English Abstract The annual Air Quality Survey provides a review of the concentration levels and deposition loads of a large number of air pollutants i.e. sulphur compounds, oxidized and reduced nitrogen compounds, carbon monoxide, ozone and oxidant, suspended particulates, heavy metals and various organic compounds in the Netherlands in 1990. For some components there is also information on their concentration and deposition over the European continent as estimated using model calculations. Furthermore, a number of thematic topics are dealt with, such as the episodes of photochemical air pollution ("summer smog") which occurred in 1990, acid deposition (acidification), and an evaluation of the public health consequences of such summer smog and of the air quality in cities.