Airpocalypse: These Capitals Have The Most Toxic Air

In 2023, the world’s air pollution crisis hit a new high, with New Delhi, India’s capital, ranking as the most polluted capital city. According to the World Air Quality Report from IQAir, New Delhi’s air had an average PM2.5 concentration of 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter, which is over 17 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5 particles, the most harmful pollutants in the air, are so tiny—less than 2.5 micrometers across—that they can easily enter the lungs, posing severe health risks.

What makes New Delhi’s situation so alarming is how far it exceeds other cities. Only one other capital comes close to New Delhi’s pollution level: Dhaka, Bangladesh, with an average PM2.5 level of 80.2 micrograms per cubic meter. After Dhaka, the list features capitals like Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso (46.6 micrograms), Dushanbe in Tajikistan (46.0 micrograms), and Baghdad in Iraq (45.8 micrograms), all with high pollution levels, but none nearly as severe as...