Here are the countries with the cleanest cities by Lydia Ramsey on Sep 26, 2015, 9:00 AM Advertisement
 Air pollution is a big problem — it's responsible for an estimated 3.3 million deaths every year. A tiny pollutant called PM2.5, or particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns across, is considered the most harmful pollutant. It's found in soot, smoke, and dust. When it lodges in the lungs, it can cause long-term health problems like asthma and chronic lung disease. While we typically tend to focus on the places that are the least healthy, here's a list of the most healthy. Countries are ranked according to their number of clean cities, using data from the WHO. RELATED: These 10 cities have the worst air pollution in the world, and it is up to 15 times dirtier than what is considered healthy SEE ALSO: Before-and-after photos of China's air show just how terrible its air pollution is 8. Sweden and Brunei: 4 cities each  Of the top 10 countries with the most clean cities, Sweden and Brunei both have a solid four cities with seriously clean air. Notably, Sweden's two most populated cities, Stockholm and Gothenberg both had PM 2.5 levels deemed healthy by WHO, and is actively working to keep its air clean. Brunei, a country surrounded by Malaysia has done a good job of keeping emissions low and maintaining forests, even with rapid industrialization. Sweden's cleanest city - Umeå, 5 µg/m3 Brunei's cleanest city - Brunei-Muara District 5 µg/m3
7. Portugal and Finland: 5 cities each  The next two countries also tied for the most cities with clean air, at 5 apiece. Portugal's second biggest city is also its cleanest, in part because it isn't as industrial as other parts of the country and serves as a trade port. Like Sweden, Finland is also a partner of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition and cutting down on carbon emissions. Portugal's cleanest city - Porto, 7 µg/m3 Finland's cleanest cities - Oulu and Jyväskylä, 6 µg/m3
6. Spain: 11 cities  Spain's cleanest cities, Arrecife and Las Palmas both are located off the coast of Morocco in the Canary Islands. The islands have clean air because of little industrialization, as tourism is one of their main economic drivers. Spain's cleanest cities -Arrecife and Las Palmas, 6 µg/m3
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