Air Pollutants: Threats to Human Health in Nepal

Abstract

Nepal is a geographically diversified and landlocked nation, bordered to the north by China and to the east, west, and south by India. The nation is 147,516 km2 in size, with the highest point in the high mountainous region being 8848.86 meter above sea level, while the lowest point is 59 meter above sea level in Terai. Topographically, the topography of the nation can be divided into three ecological regions: Terai, Hills, and Mountains, depending on the change in altitude.

The low-lying Terai region is ranked as the most vulnerable to air pollution among various geographical regions, followed by the middle hills and high mountains. Beyond their physical proximity to the South’s exceptionally plain land, the industrial zones and the region’s largest population density are the elements contributing to the highest susceptible pollution in the Terai region. In Nepal’s Himalayan region, household air pollution (HAP) is the primary source of pollution, whereas in densely populated cities, automobiles and industries that burn fossil fuels are the primary sources of air pollutants.