KATHMANDU: Kathmandu, the federal capital of Nepal, has been identified as the second-most polluted city globally in terms of air quality.

As of 9:00 am this morning, the current air quality in Kathmandu has been classified as unhealthy, with PM2.5 levels soaring to 175 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3).

PM2.5, the primary airborne pollutant consisting of solid or liquid droplets with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, poses significant health risks.

According to data from IQ AirVisual, a Swiss group specializing in global air-quality information, Kathmandu’s PM2.5 concentration exceeds the annual air quality guideline value set by the World Health Organization (WHO) by a staggering 20.5 times.

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, currently holds the top spot as the most polluted city in terms of air pollution.

Other cities that have made it to the top ten list of the most polluted cities globally include: