Air Quality Historical Data Platform
Institution & University Registration

Share: aqicn.org/data-platform/register/

COVID-19 DataSet

Click here if you are looking for a data set covering many cities/countries during the COVID-19 period (2015 until now). Can you find more than 500M bytes of CSV data-set covering more than 380 cities.


Programmatic API

Click here if you need programmatic access to the data via our free Rest API


Since the beginning, the World Air Quality Index (WAQI) project team has always been keen on providing a transparent Air Quality Information to the world citizens.

United Effort

The WAQI project has also always been keen on providing historical Air Quality Data to relevant institutions and organizations working in the area of environmental awareness, air quality monitoring, as well as health and epidemiological studies. Here are few of our partners and colleagues to which we have been providing historical air quality data information:


United Framework



In order to make the historical air quality data dissemination even more relevant, the World Air Quality Index team has been investigating with the most relevant international institutions the possibility to setup an open data framework. Here are a few of the institutions we have engaged:

  • WHO - WHO: World Health Organization
  • UNEP - UNEP: United Nation Environmental Program
  • UNIDO - UNIDO: United Nation Industrial Development Organization
  • WMO - WMO: World Meteorological Organization
  • GEO - GEO: Group on Earth Observations
  • WRI - WRI: World Resource Institute
  • CCAC - CCAC: Climate & Clean Air Coalition
  • UNFCCC - UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

United Data

The objective of the "Open Data Framework" is to provide unlimited and free access the world historical and real-time Air Quality data from the 100+ countries covered on aqicn.org and waqi.info

Everyone - both institutions as well as citizens - agrees that this is not only a good idea, but that it should just happen.

To further strengthen the united air quality data platform initiate, we are looking for a fiscal host who could help hosting this project. If you know an organization that could help us, then, please, send us a message via the contribute page

Free downloadable united database

Database Download

Thanks to all of our colleagues at the UN environment protection, the WHO, and the CCAC, the average daily air quality data from all air quality monitoring stations is now available for free download.



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AQI calculation

All the values from the above database are already converted from the raw concentration (in mg/m3, ppm or ppb) to the "individual pollutant AQI", according to the US EPA standard (calculator). For instance, if you check the figures for PM2.5, they correspond to the PM2.5 individual AQI (noted as AQIPM2.5). If you want to calculate the overall AQI, aka composite AQI, you need to take the maximum of all individual AQI:

AQI = max( AQIPM2.5, AQIPM10, AQIO3, ...)

Available Years

The Air Quality data is currently only available since ~2012. If you need data before this period, we recommend to either contact the originating EPA or consider using remote sensing data estimates, such as the one used by the WHO: who.int/airpollution/data/modelled-estimates/en/ You can for instance check the catalog from the ICARE project, which is archiving satellite data since 2000.

Raw concentration & hourly data

If the above data does not work for you, then register your detailed query from this link: aqicn.org/data-platform/query

Contributing or Supporting this Project

The World Air Quality project might look like one of those big projects coming from organizations like the UN, ADB or WRI, but it is actually just a small team behind it.

Yet, despite our extensive outreach, our project has never received any financial support from such organizations, wether they are NGOs or governments.

The income comes from online advertising, as well as our GAIA air quality monitoring stations, but it is just enough to pay for the cloud infrastructure.

However, we are working on getting funding for the recruitment of a team dedicated to supporting and enhancing the air quality data platform.

If you would like to help, either by becoming one of our team member, either by providing financial support, or both, then contact us via this page: aqicn.org/contribute

❤️❤️❤️

Interested in monitoring your own Air Quality?

The GAIA air quality monitor uses laser particle sensors to measure in real-time PM2.5 and PM10 particle pollution, which is one of the most harmful air pollutants.

It is very easy to set up: It only requires a WIFI access point and a USB compatible power supply. Once connected, your real time air pollution levels are instantaneously available in on our maps.

The station comes together with 10-meter water-proof power cables, a power supply, mounting equipment and an optional solar panel.

Data Credits

The open data framework would not be possible without the work from the worldwide environmental protection agencies (EPA), which should get the credits for their monitoring programs.

Terms of Service

The World Air Quality Index project Data Use Statement applies to data available from the data platform. The purpose of these guidelines is to make all interested parties aware of the nature and objective of the data.

  1. Usage Statement
    1. The data platform observational data are not fully verified or validated; these data are subject to change, error, and correction. The data and information are in no way official.
    2. The data platform observational data can not be used for any official comparison, ranking, report or data analysis. The official and validated data must be obtained directly from the originating EPA.
    3. If observational data are used for analyses, displayed on web pages, or used for other programs or products, the analysis results, displays, or products must indicate that these data are not fully verified or validated.
    4. Publications, analyses, products, presentations, and/or derived information that rely on these data must give attribution to the originating EPA as well as the World Air Quality Index Project:
    5. The World Air Quality Index project has exercised all reasonable skill and care in compiling the contents of this information and under no circumstances will the World Air Quality Index project team or its agents be liable in contract, tort or otherwise for any loss, injury or damage arising directly or indirectly from the supply of this data. All this historical Air Quality data is based on unvalidated, and due to quality assurance these data may be amended, without notice, at any time.
    6. Data and information reported by the World Air Quality Index project are provided for the express purpose of providing citizens actionable health information related to air pollution.
  2. Additional Restrictions
    1. The data can not be sold or included in sold packages.
    2. The data can not be used in paid applications or services.
    3. The data can not be redistributed as cached or archived data.
  3. A copy of this terms of service can be found at aqicn.org/data-platform/tos/.

About the Air Quality and Pollution Measurement:

About the Air Quality Levels

AQI Air Pollution Level Health Implications Cautionary Statement (for PM2.5)
0 - 50 Good Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk None
51 -100 Moderate Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
101-150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
151-200 Unhealthy Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion
201-300 Very Unhealthy Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
300+ Hazardous Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects Everyone should avoid all outdoor exertion

To know more about Air Quality and Pollution, check the wikipedia Air Quality topic or the airnow guide to Air Quality and Your Health.

For very useful health advices of Beijing Doctor Richard Saint Cyr MD, check www.myhealthbeijing.com blog.


Usage Notice: All the Air Quality data are unvalidated at the time of publication, and due to quality assurance these data may be amended, without notice, at any time. The World Air Quality Index project has exercised all reasonable skill and care in compiling the contents of this information and under no circumstances will the World Air Quality Index project team or its agents be liable in contract, tort or otherwise for any loss, injury or damage arising directly or indirectly from the supply of this data.



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