Top 15 noisiest cities in the world: Check rankings of Moradabad, Kolkata, and Asansol
Top 15 noisiest cities in the world: The United Nations Environment Programme in its recent report titled 'Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches' puts forth data and observations from top global cities including New York and Hong Kong.
The report revealed that the South Asian region which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal is the noisiest in the world with Latin America and Europe as the quietest regions.
According to the report, Bangladesh's capital Dhaka tops the list, followed by Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad, and Pakistan's capital Islamabad. The noise pollution in these regions has been recorded at 119 dB, 114 dB, and 105 dB.
In addition to these, two West Bengal cities, Kolkata and Asansol, National Capital Delhi, and Rajasthan's capital Jaipur are among the world's noisiest.
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Top 15 noisiest cities in the world
Below we have provided a list of the top 15 noisiest cities in the world.
| S. No. | City | Country | Noise Pollution |
| 1 | Dhaka | Bangladesh | 119 dB |
| 2 | Moradabad | India | 114 dB |
| 3 | Islamabad | Pakistan | 105 dB |
| 4 | Rajshahi | Bangladesh | 103 dB |
| 5 | Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | |
| 6 | Ibadan | Nigeria | 101 dB |
| 7 | Kupondole | Nepal | 100 dB |
| 8 | Algiers | Algeria | |
| 9 | Bangkok | Thailand | 99 dB |
| 10 | New York | United States | 95 dB |
| 11 | Damascus | Syria | 94 dB |
| 12 | Manila | Philippines | 92 dB |
| 13 | Hong Kong | China | 89 dB |
| 14 | Kolkata | India | |
| 15 | Asansol |
Top 15 noisiest cities in the world: What does the UN report say?
Apart from publishing the list of noisiest cities in the world, the report has published fascinating insights from global cities. In New York, nine of ten mass transport users are subjected to noise levels exceeding the permissible limit of 70 dB, putting them in danger of irreparable hearing damage.
The report further highlights that two out of five residents of Hong Kong are exposed to the high noise levels of road traffic above the recommended limit. Over half of large European city residents live in regions where noise levels may harm their health and well-being, the report mentioned.
According to a study, "birds changed their singing behaviour in anticipation of the morning rush hour by starting to sing earlier at a site with heavy daytime traffic."
“Exposure to environmental noise sources such as road traffic, air traffic, railways, machinery, industry and recreational activities have well-documented negative impacts on physical and mental well-being,” the report says.
| Permissible Noise Level Limits According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the permissible noise level limits for outdoor residential areas are 55 dB (decibels) LAeq (equivalent continuous sound level is the sound level in decibels) and 70 dB (decibels) LAeq for traffic and commercial areas. Experts opine that noise levels above 70 dB for a longer period can maximise the rise of hearing loss. |
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