Kazakhstan has published its latest air pollution rankings, with Karaganda and Petropavlovsk recording the highest levels of air pollution in April 2026, according to Kazhydromet.

Following air quality monitoring conducted in 68 settlements nationwide, specialists from Kazhydromet classified Karaganda and Petropavlovsk as cities with “very high” levels of air pollution, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazakh media.

Another 13 settlements were placed in the high-pollution category. These included Astana, Almaty, Aktobe, Atyrau, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Ridder, Temirtau, Abay, Satpayev, Pavlodar, Turkestan, Talgar, and the Shubarshi settlement.

The category of increased pollution included 17 settlements, among them Shymkent, Aktau, Kostanay, Semey, Zhezkazgan, Taldykorgan, Balkhash, Aralsk, Shu, Ayagoz, the village of Zhanbay, and the villages of Ganyushkino, Kenkiyak, and Kyzylsay.

Meanwhile, low levels of air pollution were recorded in 36 settlements across the country. These included Uralsk, Taraz, Kyzylorda, Ekibastuz, Zhanaozen, Burabay, Shchuchinsk, and several other cities and towns.