KATHMANDU: Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has been identified as the third most polluted city worldwide in terms of air quality, according to recent data.

The current air quality in Kathmandu has been classified as unhealthy, with PM2.5 levels reaching 178 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) as of 9:45 am this morning, as reported by IQ AirVisual, a Swiss organization specializing in global air-quality data.

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

The PM2.5 concentration in Kathmandu currently exceeds the annual air quality guideline value set by the World Health Organization (WHO) by 21.6 times, according to IQAir.

The top two spots in the global air pollution index are currently held by Dhaka in Bangladesh and Shenyang in China.

However, amidst concerning air quality levels in various parts of the world, there are also cities like Sydney in Australia, Vancouver BC in Canada, and Kyoto in Japan that stand out for their exemplary cleanliness and environmental standards.