Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Portugal
Portugal: Average nitrate concentration in freshwater was 16.12 milligrams per liter in 2021. ▼ Falling
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Portugal, 1992–2021
Source: European Environment Agency (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in milligrams per liter.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Portugal is 16.12 milligrams per liter, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of up 4.7% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Portugal peaked at 58.77 milligrams per liter in 1996 and was at its lowest, 13.53 milligrams per liter, in 2014.
That places Portugal 17th out of 34 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Portugal, year by year
| Year | milligrams per liter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 21.45 milligrams per liter | — |
| 1993 | 21.45 milligrams per liter | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 25.02 milligrams per liter | +16.7% |
| 1995 | 25.02 milligrams per liter | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 58.77 milligrams per liter | +134.9% |
| 1997 | 55.73 milligrams per liter | -5.2% |
| 1998 | 36.67 milligrams per liter | -34.2% |
| 1999 | 21.33 milligrams per liter | -41.8% |
| 2000 | 19.4 milligrams per liter | -9.0% |
| 2001 | 27.57 milligrams per liter | +42.1% |
| 2002 | 27.2 milligrams per liter | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 24.56 milligrams per liter | -9.7% |
| 2004 | 26.22 milligrams per liter | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 17.31 milligrams per liter | -34.0% |
| 2006 | 18.7 milligrams per liter | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 18.12 milligrams per liter | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 17.25 milligrams per liter | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 16.25 milligrams per liter | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 16.98 milligrams per liter | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 16.28 milligrams per liter | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 16.56 milligrams per liter | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 14.7 milligrams per liter | -11.2% |
| 2014 | 13.53 milligrams per liter | -8.0% |
| 2015 | 14.77 milligrams per liter | +9.2% |
| 2016 | 14.88 milligrams per liter | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 15.81 milligrams per liter | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 15.76 milligrams per liter | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 15.13 milligrams per liter | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 15.4 milligrams per liter | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 16.12 milligrams per liter | +4.7% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 16.12 milligrams per liter is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.9 milligrams per liter, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 16.12 milligrams per liter is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.12 milligrams per liter, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Portugal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +134.9% | 25.02 milligrams per liter | 58.77 milligrams per liter |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.18 milligrams per liter | 21.33 milligrams per liter | 58.77 milligrams per liter | 8 |
| 2000s | 21.26 milligrams per liter | 16.25 milligrams per liter | 27.57 milligrams per liter | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.44 milligrams per liter | 13.53 milligrams per liter | 16.98 milligrams per liter | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.76 milligrams per liter | 15.4 milligrams per liter | 16.12 milligrams per liter | 2 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More environment data for Portugal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.6043 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.5127 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.44 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.29 % 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 0.1607 % 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 Portugal?
- Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Portugal was 16.12 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 58.77 milligrams per liter in 1996.
- What is the lowest average nitrate concentration in freshwater recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.53 milligrams per liter in 2014.
- How does Portugal rank for average nitrate concentration in freshwater?
- Portugal ranks 17th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
- Is average nitrate concentration in freshwater rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal 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.
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CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.