Average nitrate concentration in freshwater by country
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.
Countries reporting
31
Highest
115.65 milligrams per litre
Greece
Lowest
0.24 milligrams per litre
Iceland
Median
16.12 milligrams per litre
Years covered
30
1992–2021
Data points
655
What the numbers show
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater is currently reported for 31 countries. The highest value is 115.65 milligrams per litre in Greece; the lowest is 0.24 milligrams per litre in Iceland.
The median across all reporting countries is 16.12 milligrams per litre, and the mean is 18.54 milligrams per litre.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 482.
Over the past decade 13 countries rose and 17 fell. The largest increase was in Serbia (up 363.4%), and the largest decrease in Bosnia and Herzegovina (down 90.6%).
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greece | 115.65 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 19.4% | volatile |
| 2 | Spain | 36.93 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 9.3% | volatile |
| 4 | Bulgaria | 29.34 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 44.8% | rising |
| 5 | Belgium | 27.71 milligrams per litre | 2006 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 6 | Germany | 25.79 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 7 | Montenegro | 22.87 milligrams per litre | 2013 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 8 | France | 21.39 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 2.4% | flat |
| 9 | North Macedonia | 20.53 milligrams per litre | 2013 | — | rising |
| 10 | Romania | 20.07 milligrams per litre | 2016 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 11 | Denmark | 20.05 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 20.5% | flat |
| 12 | Italy | 19.92 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 5.0% | rising |
| 13 | Netherlands | 19.57 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 14 | Czechia | 18.66 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 5.4% | rising |
| 15 | Slovenia | 18.2 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 0.5% | falling |
| 16 | Austria | 17.17 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 17 | Portugal | 16.12 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 18 | Switzerland | 15.68 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 3.1% | falling |
| 19 | Slovakia | 15.66 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 12.2% | rising |
| 20 | Turkey | 15.26 milligrams per litre | 2013 | up 14.1% | rising |
| 21 | Cyprus | 14.59 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 51.7% | volatile |
| 23 | Serbia | 11.8 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 363.4% | volatile |
| 24 | Estonia | 11.26 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 48.5% | rising |
| 25 | Poland | 8.62 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 26 | Croatia | 8.19 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 331.9% | volatile |
| 27 | Lithuania | 5.31 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 28 | Norway | 5.26 milligrams per litre | 2013 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 29 | Finland | 5.19 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 4.2% | rising |
| 31 | Sweden | 4.31 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 20.2% | rising |
| 32 | Latvia | 2.76 milligrams per litre | 2021 | down 67.3% | volatile |
| 33 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.5434 milligrams per litre | 2013 | down 90.6% | volatile |
| 34 | Iceland | 0.24 milligrams per litre | 2021 | up 92.0% | volatile |
About this data
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.