High　levels　of　nitrates　in　groundwater　pose　a　risk　to　human　health.　Hence,　groundwater-human　health　risk　assessment　and　sources　analysis　are　essential.　The　article　aims　to　assess　risk　level　and　identify　sources　of　nitrate　in　shallow　groundwater　of　the　Liujiang　basin　by　using　a　human　health　risk　assessment　(HHRA)　model,　Factor　analysis　(FA)　and　GIS　spatial　analysis.　The　results　indicated　that　the　most　serious　pollution　was　distributed　in　southern　region　of　the　basin;　about　60%　of　the　samples　exceeded　the　recommended　limit　of　nitrate　as　per　the　World　Health　Organization　limit.　Moreover,　ingants＇　health　risk　were　greater　than　those　of　adults　and　children,　and　about　56%　of　the　groundwater　samples　will　put　the　infants　at　risk　of　health.　FA　was　used　to　identify　various　underlying　natural　and　anthropogenic　processes　that　created　these　distinct　risk　levels.　The　FA　results　can　be　categorized　by　two　major　factors:　(1)　Organic　fertilizers　and　sewage　discharge　contamination　in　central　region.　(2)　Blocking　effect　of　granite　and　redox　conditions　in　southern　parts.　This　study　demonstrates　that　the　great　variation　of　nitrate　risk　levels　in　the　basin　should　be　attributed　to　both　natural　and　anthropogenic　processes.