Average nitrate concentration in freshwater by country
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.
Countries reporting
34
Highest
115.65 milligrams per liter
Greece
Lowest
0.24 milligrams per liter
Iceland
Median
15.9 milligrams per liter
Years covered
30
1992–2021
Data points
655
What the numbers show
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater is currently reported for 34 countries. The highest value is 115.65 milligrams per liter in Greece; the lowest is 0.24 milligrams per liter in Iceland.
The median across all reporting countries is 15.9 milligrams per liter, and the mean is 18.26 milligrams per liter.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 482.
Over the past decade 13 countries rose and 19 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 liter | 2021 | down 19.4% | volatile |
| 2 | Spain | 36.93 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 9.3% | volatile |
| 3 | Luxembourg | 29.37 milligrams per liter | 2012 | — | flat |
| 4 | Bulgaria | 29.34 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 44.8% | rising |
| 5 | Belgium | 27.71 milligrams per liter | 2006 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 6 | Germany | 25.79 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 7 | Montenegro | 22.87 milligrams per liter | 2013 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 8 | France | 21.39 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 2.4% | flat |
| 9 | North Macedonia | 20.53 milligrams per liter | 2013 | — | rising |
| 10 | Romania | 20.07 milligrams per liter | 2016 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 11 | Denmark | 20.05 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 20.5% | flat |
| 12 | Italy | 19.92 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 5.0% | rising |
| 13 | Netherlands | 19.57 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 14 | Czechia | 18.66 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 5.4% | rising |
| 15 | Slovenia | 18.2 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 0.5% | falling |
| 16 | Austria | 17.17 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 17 | Portugal | 16.12 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 18 | Switzerland | 15.68 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 3.1% | falling |
| 19 | Slovakia | 15.66 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 12.2% | rising |
| 20 | Turkey | 15.26 milligrams per liter | 2013 | up 14.1% | rising |
| 21 | Cyprus | 14.59 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 51.7% | volatile |
| 22 | Ireland | 12.13 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 11.6% | falling |
| 23 | Serbia | 11.8 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 363.4% | volatile |
| 24 | Estonia | 11.26 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 48.5% | rising |
| 25 | Poland | 8.62 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 26 | Croatia | 8.19 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 331.9% | volatile |
| 27 | Lithuania | 5.31 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 28 | Norway | 5.26 milligrams per liter | 2013 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 29 | Finland | 5.19 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 4.2% | rising |
| 30 | Liechtenstein | 4.61 milligrams per liter | 2011 | down 7.6% | falling |
| 31 | Sweden | 4.31 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 20.2% | rising |
| 32 | Latvia | 2.76 milligrams per liter | 2021 | down 67.3% | volatile |
| 33 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.5434 milligrams per liter | 2013 | down 90.6% | volatile |
| 34 | Iceland | 0.24 milligrams per liter | 2021 | up 92.0% | volatile |
About this data
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.