Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Sweden
Sweden: Average nitrate concentration in freshwater was 4.31 milligrams per liter in 2021. ▲ Rising
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Sweden, 2006–2021
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 Sweden is 4.31 milligrams per liter, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Sweden peaked at 6.08 milligrams per liter in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.46 milligrams per liter, in 2010.
Sweden ranks 31st of 34 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Sweden, year by year
| Year | milligrams per liter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 4.76 milligrams per liter | — |
| 2007 | 4.52 milligrams per liter | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 4.54 milligrams per liter | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 2.58 milligrams per liter | -43.2% |
| 2010 | 2.46 milligrams per liter | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 5.4 milligrams per liter | +119.3% |
| 2012 | 6.08 milligrams per liter | +12.7% |
| 2013 | 5.8 milligrams per liter | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 3.9 milligrams per liter | -32.7% |
| 2015 | 3.95 milligrams per liter | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 4.2 milligrams per liter | +6.3% |
| 2017 | 4.54 milligrams per liter | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 4.71 milligrams per liter | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 4.5 milligrams per liter | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 4.47 milligrams per liter | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 4.31 milligrams per liter | -3.6% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 4.31 milligrams per liter is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.9 milligrams per liter, 27% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 4.31 milligrams per liter is below the median for high income countries, which is 16.12 milligrams per liter, 27% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +119.3% | 2.46 milligrams per liter | 5.4 milligrams per liter |
| 2009 | -43.2% | 4.54 milligrams per liter | 2.58 milligrams per liter |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.1 milligrams per liter | 2.58 milligrams per liter | 4.76 milligrams per liter | 4 |
| 2010s | 4.55 milligrams per liter | 2.46 milligrams per liter | 6.08 milligrams per liter | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.39 milligrams per liter | 4.31 milligrams per liter | 4.47 milligrams per liter | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More environment data for Sweden
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 1.1 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.852 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.72 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.27 % 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 -0.0922 % 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 Sweden?
- Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Sweden was 4.31 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 6.08 milligrams per liter in 2012.
- What is the lowest average nitrate concentration in freshwater recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.46 milligrams per liter in 2010.
- How does Sweden rank for average nitrate concentration in freshwater?
- Sweden ranks 31st out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
- Is average nitrate concentration in freshwater rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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 — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.