ concentration was 12 μg/m³, down 7.7% year-on-year; the average CO concentration was 0.7 mg/m³, unchanged year-on-year.

In August, the average proportion of days with good or excellent air quality across 339 prefecture-level and above cities nationwide was 96.0%, up 5.9 percentage points year-on-year; The average proportion of days with severe or worse pollution was 0.2%, unchanged year-on-year. The average proportion of days with exceedances caused by sandstorms was 0.6%, with 0.2% of those days experiencing severe or worse pollution.

August 2025: Proportion of Days by Air Quality Level in 339 Prefecture-Level and Above Cities

August 2025: List of Top 20 and Bottom 20 Cities by Air Quality in 168 Key Cities

In August, among 168 key cities: The top 20 cities with better air quality were Haikou, Huangshan, Lishui, Zhuhai, Lhasa, Lu'an, Guiyang, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Kunming, Shenzhen, Yichun, Huainan, Zhongshan, Nanning, Xuancheng, Bozhou, Taizhou, Dalian, and Huizhou; The bottom 20 cities with poorer air quality were: Taiyuan, Yangquan, Linfen, Lanzhou, Lüliang, Jiaozuo, Tangshan, Zibo, Jinzhong, Baotou, Tianjin, Tongling, Anyang, Hebi, Yangzhou, Jinan, Changzhi, Linyi, Zaozhuang, and Chengdu.

In August, among 168 key cities: The top 20 cities with the lowest PM2.5 concentrations were Lhasa, Lishui, Fuzhou, Ezhou, Shenzhen, Huangshan, Huangshi, Zhuhai, Haikou, Zhongshan, Guiyang, Xiaogan, Kunming, Xiamen, Harbin, Huizhou, Huainan, Zhoushan, Dazhou, and Suining; The bottom 20 cities with the highest PM2.5 concentrations were Hebi, Tangshan, Xuzhou, Yangquan, Puyang, Zibo, Xinzhou, Taiyuan, Jiaozuo, Linfen, Tianjin, Suizhou, Anyang, Lanzhou, Shijiazhuang, Jinzhong, Zaozhuang, Linyi, Sanmenxia, Luoyang, and Xinxiang.

Source: Ministry of Ecology and Environment