Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy
Italy: Average nitrate concentration in freshwater was 19.92 milligrams per liter in 2021. ▲ Rising
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy, 2000–2021
Source: European Environment Agency (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in milligrams per liter.
Analysis
In 2021, average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy stood at 19.92 milligrams per liter.
That represents a change of down 47.9% on the previous year and down 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy peaked at 38.24 milligrams per liter in 2020 and was at its lowest, 15.56 milligrams per liter, in 2004.
That places Italy 12th out of 34 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy, year by year
| Year | milligrams per liter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27.85 milligrams per liter | — |
| 2001 | 27.97 milligrams per liter | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 27.65 milligrams per liter | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 18.61 milligrams per liter | -32.7% |
| 2004 | 15.56 milligrams per liter | -16.4% |
| 2005 | 17.07 milligrams per liter | +9.7% |
| 2006 | 19.41 milligrams per liter | +13.7% |
| 2007 | 19.54 milligrams per liter | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 19.7 milligrams per liter | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 18.79 milligrams per liter | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 18.84 milligrams per liter | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 20.96 milligrams per liter | +11.3% |
| 2012 | 21.1 milligrams per liter | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 22.01 milligrams per liter | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 26.57 milligrams per liter | +20.8% |
| 2015 | 27.26 milligrams per liter | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 26.27 milligrams per liter | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 20.78 milligrams per liter | -20.9% |
| 2018 | 19.89 milligrams per liter | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 20.04 milligrams per liter | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 38.24 milligrams per liter | +90.8% |
| 2021 | 19.92 milligrams per liter | -47.9% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 19.92 milligrams per liter is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.9 milligrams per liter, 1.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Italy's 19.92 milligrams per liter is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.12 milligrams per liter, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +90.8% | 20.04 milligrams per liter | 38.24 milligrams per liter |
| 2021 | -47.9% | 38.24 milligrams per liter | 19.92 milligrams per liter |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.21 milligrams per liter | 15.56 milligrams per liter | 27.97 milligrams per liter | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.37 milligrams per liter | 18.84 milligrams per liter | 27.26 milligrams per liter | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.08 milligrams per liter | 19.92 milligrams per liter | 38.24 milligrams per liter | 2 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More environment data for Italy
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.47 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.324 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.94 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.2257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy?
- Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Italy was 19.92 milligrams per liter in 2021, according to European Environment Agency (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average nitrate concentration in freshwater recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 38.24 milligrams per liter in 2020.
- What is the lowest average nitrate concentration in freshwater recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.56 milligrams per liter in 2004.
- How does Italy rank for average nitrate concentration in freshwater?
- Italy ranks 12th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
- Is average nitrate concentration in freshwater rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy data come from?
- The figures come from European Environment Agency (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average nitrate concentration in freshwater. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.