Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Switzerland
Switzerland: Average nitrate concentration in freshwater was 15.68 milligrams per liter in 2021. ▼ Falling
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Switzerland, 1999–2021
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 Switzerland is 15.68 milligrams per liter, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of up 4.7% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Switzerland peaked at 38.35 milligrams per liter in 1999 and was at its lowest, 14.07 milligrams per liter, in 2017.
Switzerland ranks 18th of 34 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | milligrams per liter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 38.35 milligrams per liter | — |
| 2000 | 16.51 milligrams per liter | -56.9% |
| 2001 | 16.51 milligrams per liter | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 16.5 milligrams per liter | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 16.5 milligrams per liter | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 16.76 milligrams per liter | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 16.52 milligrams per liter | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 17.1 milligrams per liter | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 16.6 milligrams per liter | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 16.03 milligrams per liter | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 15.97 milligrams per liter | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 15.68 milligrams per liter | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 15.21 milligrams per liter | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 15.31 milligrams per liter | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 16.26 milligrams per liter | +6.2% |
| 2014 | 15.29 milligrams per liter | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 14.83 milligrams per liter | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 14.72 milligrams per liter | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 14.07 milligrams per liter | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 14.18 milligrams per liter | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 14.87 milligrams per liter | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 14.98 milligrams per liter | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 15.68 milligrams per liter | +4.7% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 15.68 milligrams per liter is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.9 milligrams per liter, 99% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 15.68 milligrams per liter is below the median for high income countries, which is 16.12 milligrams per liter, 97% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Switzerland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | -56.9% | 38.35 milligrams per liter | 16.51 milligrams per liter |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.35 milligrams per liter | 38.35 milligrams per liter | 38.35 milligrams per liter | 1 |
| 2000s | 16.5 milligrams per liter | 15.97 milligrams per liter | 17.1 milligrams per liter | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.04 milligrams per liter | 14.07 milligrams per liter | 16.26 milligrams per liter | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.33 milligrams per liter | 14.98 milligrams per liter | 15.68 milligrams per liter | 2 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More environment data for Switzerland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2925 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.4333 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.458 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.33 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2741 % 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 0.0914 % 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 Switzerland?
- Average nitrate concentration in freshwater in Switzerland was 15.68 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 38.35 milligrams per liter in 1999.
- What is the lowest average nitrate concentration in freshwater recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.07 milligrams per liter in 2017.
- How does Switzerland rank for average nitrate concentration in freshwater?
- Switzerland ranks 18th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
- Is average nitrate concentration in freshwater rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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 — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average annual concentration of nitrate in groundwater.