Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly by country

The dataset provides annual anomalies in land and cropland soil moisture content of the top soil layer compared to the reference period 1981-2010. Exposure indicators to drought have been prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Please see the working paper for a more complete...

Countries reporting
218
Highest
55.57 Percentage change
United Arab Emirates
Lowest
-15.94 Percentage change
Syrian Arab Republic
Median
-1.77 Percentage change
Years covered
44
1981–2024
Data points
43,076

What the numbers show

Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly is currently reported for 218 countries. The highest value is 55.57 Percentage change in United Arab Emirates; the lowest is -15.94 Percentage change in Syrian Arab Republic.

The median across all reporting countries is -1.77 Percentage change, and the mean is -2.87 Percentage change.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 3.

Over the past decade 83 countries rose and 135 fell. The largest increase was in Montserrat (up 2,451.1%), and the largest decrease in Zambia (down 33,776.0%).

Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 United Arab Emirates 55.57 Percentage change 2024 up 322.2% volatile
2 Oman 37.43 Percentage change 2024 up 203.8% volatile
3 Niger 23.95 Percentage change 2024 up 741.3% volatile
4 Cayman Islands 14.93 Percentage change 2024 up 407.4% volatile
5 Turks and Caicos Islands 13.91 Percentage change 2024 up 632.8% volatile
6 Bahrain 10.46 Percentage change 2024 up 146.1% volatile
7 Montserrat 10.06 Percentage change 2024 up 2,451.1% volatile
7 Cabo Verde 1.34 Percentage change 2024 up 145.1% volatile
8 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.26 Percentage change 2024 up 183.6% volatile
9 Luxembourg 7.66 Percentage change 2024 up 1,246.6% volatile
9 Caribbean 1.17 Percentage change 2024 up 122.7% volatile
10 Monaco 7.65 Percentage change 2024 up 114.8% volatile
11 Belgium 7.25 Percentage change 2024 up 381.4% volatile
11 Fiji 0.8198 Percentage change 2024 up 124.1% volatile
12 Denmark 6.92 Percentage change 2024 up 1,941.3% volatile
13 Antigua and Barbuda 6.9 Percentage change 2024 up 205.1% volatile
14 Mauritius 6.77 Percentage change 2024 up 675.7% volatile
15 Puerto Rico 5.6 Percentage change 2024 up 189.7% volatile
16 Kazakhstan 5.49 Percentage change 2024 up 300.7% volatile
17 Faroe Islands 5.29 Percentage change 2024 up 273.4% volatile
18 Palau 4.9 Percentage change 2024 down 45.9% volatile
19 Réunion 4.75 Percentage change 2024 up 144.3% volatile
20 Isle of Man 4.16 Percentage change 2024 up 1,222.7% volatile
21 France 4.16 Percentage change 2024 up 277.9% volatile
22 Svalbard and Jan Mayen 4.11 Percentage change 2024 up 397.4% volatile
23 India 4.04 Percentage change 2024 up 668.7% volatile
24 Chad 3.78 Percentage change 2024 up 170.1% volatile
25 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3.78 Percentage change 2024 up 135.6% volatile
25 Croatia -2.78 Percentage change 2024 down 134.8% volatile
26 Tanzania 3.52 Percentage change 2024 up 612.0% volatile
27 Uruguay 3.41 Percentage change 2024 down 62.9% volatile
28 Netherlands 6.6 Percentage change 2024 up 166.0% volatile
28 San Marino 3.33 Percentage change 2024 down 73.7% volatile
29 Australia 2.91 Percentage change 2024 up 161.5% volatile
30 El Salvador 2.89 Percentage change 2024 up 226.8% volatile
31 Barbados 2.81 Percentage change 2024 up 152.0% volatile
31 Ethiopia -4.52 Percentage change 2024 down 497.1% volatile
32 Andorra 2.7 Percentage change 2024 down 4.8% volatile
33 Iceland 2.52 Percentage change 2024 up 331.7% volatile
33 Equatorial Guinea -5.19 Percentage change 2024 down 183.5% volatile
34 Australia and New Zealand 2.48 Percentage change 2024 up 156.1% volatile
35 United Kingdom 2.35 Percentage change 2024 down 2.0% volatile
36 Bahamas 2.27 Percentage change 2024 up 144.3% volatile
36 Eswatini -5.89 Percentage change 2024 down 21.1% volatile
37 Brunei Darussalam 2.26 Percentage change 2024 up 36.5% volatile
38 Haiti 2.16 Percentage change 2024 up 121.5% volatile
39 Liechtenstein 2.13 Percentage change 2024 up 34.2% volatile
40 Gambia 2.1 Percentage change 2024 up 148.5% volatile
41 Kyrgyzstan 1.87 Percentage change 2024 up 134.4% volatile
41 Madagascar -6.98 Percentage change 2024 down 110.2% volatile
42 Norway 1.83 Percentage change 2024 up 290.0% volatile
43 New Caledonia 1.79 Percentage change 2024 up 193.1% volatile
44 Sri Lanka 1.79 Percentage change 2024 up 24.8% volatile
45 Pakistan 1.76 Percentage change 2024 up 121.2% volatile
46 Dominican Republic 1.65 Percentage change 2024 up 113.9% volatile
47 Comoros 1.61 Percentage change 2024 up 126.4% volatile
48 Germany 1.58 Percentage change 2024 up 79.9% volatile
49 Martinique 1.51 Percentage change 2024 up 126.1% volatile
50 North Korea 1.3 Percentage change 2024 up 115.3% volatile
51 Sweden 1.3 Percentage change 2024 up 107.8% volatile
51 Moldova -9.19 Percentage change 2024 down 79.6% volatile
52 Nicaragua 1.27 Percentage change 2024 up 275.4% volatile
53 Portugal 1.25 Percentage change 2024 down 85.4% volatile
54 Jamaica 1.16 Percentage change 2024 up 119.8% volatile
55 Papua New Guinea 1.15 Percentage change 2024 down 28.5% volatile
56 Solomon Islands 1.13 Percentage change 2024 down 6.0% volatile
57 Tajikistan 1.11 Percentage change 2024 up 115.1% volatile
58 Afghanistan 1.09 Percentage change 2024 up 428.1% volatile
58 Mauritania -12.12 Percentage change 2024 up 15.8% volatile
59 Spain 1.05 Percentage change 2024 down 26.9% volatile
60 Singapore 0.8327 Percentage change 2024 up 113.5% volatile
61 Samoa 0.7823 Percentage change 2024 up 1,195.8% volatile
62 Italy 0.775 Percentage change 2024 down 86.5% volatile
63 Switzerland 0.7024 Percentage change 2024 down 32.2% volatile
64 Greenland 0.6762 Percentage change 2024 up 685.4% volatile
65 Vanuatu 0.6756 Percentage change 2024 up 156.2% volatile
65 Lesotho -18.9 Percentage change 2024 down 27.3% volatile
66 Malaysia 0.5975 Percentage change 2024 up 171.5% volatile
67 Timor-Leste 3.82 Percentage change 2024 up 188.2% volatile
67 Japan 0.5479 Percentage change 2024 down 34.6% volatile
68 Guadeloupe 0.5374 Percentage change 2024 up 151.3% volatile
69 Finland 0.477 Percentage change 2024 down 47.7% volatile
70 Ireland 0.4654 Percentage change 2024 down 54.1% volatile
71 Austria 0.4412 Percentage change 2024 down 82.7% volatile
72 Czechia 0.4394 Percentage change 2024 down 20.5% volatile
73 Cuba 0.4213 Percentage change 2024 up 139.9% volatile
74 Mali 0.4114 Percentage change 2024 up 105.8% volatile
75 Grenada 0.4007 Percentage change 2024 up 104.0% volatile
76 Mongolia 0.3844 Percentage change 2024 up 104.9% volatile
77 Armenia 0.3575 Percentage change 2024 up 142.7% volatile
78 Burkina Faso 0.3027 Percentage change 2024 up 105.3% volatile
79 Indonesia 0.2885 Percentage change 2024 up 117.9% volatile
80 Jersey 0.2705 Percentage change 2024 down 36.9% volatile
81 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 0.2512 Percentage change 2024 down 91.4% volatile
82 Canada -0.2278 Percentage change 2024 up 39.8% volatile
83 Holy See -0.3239 Percentage change 2024 down 108.1% volatile
84 Costa Rica -0.4173 Percentage change 2024 up 72.5% volatile
85 Mayotte -0.4497 Percentage change 2024 up 90.0% volatile
86 Honduras -0.4768 Percentage change 2024 down 245.2% volatile
87 French Southern Territories -0.6273 Percentage change 2024 down 100.0% volatile
88 Senegal -0.8177 Percentage change 2024 up 90.1% volatile
89 Dominica -0.8585 Percentage change 2024 up 61.5% volatile
90 Saint Lucia -0.9119 Percentage change 2024 up 85.3% volatile
91 Georgia -1.03 Percentage change 2024 down 27.2% volatile
92 China -1.05 Percentage change 2024 up 61.7% volatile
93 Panama -1.05 Percentage change 2024 down 35.8% volatile
94 Heard Island and McDonald Islands -1.14 Percentage change 2024 down 148.8% volatile
95 OECD -1.2 Percentage change 2024 down 42.0% volatile
96 Bhutan -1.35 Percentage change 2024 down 65.0% volatile
97 Cyprus -1.43 Percentage change 2024 down 124.6% volatile
98 Taiwan -1.47 Percentage change 2024 down 313.8% volatile
99 Albania -1.5 Percentage change 2024 down 117.7% volatile
100 Qatar -1.57 Percentage change 2024 down 246.2% volatile
101 Chile -1.74 Percentage change 2024 down 35.8% volatile
102 Azerbaijan -1.79 Percentage change 2024 up 70.3% volatile
103 Myanmar -1.9 Percentage change 2024 up 38.0% volatile
104 Kosovo -2.28 Percentage change 2024 down 137.7% volatile
105 Burundi -2.31 Percentage change 2024 down 243.9% volatile
106 Philippines -2.37 Percentage change 2024 down 192.6% volatile
107 Trinidad and Tobago -2.4 Percentage change 2024 down 1.9% volatile
108 Russia -2.48 Percentage change 2024 down 59.9% volatile
109 New Zealand -2.56 Percentage change 2024 down 277.2% volatile
110 Montenegro -2.6 Percentage change 2024 down 133.7% volatile
111 French Guiana -2.64 Percentage change 2024 down 116.9% volatile
112 United States -2.91 Percentage change 2024 down 64.0% volatile
113 Nepal -2.95 Percentage change 2024 down 245.6% volatile
114 Kenya -2.97 Percentage change 2024 down 8.0% volatile
115 North Macedonia -3.03 Percentage change 2024 down 133.2% volatile
116 Hong Kong -3.05 Percentage change 2024 down 634.2% volatile
117 Guinea-Bissau -3.19 Percentage change 2024 down 171.2% volatile
118 Sao Tome and Principe -3.56 Percentage change 2024 down 2,728.7% volatile
119 Rwanda -3.77 Percentage change 2024 down 516.5% volatile
120 Bosnia and Herzegovina -3.81 Percentage change 2024 down 157.3% volatile
121 Thailand -3.92 Percentage change 2024 down 129.2% volatile
122 Cambodia -3.93 Percentage change 2024 down 212.5% volatile
123 Bangladesh -3.96 Percentage change 2024 up 52.8% volatile
124 Lebanon -4.17 Percentage change 2024 down 18.1% volatile
125 Hungary -4.21 Percentage change 2024 down 166.1% volatile
126 Belize -4.41 Percentage change 2024 down 216.3% volatile
127 Iraq -4.44 Percentage change 2024 down 122.6% volatile
128 Eritrea -4.64 Percentage change 2024 down 35.9% volatile
129 Guatemala -4.69 Percentage change 2024 down 358.7% volatile
130 Colombia -5.16 Percentage change 2024 down 287.3% volatile
131 Laos -5.18 Percentage change 2024 down 288.1% volatile
132 Guam -5.18 Percentage change 2024 down 179.9% volatile
133 Suriname -5.34 Percentage change 2024 down 2,769.4% volatile
134 Ecuador -5.36 Percentage change 2024 down 1,435.9% volatile
135 Gabon -5.65 Percentage change 2024 down 220.2% volatile
136 Angola -5.94 Percentage change 2024 down 3,393.3% volatile
137 Nigeria -6.18 Percentage change 2024 down 384.0% volatile
138 Mexico -6.18 Percentage change 2024 down 195.4% volatile
139 Greece -6.19 Percentage change 2024 down 189.0% volatile
140 Belarus -6.24 Percentage change 2024 up 9.5% volatile
141 Malawi -6.46 Percentage change 2024 down 145.8% volatile
142 Macao -6.55 Percentage change 2024 down 486.2% volatile
143 Peru -6.71 Percentage change 2024 down 7,772.0% volatile
144 Sudan -7.05 Percentage change 2024 down 349.0% volatile
145 Northern Mariana Islands -7.21 Percentage change 2024 down 163.0% volatile
146 Serbia -7.32 Percentage change 2024 down 182.7% volatile
147 Uganda -7.39 Percentage change 2024 down 51.0% volatile
148 Uzbekistan -7.5 Percentage change 2024 down 383.6% volatile
149 Venezuela -7.54 Percentage change 2024 down 161.5% volatile
150 Guinea -7.63 Percentage change 2024 down 1,757.0% volatile
151 Bulgaria -7.74 Percentage change 2024 down 182.9% volatile
152 French Polynesia -7.88 Percentage change 2024 down 975.9% volatile
153 Liberia -7.89 Percentage change 2024 down 1,067.1% volatile
154 Iran -7.92 Percentage change 2024 down 199.3% volatile
155 Benin -8.07 Percentage change 2024 down 647.4% volatile
156 Saudi Arabia -8.23 Percentage change 2024 up 35.9% volatile
157 Kuwait -8.47 Percentage change 2024 down 137.7% volatile
158 Malta -8.76 Percentage change 2024 down 723.8% volatile
159 Sierra Leone -8.8 Percentage change 2024 down 7,459.7% volatile
160 Guyana -8.87 Percentage change 2024 down 934.3% volatile
161 Romania -8.96 Percentage change 2024 down 839.8% volatile
162 Palestine -9.03 Percentage change 2024 down 18.1% volatile
163 Yemen -9.27 Percentage change 2024 up 55.4% volatile
164 Togo -9.49 Percentage change 2024 down 705.3% volatile
165 Melanesia 1.14 Percentage change 2024 down 10.9% volatile
165 Côte d’Ivoire -9.56 Percentage change 2024 down 4,130.5% volatile
166 Brazil -9.66 Percentage change 2024 down 287.8% volatile
167 Somalia -9.78 Percentage change 2024 down 19.7% volatile
168 Ghana -9.82 Percentage change 2024 down 7,000.9% volatile
169 Cameroon -9.91 Percentage change 2024 down 917.0% volatile
170 Israel -10.31 Percentage change 2024 down 164.4% volatile
171 Mozambique -10.35 Percentage change 2024 down 432.8% volatile
172 Bolivia -10.77 Percentage change 2024 down 969.5% volatile
173 Argentina -10.81 Percentage change 2024 down 1,686.3% volatile
174 Ukraine -10.91 Percentage change 2024 down 27.0% volatile
175 Zambia -11.37 Percentage change 2024 down 33,776.0% volatile
176 South Africa -11.78 Percentage change 2024 down 114.9% volatile
177 Congo -12.63 Percentage change 2024 down 295.7% volatile
178 Djibouti -12.75 Percentage change 2024 up 41.1% volatile
179 Tunisia -12.84 Percentage change 2024 down 107.5% volatile
180 Egypt -15.49 Percentage change 2024 down 1,215.9% volatile
181 South Sudan -16.51 Percentage change 2024 down 197.3% volatile
182 Zimbabwe -17.12 Percentage change 2024 down 550.5% volatile
183 Paraguay -17.44 Percentage change 2024 down 1,568.2% volatile
184 Morocco -18.2 Percentage change 2024 down 333.8% volatile
185 Central African Republic -18.25 Percentage change 2024 down 254.4% volatile
186 Aruba -21.24 Percentage change 2024 down 5.3% volatile
187 Botswana -22.05 Percentage change 2024 down 259.3% volatile
188 Turkmenistan -22.29 Percentage change 2024 down 58.4% volatile
189 Algeria -25.07 Percentage change 2024 down 571.9% volatile
190 Jordan -28.96 Percentage change 2024 down 2,754.7% volatile
191 Namibia -29.91 Percentage change 2024 down 423.6% volatile
192 Libya -33.47 Percentage change 2024 down 160.3% volatile
193 Western Sahara -52.95 Percentage change 2024 down 209.8% volatile
249 Slovenia -0.3483 Percentage change 2024 down 108.3% volatile
318 Estonia -1.68 Percentage change 2024 down 646.9% volatile
348 Polynesia -2.18 Percentage change 2024 down 727.7% volatile
378 Viet Nam -2.53 Percentage change 2024 down 989.8% volatile
403 Latvia -2.93 Percentage change 2024 down 750.3% volatile
409 Micronesia -3.04 Percentage change 2024 down 145.3% volatile
420 Türkiye -3.21 Percentage change 2024 down 644.7% volatile
448 Lithuania -3.84 Percentage change 2024 down 83.4% volatile
542 Poland -5.96 Percentage change 2024 down 367.8% volatile
681 Democratic Republic of the Congo -13.81 Percentage change 2024 down 171.5% volatile
698 Syrian Arab Republic -15.94 Percentage change 2024 down 3,040.3% volatile

Regions and income groups

Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.

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Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly by country. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 06 October 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/exposure-to-drought-land-soil-moisture-anomaly/

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About this data

Indicator
Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly
Unit
Percentage change
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
979 places, 43,076 data points, 1981–2024
Last refreshed

The dataset provides annual anomalies in land and cropland soil moisture content of the top soil layer compared to the reference period 1981-2010. Exposure indicators to drought have been prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Please see the working paper for a more complete description of the methods. The datasets span the period 1981-2022 and is the result of the use of a variety of geospatial data sources, including the ERA5-Land averaged monthly data of volumetric soil moisture and ESA CCI land cover data. Average anomalies have been calculated for both land and cropland exposure to drought. The dataset has a global coverage on a national level; on the sub-national TL2 level (i.e. large subnational regions) results are reported for all OECD countries as well as for Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. A number of aggregates are included: Euro area, European Union, Advanced economies, Emerging market economies, G7, G20, OECD, OECD Europe, OECD Asia Oceania, OECD Americas and the LAC region. Data source(s): Copernicus Climate Change Initiative land cover data and Copernicus Climate Data Store monthly soil moisture data (ERA5). Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org Database documentation